Is this a horrible time to be a writer?

[Worldwalker]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

So, you're trying to suggest that, unless I have specific figures, I'm all wrong?

Sorry. Statement stands. It does not depend on "numbers."

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.

You're the person who is saying that the majority of people -- for the sake of argument, let's narrow it down to Americans, since you're American -- are dishonest. You have further said, very specifically, that the members of MobileRead download unauthorized copies of books and music rather than purchasing them legitimately, and that those people say openly that they do so because "nobody will be able to stop them." You have repeatedly made this statement that most people are dishonest, something which flies in the face of both the published statistics and the personal experience of MobileRead members, and as you're the one making the extraordinary statements, it is your duty to present support for them, not everyone else's duty to refute them.

So until you give us some reason to believe what you're saying other than "because I said so," your statement has the truth value of "the moon is made of green cheese."

I generally get high dozens, total, of the sum of my 14 books per year. This year, however, I'm expecting less than 50 total sales at this rate.

I wasn't going to say this, out of pity, but you've called me a thief one time too many:

If those sales are only 10% of the people reading your books -- that is, if for every person who buys a book from you, nine people read pirate copies -- then you're still only talking 500 reads in total for all 14 of your books. 36 readers per book. More people than that read my freaking fanfic in a fandom so small that most people would be surprised that it exists at all.

In other words, even if 90% of them are reading pirate copies instead of buying the books, people still don't want to read your books.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

I'm only going to respond to one point of this tirade:

I never called you a thief.

No, I take it back... I'll respond to two things:

You're saying "Liar! Liar! Pants on fire!" doesn't refute any of my statements.

That said, I am going to pull back from this conversation, as it has clearly deviated from the main point of the thread and has become a nexus of personal attacks upon me, and not a coherent discussion of the original question. Sorry for everyone I've upset with this line of thought... I'll try not to impose my opinions on you in the future.

[Vintage Season]

Originally Posted by starrigger

I once had a chance to get a book signed by Ray Bradbury, and as I walked away, I saw that he'd signed it to "Steve." I'm getting used to it.

I'll have to remember that if you ever ask me to sign a book! Since Ray Bradbury set such a memorable precedent, it would be a shame to deviate from accepted practice.

- M.

[Worldwalker]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

You're saying "Liar! Liar! Pants on fire!" doesn't refute any of my statements.

It's not up to us to refute your statements.

It's up to you to offer proof of them.

[Iphinome]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I

You're saying "Liar! Liar! Pants on fire!" doesn't refute any of my statements.

It doesn't change that you haven't provided any citations at all for your claims. Where are all these crooked people who are out to get Steve Jordan?

[Worldwalker]

Steve Jordan is not a human being, but actually a Droomwazzle from Alpha Centauri.

If he can't prove me wrong, I am right.

[pietvo]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

So, you're trying to suggest that, unless I have specific figures, I'm all wrong?

Sorry. Statement stands. It does not depend on "numbers."

Please read again. I wasn't suggesting anything. Just asking questions. You were the one making suggestions. I personally doubt that so many people are dishonest, but I could be wrong. So therefore I would like to know on what you base these statements. If your statement doesn't depend on numbers, on what does it depend then?

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

That said, I am going to pull back from this conversation, as it has clearly deviated from the main point of the thread

I hope I have put your mind at rest by revealing that the only book of yours that is being pirated is one that you give away for free on your own website. If nothing else it shows that your lack of income has nothing to do with piracy, so most of your original post and a large amount of what followed would now seem to be based on a false assumption. But perhaps more importantly, it will allow you to focus on finding out what is really stopping you from making money from your writing.

[Scott Nicholson]

Well, if you have watched publishing for the last 20 years, this current era is the Golden Age. I can make a 70 percent royalty on my work now. I set the price. I decide what it looks like and how it is marketed. I can follow my instinct that I know my audience better than anyone else on the planet. How can this be anything BUT the best time to be a writer?

Writing is hard, and nothing external changes that personal struggle with the page. But to see your heart and soul turned into a product crassly dumped by NY for short-term (90-day) profit and then left for dead (and safely buried where the author can't get at it for a long, long time), then you will understand that this is like getting a get-out-of-jail-free card, a winning lottery ticket, and a house all at the same time.

Best of all, readers will now drive the ship.

Scott Nicholson
http://hauntedcomputer.blogspot.com

[dadioflex]

Edit.

[Vintage Season]

Originally Posted by dadioflex

M., I've told you before, whether or not you get to sign the books depends on how well you can forge Bradbury's signature. Now come one! These forgeries won't sell themselves on Ebay!

Where have you been? We've missed you.

- M.

[NickSpalding]

I have various aliases set up for different genres:

Nicky Spaldino - hard boiled detective fiction

Nickola Spaldinski - political thrillers

Nicholas J. Spalding The Third - historical drama

Nick Rodmeister - erotic fiction

[Freeshadow]

there have been a HANDFUL of people who've said they download off the "Darknet", so it's not as if it doesn't happen.

substract all those who searched for books they already own as pbook in order to skip DIY scanning and proceed to ebook making. from the textfiles available out there.

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

substract all those who searched for books they already own as pbook in order to skip DIY scanning and proceed to ebook making. from the textfiles available out there.

As well as all the people who tried to buy an ebook but were refused because they were smelly foreigners.

[TGS]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

substract all those who searched for books they already own as pbook in order to skip DIY scanning and proceed to ebook making. from the textfiles available out there.

And also subtract those who are very selective in what they rip from the darknet. Although there are hoarders many people will not rip books that they can get for nothing or very cheaply legitimately. Even (some) nasty pirates have principles