Quote:
Originally Posted by Karellen
… then not have a copy? Do the publishers demand all copies to be handed in? Does the author have to buy their own book to read it?
Or is it a case of bad luck and copies were destroyed in some disaster?
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No, the publisher wants only one copy. Originally typed with double line space, later in MS Word format (from some time in the 1990s).
Mostly the publisher supplies the author a free proof (earlier was galleys) and often a few free from print run.
With Vanity or POD the author has to buy a copy. James Joyce is over rated now and did very few books. At least one was Vanity published with a Paris bookshop paying the costs, because he was more honestly rated then.
It's really easy even now to have no copy. Even easier only 20 years ago and totally easy 40 years ago.
As an aside, there are almost no lost BBC episodes. No Dr. Who was lost! The BBC deliberately destroyed 16mm flim and reused tapes (to save about £85 a reel in mid 1970s! vs £thousands in production costs per episode) .
It's easy.