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Originally Posted by speakingtohe
Hmmm. You were sounding pretty reasonable until you said anything less than forever is unacceptable to parties #1 and #3. 
I have read a lot of books and if no one ever wrote another would not run out. I guess I am guilty of being grateful that the authors and the evil publishers made this possible. Maybe no one needs them any more, but I find this hard to believe. I don't think every author deserves to be paid any more than I think every bus driver or store clerk or food server deserves to be paid. Some just don't. In general I think the same rules apply. If the person is doing an adequate job they deserve to be paid. If they are doing an inadequate job they don't deserve to be paid. If they are doing a super job, they should and do get a lot more.
A good restaurant server will probably make 80K a year in a mall restaurant. 200K in a really nice place. Sure someone may come in and not tip, but who cares as long as they don't come in too often. (not always the case as I know guys making $500a day who will chase non tippers down the street yelling at them)
I could be wrong but authors generally do not have the same advantages. Probably you will say, they should take up serving instead. You would be right in most cases.
After all if a fat 63 year old server can make $300 a day after taxes without breaking out of a slow waddle, imagine what a an author with small stories to tell the customer could make
Helen |
I merely observe. The main copyright law has been extended twice, both times by heavy lobbying by from very rich middlemen. There are no signs that the lobbying for extention has stopped, one was granted for musical performances as recently as 2009 (from 2047 to 2067). Many authors cheerfully go along with that lobbying, as least as portrayed on this website. Still, I undoubtably painted with too broad of a brush. Chalk that up to frustration.
I do state that if a current author is not making a living at writing, and considers money important, (and those are two ifs) then I do suggest that said author go do something else that makes him or her more money. The economic realities of being an author should be studied before one chooses to become one, just like any other profession. To me, the idea that being an author grants a person special priviledges above everybody else in society, I find repugnant. Inventors have more direct impact on society, but they make do with much less protection and at a much higher price to obtain it. I don't here drumbeat screams about how badly they are being treated.