[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by ficbot

One of the Telerad editors just wrote to let me know that my recent post on Teleread about the reader response to, among other things, the MacMillan issue, was the fourth most commented on article they've ever put up! A follow-up will be going up tomorrow addressing a few of the comments but I want to spread the word as widely as possible because I think that we have all aired our POV at this point, and the time has come to move beyond 'explaining' and into 'solving' and I really think authors and readers need to work together on this. Readers have tried for so long to get their voices heard, and it just isn't happening. We need the author's help, and they need our business, so why not join forces?

I think these are the main issues readers have identified:

- We need a business model that allows readers to buy books without restrictions due to the store they shop at or the country in which they live

That will happen when the publishers agree to a unified rights model. The *publishers* have to be willing to stop acting as if each unit within a major publisher - Hachette comes to mind as demonstrating how NOT to do this - were 'local' to the country it's in.

- We need to move away from any DRM system that restricts the reader as to which device they can use and which features of that device they can access

Again, without the publishers deciding to agree to this, it ain't gonna happen.

- We need a shift in pricing so that authors can make a fair profit from new releases without gouging customers with higher-than-print ebook prices for decade-old books

Agreed. Yes, if an O-O-P book needs to be re-entered, re-edited, re-formatted, that expense will have to be taken into consideration, but authors deserve a higher royalty percentage on such ebooks, and not just a 5%-10% boost.

- We need a commitment from publishers to ensure that ebook releases are free from copy-editing and conversion errors---and a mechanism for readers to submit problem books for correction

Would love to see this happen. But we're still - for most publishers - in the 'sales' model, in which they offer what they want and we just stupidly buy. A 'marketing' model would take into account that customers are to be valued and the quality of the reading experience matters. Right now, so many publishers are offering us Model Ts in e-book format while offering us Mercedes, Lexuses and Bentleys in dead-tree format.

Authors have blogged---here and elsewhere---about WHY these problems exist. We know that already. And we know that readers are unhappy. So, no more explaining. Let's talk about SOLVING.

- Who actually has the power to solve some of these issues? What is the best way to contact them and what should we say to ensure they take us seriously?

- Are there any author groups or reader groups under whom we can band together and mobilize some sort of campaign? Which groups? How can we get that going? Whom should we contact in publishing to let them know we have done so and share our concerns?

Publishers. Publishers. Publishers. We can organize, campaign, complain, think-tank and preach, but until the publishers decide that e-book customers are 'worthy' we won't get anywhere.

- Petitions. Best way to organize? Who to send them to? What they should demand?

- Media attention. Will it help? From which venues? What would attract the most attention?

- Alternative campaigns. Several authors stated the 1-star reviews made ebook fans come off as nothing more than crackpots. What would be a better way?

- Facebook group. Good idea? Worth the time? What/how to use it to get our voices heard? Someone to moderate? (I am prohibited by my job in getting involved in Facebook groups or else I would volunteer)

- Sympathetic people. I bet Doctorow would get involved if we organized something large-scale. Anybody else in 'the biz' who is known to be sympathetic and who would help us with our efforts?

I love books, I love reading and am unwilling to go back to paper after experiencing ebooks. I do not have the space to store every ebook I want to buy, so a friendly ebook market is very important to me. I am willing to work---not on a full-time job level, but even so---on this. But I really feel that authors and readers need to work TOGETHER on this and the time has come to stop pontificating and start DOING.

Anyone with me? Post any suggestions for ACTION below!

Of course, there's nothing stopping all authors from forming the Authors E-Publishing Group, whose sole job is to present an alternative publishing outlet for e-titles. In fact, authors could choose to target the biggest offenders amongst the current publishers by deliberately refusing to allow these publishers to publish the e-book version. Instead, AE-PG could publish the titles. And I'd make it a condition that the author has the right to use AE-PG within 60 days of release of any dead-tree version.

Derek