Amazon offers indie authors reward for going exclusive

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

If you need this functionality, and if B&N doesn't offer it, then my advice is sound: Buy a Kindle.

This is not a B&N issue.

If an author tells B&N to stop distributing their book, B&N must stop.
If an author tells Smashwords to stop distributing their book, Smashwords must stop.
If an author tells Amazon to stop distributing their book, Amazon must stop.

On this very forum, someone has suggested filling a DMCA take-down notice against Kobo because Kobo hasn't been quick enough to take down a book that the author wants to make Amazon exclusive.

You are not saying "Buy a kindle!" You are saying "Buy my book at every store, just to be sure you don't lose access!"

Update: Ok, I realize now you are saying that with a kindle, I would have at least one device "backed up" with the book in case of loss, since Amazon offers the auto-download option. But even if I had a kindle, I wouldn't have it set to auto-download all my books, so that still wouldn't work in my case.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by rhadin

I guess I must innately not trust authors and retailers because I immediately download a purchased book and add it to my automatic backup (with Carbonite) list. This is like software. You buy it today and tomorrow it is considered obsolete and unsupported.

Possibly you have more access to Calibre than I do. I've been working 12+ hour days at work and most of my internet talking, buying, etc. is down during software compiling. When I do finally get home, getting back on the computer to DOWNLOAD THOSE INDIE TITLES NOW has to take a backseat to feeding the cats, packing the boxes, feeding the husband, doing pain management techniques, etc.

[J. Strnad]

<<I do this myself. I go on shopping sprees and then later go back and download my purchased books. Cause what good are ebooks if I can't enjoy the flexibility of them. Sometimes I don't d/l until I'm ready to read. Sometimes I d/l only when I'm at certain computers. Sometimes I NEVER d/l and read online (see Smashwords).>>

Wait, I just re-read this and don't understand. Do you mean that you can purchase an ebook and it doesn't go anywhere? When I buy an ebook from Amazon, I choose where I want it sent: to my Kindle, my wife's Kindle, my desktop app, or my laptop app. I can go back and send more copies to other places, but initially, it always goes to some device or app.

But with (presumably) B&N you can purchase an ebook and it sits in your library until you download it to somewhere?

And...if you've bought my book, and you haven't downloaded it, and it's in your library, and then I stop selling at B&N, it disappears from your library? Do I have that right?

I'm just trying to get the facts straight, as someone who has no experience buying ebooks from B&N.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

<<I boycott Agency6 ebooks (only purchased used DTB) and now I'm feeling I should leave most self-pubs alone, too.>>

See, to me this is an indication that you might possibly be taking a position that is a tad bit on the extreme-ish side.

I don't feel that way. Authors and publishers (especially) are pulling all sorts of shenanigans for my money. BUT what they are not doing is providing me what the materials I want to purchase in the way I want to purchase.

It's their product(s) and they can do with them what they will.

I - the money spender - can do what I will with my money...and I chose not to support those who do not support me. You do what you have to do to get your sales...that is your right. It is my right to support - or not - your actions.

I dislike Agency6. I dislike KDP Select. I refuse to buy a kindle and I don't buy Kindle books. So, why should I inconvenience myself just in case an author I've chosen to support decides to yank their product in order to do KDP select? That is not supporting those who support you.

To blame other vendors is ludicrous. You are the author and you made the decision. And it is your right. As is my right not to support your actions.

As is my right to not use PayPal. And not to buy a kindle. And not to support authors who are yanking their books in order to go exclusive with a company I cannot utilize unless I am willing to invest in their system. And I am not.

I don't just buy books, I collect books and support authors. And it seems that the self-publishing trend is going the way of the polar bear...extinct. I don't want to get caught in that.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

But with (presumably) B&N you can purchase an ebook and it sits in your library until you download it to somewhere?

And...if you've bought my book, and you haven't downloaded it, and it's in your library, and then I stop selling at B&N, it disappears from your library? Do I have that right?

I'm just trying to get the facts straight, as someone who has no experience buying ebooks from B&N.

Yes.

The Amazon default "send to X device" is an option that afaik only Amazon uses. (And not a feature I personally like, but wev.)

This is also true for Smashwords and Kobo, stores that I buy from and then must directly download from later. Possibly also for Sony, although there might be an auto-sync via the Reader app, which I don't use.

[J. Strnad]

<< J. Strnd need to do what is best for his interests>>

Okay, Richard, you just got yourself taken off the list of possible editors for my next book! I have one vowel in my last name...ONE STINKING VOWEL...due to the chronic and historical vowel shortage in Bohemia that began generations ago...and you take it away from me! Why would I ever trust an editor who breaks into my house and steals my vowels??? You just lost a customer, buddy!

(The rest of what you said makes perfect sense.)

[anamardoll]

I would also suggest that when an indie author uploads to a store, like B&N, they should buy a copy of their book for their account -- then you can see for yourself what the behavior is when you modify your book availability. No "belief" necessary!

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by rhadin

As for the "controversy" over Risen, I think we miss the point that just as we need to do what is best for our interests, so does J. Strnd need to do what is best for his interests. Consequently, I just don't buy the book (or any book from an Amazon exclusive author) or recommend it to anyone and if anyone asks, I simply tell them to be careful because it is a here-today-gone-tomorrow ebook.

Just wanting to say that -- to my knowledge -- no one here has suggested Strnd shouldn't do what is in his best interests.

