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Old 07-02-2009, 03:55 PM   #2
Elsi
Wizard
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Posts: 2,366
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Texas, USA
Device: Kindle; Sony PRS 505; Blackberry 8700C
Quote:
One problem is that a lot of users somehow think that e-books, since they don't have to be printed, are pure profit for the publisher and should therefore be virtually free whereas, of course, the great majority of the costs that go into making a paper book (commissioning, editing, artwork, marketing, repping, promoting and, erm, paying the author) still apply with an ebook. Champions of a revolutionary future of free-love filesharing where writers and readers will all be liberated from the shackles of publishers tend to forget the vital role they play as gatekeepers and ensurers of a certain level of quality (you may think some books that are published are rubbish but believe me, until you've seen a slush pile you really have no idea).
I agree with everything that he says -- particularly the value of the publisher's editorial input. But you also have to consider that when I spend $18.00 for a discounted hardback book, I have a physical copy that I can sell, trade, or lend to someone else. Why would I spend $15.00 for an electronic copy that is locked not only to me, but to a specific device that I currently own? The price for the eBook needs to be high enough to provide a reasonable return to the author and publisher without gouging the consumer.
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