Quote:
Originally Posted by ZodWallop
He's right. An author can't make a living selling books at $0.99. If you want your favorite writers to write more stuff, buy their books at the price they are asking.
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Their "asking price" only applies to Indies. Because they set their own price and receive income solely from sales. No sales, no money.
For everybody else, from King to firstimers, the money they get is what they get from the publisher. There is no direct, proportional, link between book cost and author receipts. No sales? They keep their advance.
Blockbuster sales?
Still no royalties because the advance is all they get. Upfront. There is no proportionality. Period.
Very few books earn out.
That is what blows out the theory of "pay more for the author's sake".
(Even when a book exceeds publisher expectations and does earn out, royalties are based on number of sales, not sale price.)
It is a fallacy, plain and simple.
As for asking price? What is the asking price, anyway? The price listed on the cover? That's a fake price, you know, right?
Not even standalone bookstores charge that price. Some try. Don't last.
The printed price includes the profits of everybody in the distribution chain and all get paid before the author. That includes the middlemen like Ingram, Amazon, and B&N. *They* decide what the "asking price" the reader sees is, not the publisher. (Except ebooks and, as pointed out above, they deliver less to authors than discounted print.)
The publisher negotiates a fixed price with the distributor and that is *all* they see. Pay cover price, 10%, 30%, 45% off? Makes no difference to the publisher. The difference between 10% and 45% is no difference to them. Or the author.
The discount comes from the retailer's pocket, not the publisher's.
Not the author's.
Want to pay more for a book to support the retailer?
Now *that* is a trueism.
Especially if you're buying from "the shop around tbe corner".
That is definitely supporting somebody...but it's not the author.
Buying the book, that supports the author; how much you pay, where and when you buy? That supports the retailers.
Want to rail against used books, remainders, pirates?
Have at it.
There's a case for those because the author isn't getting a sale.
Even libraries, because one sale equals multiple reads. Usually single digits and low ones at that. Rarely does a library book gather dozens of reads but, yeah, it happens.
Want to know what *best* supports a writer?
Recommendations.
Reviews.
Honest ratings.
Like an author?
Recommend them.
Cite them online.
Help them find new sales.
That really helps.
Indies understand that.
That is why they accept the proportional payouts of Kindle Unlimited.
Readers can try them out, risk free. And it boosts their sales. And reviews. And recommendations.
You *could* rail against that kind of discounting but it is strictly the author's choice if their book is there. (With a few minor exceptions and those are paid full price.)
Want to buy a book on day one?
Go for it.
(I've done it. I've even bought eARCS.)
But it makes no difference to the author if you buy it at Amazon for $12 or pay $17 at the shop around the corner. If you can find one.
Or if you wait for the trade paperback or go for the ebook.
That is support enough.