Quote:
Originally Posted by sbroome
How many books did you read for free and not pay for because you didn't like them? Did the authors agree to allow you to read the books for free or did they ask you to pay for them? If we can't do something as simple as respecting author's wishes, the least you can do is stop acting like some kind of champion.
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honestly, not many. if i didn't have an inkling of interest in the 1st place i wouldn't even download it. i think i probably have a 70% or so buy rate for books i sample. most of my downloads are simply format shifts, i'll be damned if i'm paying $15 for a file of 1s and 0s of a book thats already sitting on my shelf.
and i'm not trying to sound like a "champion". i'm just trying to stamp out the perception that pirates are sitting there cackling and doing the money squeeze as they watch their hard drive fill. sadly many are, but i'm not. but for me personally an author got plenty of my money that he otherwise wouldn't have seen if i hadn't downloaded one of his books. he gained a paying customer for life.
pardon my french but if there wasn't so much absolute shite put up for sale i wouldn't need to be so wary. many books i've seen have a good sample but the actual book falls apart later on. its not a justification but if authors want my money i expect their book to be worth my time and money on a technical level at the very least. if they want me to uphold my end, they need to do their part and not release their every garbled brain fart. why should i pay for junk?
i don't have to try to justify myself but i did. i could just sit here and say "yea i love pirating stuff, screwing people out of money gives me sexual release" but i'm not that kind of person and neither are many of the folks i've talked to on pirate boards. most are simply people who enjoy reading and have their various reasons for why they do what they do, just like this board.
there was a topic on a darknet board i visit that asked "would you buy your ebooks if they were cheaper?" out of 100 responses the overwhelming majority answered yes. the reasoning? many folks simply can't afford to take risks or are unwilling to pay outrageous prices to format shift.
i think theres a perception that pirates are kids in their teens or early 20s wearing backwards caps as they guzzle red bull and laugh at "the man". many of the ebook "pirates" are older folks and seniors for whom taking a risk would be a financial burden or seniors who love to read but are on a fixed income. they're not giggling as they thrust their middle fingers at the publishing gods. one may say "well, use the library". well if theres a library out there who carries indie and small press books i'd love to see it.
even with my swashbuckling antics i know i have done more to support authors and the industry than the vast majority of legitimate book customers out there. whats the average amount of books bought/read each year, 10 or so? i spend thousands on legal, legitimate books each year, the bulk of that going to support indies and small presses. yea, i'm technically doing something wrong by downloading. morally i simply don't feel it.