Quote:
Originally Posted by Elfwreck
I'm always surprised at the number of authors who say this... "if my book's not available in a format you like at a cost you can afford, just don't read it."
Because, what, they don't *want* fans who aren't customers? They're under the impression that big-name award-winning authors got that way entirely from people who bought their books?
Of course, if the writer has *no interest* in cultivating readers who don't pay... why do they care? What harm does it do them, once they've announced "if you're not buying my book, don't read it," if someone reads it anyway?
I get really sick of the attitude, "if you're not a paying customer, you're not a real fan of my writing." Authors used to be happy to have fans who haunted secondhand book shops because they couldn't afford new books. Now, more and more, I see authors who think the only valid appreciation of their work is a new purchase... and of course, new readers should just *know* that they'll love this author's work, and fork over money for it instead of someone they already know they enjoy because they read some of the other author's works for free.
When an author says, "if my books aren't available in your region, don't download them--just wait, or read something else," I interpret that as "my books are not intended for poor readers; I only want fans above a certain income level."
|
i see the authors point but to get right down to the heart of it: i'm giving an author hours and days of my infinitely more valuable life that i will NEVER get back by reading their work and listening to their "voice". so yea, i'm a fan no matter how i acquire said novel. if i wasn't a fan i wouldn't even waste the brain cells to process their name.
"and of course, new readers should just *know* that they'll love this author's work, and fork over money for it instead of someone they already know they enjoy because they read some of the other author's works for free."
that ties right into my massive pet peeve of giving new authors anything other than paperback/ebook publication. sorry, i'm not dropping $16 on an authors first book in trade format or ebook. for that money i can buy something i'll love, not gamble on a newbie author. if the only way i can sample a new authors work is said expensive trade/ebook, its getting pirated. *looks squarely at PYR* i'm sure i'd enjoy their stuff but if i've got $15 to spend and its a choice between a new Monster Hunter novel or a new author who may be good but i'm not quite sure, bring on the Monster Hunter.
i looooove Monster Hunter, i only discovered it thanks to piracy. i went on to buy physical copies of all of the authors books. tbqh thats happened quite often. easily a dozen authors have become immediate purchases thanks to "sampling" one of their novels.