Quote:
Originally Posted by darryl
Zod. We can discuss the question of what constitutes art ad infinitum, but it takes us nowhere. Personally I would not classify all books as art, though many of them may well be. But it makes no difference. Whether you are supporting a work of art or a simple product makes zero difference. If you are seeking to ensure the future supply of similar art or products the solution is the same. Buy the products (or the art). In the case of some products (or works of art) paying top price will act as an incentive. Clearly in the case of Big 5 books it does not. In the case of Indie books it does.
Of course, the Big 5 could incentivize its authors to write more books in many ways, including a greater share for them of sales at high prices.
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Clearly in the case of Big 5 book _and_ indies buying books at the top price acts as an incentive. You can pretend all you want that because Big 5 publishers pay an advance that a purchase doesn't really count until the advance pays out, but it clearly does count.
Really, I get that you and others here dislike the big 5 publishers for all sorts of real and imagined offenses, but pretending that an author isn't paid because he gets paid up front based on estimated sales rather than have to have to wait for the actual sale is simply a talking point backed by hand waving rather than any basis in reality. Authors don't have to take an advance, they can negotiate a contract that doesn't have an advance, but why would they? It's a benefit, not an evil plot by the publishers to rob them of money. There is zero downside to getting money up front.