Why did Elizabeth Moon stop publishing through Baen? - Page 2

pdurrant · 06-28-2010, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

As far as I know, it was a disagreement about the new webscription service about a decade ago. But this is hearsay. And a decade ago.

And currently she's very happy with Baen, who are re-issuing the Deed of Paksenarrion and the prequels to coincide with her new Paksenarrion book.

HarryT · 06-28-2010, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HamsterRage

True, but if this means that some readers have to go to a store and kill trees to read that material, then her choice has still affected them. So they would still have some reasonable expectation to understand why - pushing the reasons for that decision back out into the public domain.

That's a fair point.

Worldwalker · 06-28-2010, 01:10 PM

It's not an issue of privacy. Baen is a corporation which adds value to, and distributes, consumer goods which we purchase. Elizabeth Moon is the manufacturer of those goods. We have just as much stake in which publisher will be selling her books as we do in which retailer will be selling our preferred reading devices. It's not about Elizabeth Moon the person; it's about Elizabeth Moon the OEM of stories.

Fbone · 06-28-2010, 06:38 PM

Does she have an email address? Ask her. She may like to hear from those who enjoy her work.

SaraD · 06-29-2010, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Does she have an email address? Ask her. She may like to hear from those who enjoy her work.

Yes, she does have a website, http://www.elizabethmoon.com/, that lists all of her books and at the bottom is a picture of an envelope and clicking on it starts up an e-mail to elizabeth.moon@sff.net for you.

theducks · 06-30-2010, 11:25 PM

Fans of a public Author have the right to ask questions

The Author has the right to refuse to answer. They also have the ability to lose fans

I have a lot of dead tree Moon books.
I switched my new purchases to E-PUB without DRM or Agency Model gouging (prices higher than paperbacks, when available)

Moon (and others) has lost this fan

with their "E rights" decisions.

It is her foot to shoot. Vote with your wallet.

charleski · 07-01-2010, 08:34 PM

If the fact of her switching publishers is enough to make you stop reading her books, then you were obviously not much of a fan to begin with. That's just stating the obvious.

I suppose there's a segment of the market who's more concerned with ebook politics than the actual literature they contain. Still, I'm pretty sure authors have other things they need to consider when working out how to get the best deal for their work.

Stinger · 07-01-2010, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charleski

If the fact of her switching publishers is enough to make you stop reading her books, then you were obviously not much of a fan to begin with. That's just stating the obvious.

I suppose there's a segment of the market who's more concerned with ebook politics than the actual literature they contain.

I disagree. There is a BIG difference between not buying her books and not reading them.

I'm still very much a fan, I just won't spend my money to support draconian DRM. I might buy the paperback to support authors I truly like, but the fact that I'm forced to resort to illegal ebooks doesn't help to motivate me to do so.

HarryT · 07-02-2010, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

I'm still very much a fan, I just won't spend my money to support draconian DRM. I might buy the paperback to support authors I truly like, but the fact that I'm forced to resort to illegal ebooks doesn't help to motivate me to do so.

You're forced to resort to illegal books? Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that you choose to resort to them? If you object so very strongly to DRM you could always buy the paperback - or just read something else.

Joykins · 07-02-2010, 11:19 AM

From what I can tell in the author/publishing world, a lot of this is a decision of what markets the publisher specializes in.

Baen is offering _Sheepfarmer's Daughter_ free (this is always done with the author's full participation) and reissuing the Paks series--this means more sales for Moon through Baen. Other authors, like Bujold, work with Baen and other publishers as well. But if Moon is going artistically in a new direction that Baen doesn't specialize in, then it makes sense for her to seek out a new publisher that is more likely to accept and appropriately market her new books.

Also they could pay more

At any rate you're not forced to pirate her books. Libraries tend to stock them, as do bookstores specializing in print products.

cfrizz · 07-02-2010, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charleski

If the fact of her switching publishers is enough to make you stop reading her books, then you were obviously not much of a fan to begin with. That's just stating the obvious.

I suppose there's a segment of the market who's more concerned with ebook politics than the actual literature they contain. Still, I'm pretty sure authors have other things they need to consider when working out how to get the best deal for their work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

You're forced to resort to illegal books? Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that you choose to resort to them? If you object so very strongly to DRM you could always buy the paperback - or just read something else.

Thank you both for applying common sense to this issue.

Either buy the books or find someone else to buy from, but applying excuses to JUSTIFY illegal downloading is just stupid.

I'm sure she will have other customers willing to buy her books regardless of drm or not. I doubt you will be missed.

Stinger · 07-02-2010, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

You're forced to resort to illegal books? Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that you choose to resort to them? If you object so very strongly to DRM you could always buy the paperback - or just read something else.

Actually, I said that I was forced to resort to illegal ebooks, which I think it pretty accurate. But you're right, I guess I was only 'forced' because of my own decisions regarding DRM.

