Quote:
Originally Posted by Sirtel
Well, no one is insulting you because you don't buy expensive cars. But in this thread people who don't buy books at hardcover prices were called cheapskates and skinflints. And you wonder why people are upset?
And no, it's not a question of priority. If a person buys over a hundred books a year, then they generally cannot afford to buy those books at the highest price point, unless they're wealthy (and few people are). And why should they buy fewer books for higher prices?
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No, they are not. If that's what they think and are upset about it, then perhaps they should take a deep breath and go back and read what is actually been said. Frankly I'm talking more about people who buy used books, or only get free books rather than people who buy hardbacks verses paperbacks. Most authors are quite happy with fans who buy their books period - Hardback, paperback, audiobook or ebook, it's all good and they get their money.
I'm not considered particularly wealthy, but I tend to buy somewhere around 200 to 300 books a year. A few months ago, I posted how many books per year I've purchased over the last 5+ years and the average price per book. As I recall it was a bit in excess of $10 per book, but not a whole lot. I buy roughly a third of my books at hard back prices.
I have a list of favorite authors whom I buy as they come out. Unfortunately, not many of them are particularly prolific and it's not uncommon for an author to take a year or two off after finishing a series, so if I'm lucky, I get 20 books a year from that group. The rest are either non fiction books on subjects that interest me, or authors that I'm giving a try. In a good year, I might pick up one or two new favored authors.
Once again, go back and look at what I actually said, not strawmen thrown up by other posters. Robert Heinlien has been quoted as saying that authors compete for people's beer money. I suspect that's how most authors view it. They want your beer money, not your rent money.
Back when I was a student, I didn't have much in the way of discretionary funds. I had some, because I've had paying jobs all my life since I started as a paper boy when I was 11, but most of that went to the family income pot and I had a couple of bucks a week to spend as I wished. I would buy a couple of paper backs rather than spend that money at the snack bar. At that time, SF rarely came out in hardback and paper back books cost less than a dollar. That was maybe 4 candy bars. I didn't buy my first hard back until I was over 16 and working fast food. Once again, most of my paycheck went to the college fund, but I had enough to buy some books every week. I just didn't go to a lot of movies or the like.
Even now, it's the same dynamic. $3000 a year may sound like a lot of money, but it's maybe 5 months of car payments. Keep my car 8 years rather than 5 and I've paid for all those books.