Just that it's not in some peoples' perceived best interests to buy from an author open to turning off their license without notice. Because I don't have 24/7 access to Calibre, I'm personally one of those people, but everyone else has to make up their own "mind".

[J. Strnad]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

This is not a B&N issue.

If an author tells B&N to stop distributing their book, B&N must stop.
If an author tells Smashwords to stop distributing their book, Smashwords must stop.
If an author tells Amazon to stop distributing their book, Amazon must stop.

You are not saying "Buy a kindle!" You are saying "Buy my book at every store, just to be sure you don't lose access!"

Ana, you seem to be deliberately missing the point.

ONE THING: Offering a book for sale.
ANOTHER THING: Making a purchased book available in the buyer's library of stored books.

B&N and Amazon offer TWO SERVICES: Buying, and archiving.

If a publisher stops offering their book to the "buying" service, that doesn't remove it from the "archiving" service. A bought book is a bought book.

At least, that's how it is at Amazon. If the book is withdrawn from sale, people can't buy it. But the people who've already bought it HAVE FULL ACCESS TO IT, including syncing across multiple devices.

If B&N doesn't work this way...if these TWO SEPARATE SERVICES are somehow conflated so that removing a book from sale ALSO removes it from people's libraries...well, that's just wrong. And it's definitely a B&N issue!

<<You are saying "Buy my book at every store, just to be sure you don't lose access!">>

Uh, no. (Does anyone else here think I've said that?)

<<Just that it's not in some peoples' perceived best interests to buy from an author open to turning off their license without notice.>>

I can't do that. I can't turn off licenses. Only the seller can do that.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

<<I do this myself. I go on shopping sprees and then later go back and download my purchased books. Cause what good are ebooks if I can't enjoy the flexibility of them. Sometimes I don't d/l until I'm ready to read. Sometimes I d/l only when I'm at certain computers. Sometimes I NEVER d/l and read online (see Smashwords).>>

Wait, I just re-read this and don't understand. Do you mean that you can purchase an ebook and it doesn't go anywhere? When I buy an ebook from Amazon, I choose where I want it sent: to my Kindle, my wife's Kindle, my desktop app, or my laptop app. I can go back and send more copies to other places, but initially, it always goes to some device or app.

But with (presumably) B&N you can purchase an ebook and it sits in your library until you download it to somewhere?

And...if you've bought my book, and you haven't downloaded it, and it's in your library, and then I stop selling at B&N, it disappears from your library? Do I have that right?

I'm just trying to get the facts straight, as someone who has no experience buying ebooks from B&N.

Depending on where you purchase - your ebooks stay at the vendor until you download them.

My experience with B&N is rather limited. I purchased a nook and a few books but returned the nook. The books I purchased I did on the nook but I did not see a corresponding d/l on my computer. Maybe I did it wrong? *shrug*

As I am boycotting Agency6 publishers, my need for B&N is rather small now.

My kobo purchases go directly to my phone app - but if I want an epub and not a kepub (to put in Calibre) I have to d/l directly from the site.

My smashwords, baen, losed id, ellora's cave, ARE, harlequin, etc purchases go nowhere unless I do something. I get an email with a d/l link.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

At least, that's how it is at Amazon. If the book is withdrawn from sale, people can't buy it. But the people who've already bought it HAVE FULL ACCESS TO IT, including syncing across multiple devices.

With the greatest possible respect, I would take your word for this, except that you've only just learned that B&N and Smashwords don't work this way. Is that not correct?

Has anyone ever pulled a book from Amazon that we can compare?

(ETA: I'm sorry you feel like I'm deliberately missing your point. I rather think I just have a very different point of view on this than you.)

[J. Strnad]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

Yes.

The Amazon default "send to X device" is an option that afaik only Amazon uses. (And not a feature I personally like, but wev.)

This is also true for Smashwords and Kobo, stores that I buy from and then must directly download from later. Possibly also for Sony, although there might be an auto-sync via the Reader app, which I don't use.

Thank you. That's interesting.

So, if you purchase Risen today and don't go back to download it until, say, July 1st, and I've gone back to Select and withdrawn it from B&N, you'll have paid for it, I'll have gotten my money, but you won't be able to download your book?

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

With the greatest possible respect, I would take your word for this, except that you've only just learned that B&N and Smashwords don't work this way. Is that not correct?

Has anyone ever pulled a book from Amazon that we can compare?

(ETA: I'm sorry you feel like I'm deliberately missing your point. I rather think I just have a very different point of view on this than you.)

The only thing I have heard is when Amazon was yanking books on their own. People who had purchased said books that Amazon removed found that their d/l links for those same books had disappeared.

I don't buy kindle books so...

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

Thank you. That's interesting.

So, if you purchase Risen today and don't go back to download it until, say, July 1st, and I've gone back to Select and withdrawn it from B&N, you'll have paid for it, I'll have gotten my money, but you won't be able to download your book?

Yes.

As well as smashwords.

Not sure what happens if the author used to sell the book themselves.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

So, if you purchase Risen today and don't go back to download it until, say, July 1st, and I've gone back to Select and withdrawn it from B&N, you'll have paid for it, I'll have gotten my money, but you won't be able to download your book?

I mean no offence to anyone by saying this, but I'd consider that scenario to be purely the fault of the buyer. Expecting the store to "hold" your book for you indefinitely is unrealistic. Books can be withdrawn for all sorts of reasons, most of which are totally outside the store's control. Buy it. Download it. That way it's under your control.