I have made fair use of my local library and paperbacks, but I prefer to read on an ereader, now that I've been spoiled by the experience... is that so wrong?

For authors I truly enjoy, like Elizabeth, I will support them by purchasing a 1st-hand paperback, if I can. Which promptly get donated so a local library, hospital or charity, because I simply don't have the room for more bookshelves.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfrizz

Either buy the books or find someone else to buy from, but applying excuses to JUSTIFY illegal downloading is just stupid.

I'm sure she will have other customers willing to buy her books regardless of drm or not. I doubt you will be missed.

I wasn't giving excuses or justifications, I was just sharing my personal opinion. I know that I'm in the minority, but that doesn't, in itself, make my argument invalid.... In the very least, I certainly don't appreciate your condescension just because you don't share my particular POV.

Worldwalker · 07-02-2010, 06:29 PM

I won't buy DRM-restricted ebooks. No, Elizabeth Moon won't miss me; but likewise, with a whole world of books to read, I won't miss her either. Authors supply readers with entertainment; readers supply authors with income. The authors might, in fact, actually have a need for people to buy their books.

As for whether any individual reader's purchasing decisions matter to an author ... well, if we all decide that our votes (or purchases in this case) don't matter, they certainly won't matter. No one drop of water matters, either, when it comes to erosion ... but get enough of them together and you have the Grand Canyon. Y'know, if everybody who said "my actions don't count" actually did whatever it is they think won't count, they would count.

Loren Eiseley's "The Star Thrower" isn't directly applicable here, but it still stands as a reminder that doing something is better than doing nothing. Do what is right, not because other people are doing it, but because it is right. If everyone did that, instead of finding excuses (like "what I do won't matter") a lot more right would get done. And then it would matter.

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06-28-2010, 01:10 PM	#18
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	It's not an issue of privacy. Baen is a corporation which adds value to, and distributes, consumer goods which we purchase. Elizabeth Moon is the manufacturer of those goods. We have just as much stake in which publisher will be selling her books as we do in which retailer will be selling our preferred reading devices. It's not about Elizabeth Moon the person; it's about Elizabeth Moon the OEM of stories.

06-28-2010, 06:38 PM	#19
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,279 Karma: 101696762 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Does she have an email address? Ask her. She may like to hear from those who enjoy her work.

06-30-2010, 11:25 PM	#21
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,886 Karma: 59840450 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Fans of a public Author have the right to ask questions The Author has the right to refuse to answer. They also have the ability to lose fans I have a lot of dead tree Moon books. I switched my new purchases to E-PUB without DRM or Agency Model gouging (prices higher than paperbacks, when available) Moon (and others) has lost this fan with their "E rights" decisions. It is her foot to shoot. Vote with your wallet.

07-01-2010, 08:34 PM	#22
charleski Wizard Posts: 1,196 Karma: 1281258 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505	If the fact of her switching publishers is enough to make you stop reading her books, then you were obviously not much of a fan to begin with. That's just stating the obvious. I suppose there's a segment of the market who's more concerned with ebook politics than the actual literature they contain. Still, I'm pretty sure authors have other things they need to consider when working out how to get the best deal for their work.

07-02-2010, 11:19 AM	#25
Joykins Wizard Posts: 1,609 Karma: 9211856 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: kindle Oasis 2018, kindle 4 NT, kindle PW2, iPhone, iPad mini	From what I can tell in the author/publishing world, a lot of this is a decision of what markets the publisher specializes in. Baen is offering _Sheepfarmer's Daughter_ free (this is always done with the author's full participation) and reissuing the Paks series--this means more sales for Moon through Baen. Other authors, like Bujold, work with Baen and other publishers as well. But if Moon is going artistically in a new direction that Baen doesn't specialize in, then it makes sense for her to seek out a new publisher that is more likely to accept and appropriately market her new books. Also they could pay more At any rate you're not forced to pirate her books. Libraries tend to stock them, as do bookstores specializing in print products.

07-02-2010, 06:29 PM	#28
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	I won't buy DRM-restricted ebooks. No, Elizabeth Moon won't miss me; but likewise, with a whole world of books to read, I won't miss her either. Authors supply readers with entertainment; readers supply authors with income. The authors might, in fact, actually have a need for people to buy their books. As for whether any individual reader's purchasing decisions matter to an author ... well, if we all decide that our votes (or purchases in this case) don't matter, they certainly won't matter. No one drop of water matters, either, when it comes to erosion ... but get enough of them together and you have the Grand Canyon. Y'know, if everybody who said "my actions don't count" actually did whatever it is they think won't count, they would count. Loren Eiseley's "The Star Thrower" isn't directly applicable here, but it still stands as a reminder that doing something is better than doing nothing. Do what is right, not because other people are doing it, but because it is right. If everyone did that, instead of finding excuses (like "what I do won't matter") a lot more right would get done. And then it would matter.