Quote:
Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel
wow, i'm actually rather shocked that ray bradbury would have that opinion. what a shame. i suppose i expect science fiction authors to be a bit more enlightened and tech-friendly, although that's probably a silly generalisation (and i can think of other cases as well which prove me wrong on that point...).
you may have a point about the a-listers though ; perhaps less well-known authors see it as a chance for increased visibility and are more open to it. it's a rather blinkered viewpoint though.  you should write to bradbury and explain to him how it *really* is.  (so, are none of his books available as ebooks ? or does he tolerate them, in spite of his prejudice ?) |
A few of his books are available, but not the vast majority. I already own nearly everything he's written in both Hardback and paperback and in lieu of his works being available I've turned to the Darknet myself which I was loathe to do. I'm willing to pay, but if the works aren't there, where else do I turn? He really is my touchstone, along with a few others, when it comes to writing and I admire the man and his writing more than any other author I've come across, so I hate the idea that I'm not paying for these e-works (although I haven't downloaded anything I don't already own in a pbook format).
As to the unknown, or as I like to put it, unofficial authors, this is the opportunity we've all been waiting for. We can have control again, full control if we so desire, from beginning to end. We don't have to think of slanting to markets or aiming for some theoretical lowest-common-demoninator. For the first time in a long time we can write for the sheer pleasure and send it out there into the wild-blue and see what happens. We can forge one-on-one relationships with readers, bypassing all the mess of the traditional system.
In my eyes a million unofficial writers making a living from the kindness of strangers is better than one thousand top-tier writers making millions through traditional publishers. That's the future I want to be part of. The future I want to help build.