Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan
This could change if authors somehow become more "respectable" as creators in society, worthy of everyone's support, instead of the prevailing attitude that they all but sponge off of society, and at the very least, produce a value-less product in entertainment media. I don't see that happening anytime soon.
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I keep coming back to this statement. It stunned me. It's so hard for me to believe that any true book-lover considers authors as people not deserving respect or as dead-beat "sponges". The ability to entertain well is a wonderful gift.
To wish for a "better" (cheaper) price is pretty universal for many things. It doesn't mean the consumer doesn't value to creator, to a degree. But it's not just books that never seem to earn what they're worth (for most authors).
My mother used to embroider...by hand. Then she bought a sewing machine to do it and thought she might be able to make some money from her hobby. She found that - if she tried to apply a living wage to it - no one was willing to pay for what it was "worth" (measured in terms of her supplies, her time, her expertise and care). So she still does it, but for family and for fun. I don't think she tries to sell anything any more.
Maybe you meant the comment differently than I read it. If the only way for a favorite author of mine to write was if every books sold for $35, I suspect I'd find another favorite author. Doesn't mean I don't value the author, but it means I have to weigh that value against what I earn, how many books I'd like to read in a month, and how quickly I go through them. I can't afford to read as much as I do at that price.