Publisher Backlash Against Amazon

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

But that's my problem - the Golden Age authors still under copyright protection are - obviously dead - and their works are being flogged by these ignorant publishers.

Somebody owns the copyrights and has negotiated to have the works published. Somebody that inherited the author's estate?

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

I think it's the "old fogey/grandfather" syndrome.

Meaning they like the way things are.
Don't rock the boat.
It's worked for a hundred years, so no reason it shouldn't still work just as well today. Why should we change?
It's too much of a bother.

Choose one, or add your own.

As a 60+ person who felt the same way about ebooks as this publisher, I can only say I understand exactly what they are saying. Perhaps thats why I responded so.

However, it only took a few minutes reading on my K1 (insert any other ebook reader here) to change my mind.

I also was afraid I would miss the smell, the 'real' experience.

I wish, I sincerely wish, that I could meet with these people in person.

No, wait. I wish several of us, with different readers, could meet with these people. We'd need the entire day, with lunch breaks, but I guarantee we'd leave with promises of getting books out in digital format would be top priority..........

And I wouldn't even have to get out the stick!

[Alisa]

I wonder how many of their titles are already available as ebooks on the torrents. They're just not getting the money for them. Their ephemeraphilic strategy may work for them in the near future but as more people start to read on devices rather than paper, that won't be supportable. I'm glad you pointed them towards Fictionwise. Maybe with the opportunity to sell through a smaller book shop they'll feel less "corporate". I understand their love of the book as an object but it's sad that they want to force their customers into their preference.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I also was afraid I would miss the smell, the 'real' experience.

I think I lost my nostalgia for the smell when I figured out that was what was making me sneeze all the time.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Somebody owns the copyrights and has negotiated to have the works published. Somebody that inherited the author's estate?

Exactly.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

As a 60+ person who felt the same way about ebooks as this publisher, I can only say I understand exactly what they are saying. Perhaps thats why I responded so.

However, it only took a few minutes reading on my K1 (insert any other ebook reader here) to change my mind.

I also was afraid I would miss the smell, the 'real' experience.

I wish, I sincerely wish, that I could meet with these people in person.

No, wait. I wish several of us, with different readers, could meet with these people. We'd need the entire day, with lunch breaks, but I guarantee we'd leave with promises of getting books out in digital format would be top priority..........

And I wouldn't even have to get out the stick!

Oh please - get out the stick! The attack of the grumpy grandmas! Whipping the whippersnappers into line!


Seriously - I realize there is a growth curve involved here - the sad part of this is the absolute refusal to even consider - or ask for information about - expanding into electronic formats.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Otherwise the objection seems a bit silly, as I am not aware that Amazon demands exclusive sales rights for the e-books it sells. I.e. this publisher ought to be able to sell their books via Amazon, Sony, Fictionwise and so forth without restriction.

The publisher is probably describing TOPAZ ebooks. These are created by Amazon and are Kindle-only. They don't preclude the publisher from later from producing their own ebook in multiple formats, I have one TOPAZ ebook that is no longer available having been replaced by an AZW, but TOPAZ probably is a bad deal for most publishers.

[6charlong]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

..However there are a lot of Luddites in almost any industry, and a small publisher might find it a bit onerous to hire staff to prep e-books, particularly if margins are already thin. I believe they might also need to negotiate with the authors (and/or their estates) for e-book publishing rights; even if the authors etc are receptive, that still incurs staff and legal costs that a small publisher might not want to deal with...

Actually their comments reveal this publisher doesn't understand all the facts of eBook publishing. Unless they are still using one of the old Linotype machines that lays up and prints each page from lead slugs, then they already have a digital version of the books they publish. Fictionwise can prepare Multiformat eBooks from digital files for them for less than $50, according to a post last year in the Fictionwise forum on Yahoo. Negotiating publishing rights is done up-front--it's only their backlist (if they publish it) that has to be renegotiated.

[yankgirl]

I used to work for Penguin books and when eBooks started they swore they wouldn't get into it because there is no money. They received so many complaints that when I left (last year) they were setting up a whole ecommerce group for eBooks. I do know that they also have kindle versions they sell on amazon and other formats that they sell on the penguin site.

[lisreed]

The Rue Morgue publisher has been on mystery book forums I am on and they have a real grudge against amazon so it will probably be a cold day in hell before they have ebooks. They blame amazon for closing there store. I understand all that but ... They are just a mail catalog now . There physical store in Boulder had to close.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by lisreed

The Rue Morgue publisher has been on mystery book forums I am on and they have a real grudge against amazon so it will probably be a cold day in hell before they have ebooks. They blame amazon for closing there store. I understand all that but ... They are just a mail catalog now . There physical store in Boulder had to close.

Ironically, in their present economic condition, ebooks (non-Amazon/non-DRM) could have the opposite effect on their business - relatively low overhead to either format their existing files or partner with Fictionwise for a small fee - and market them outside of Amazon. No physical location required. They already have an online store in place. Win/win.

Publishers need to stop equating ebooks with Amazon.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I would suggest mailing them the link to MobileRead, and suggesting they read thru for a while so that they can take the blinders off...........

First, I would point them to the world famous eBook Reader Matrix, to show how wrong they are about there only two readers. Then, I would point them to the e-book stores page on the wiki. And only then would I point them to the forum so that the at least have a basic knowledge about what is around

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

As a 60+ person who felt the same way about ebooks as this publisher, I can only say I understand exactly what they are saying. Perhaps thats why I responded so.

<snip>

And I wouldn't even have to get out the stick!

Even I, as a 29+ person felt the same way. And I still love my books. Those are a part of the reason why I moved twice so far. But I also love to read electronically. They should really go out there, meet with people who want the best of two worlds. Those pbooks you just have to have (mostly hard covers of favourite authors, special editions, etc) and those ebooks you just want to read, but not necessarily want on your shelves.

Originally Posted by yankgirl

I used to work for Penguin books and when eBooks started they swore they wouldn't get into it because there is no money. They received so many complaints that when I left (last year) they were setting up a whole ecommerce group for eBooks. I do know that they also have kindle versions they sell on amazon and other formats that they sell on the penguin site.

The sell on Fictionwise and BoB too. I'd say Pinguin saw the light!

Originally Posted by lisreed

The Rue Morgue publisher has been on mystery book forums I am on and they have a real grudge against amazon so it will probably be a cold day in hell before they have ebooks. They blame amazon for closing there store. I understand all that but ... They are just a mail catalog now . There physical store in Boulder had to close.

They really should be rubbed into the fact that Amazon isn't the only seller around! I don't agree on Amazon's strategy either. So, if I were able to buy books at Amazon and that book was also available at, let's say BoB, I'd probably buy it at BoB...

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by lisreed

The Rue Morgue publisher has been on mystery book forums I am on and they have a real grudge against amazon so it will probably be a cold day in hell before they have ebooks. They blame amazon for closing there store. I understand all that but ... They are just a mail catalog now . There physical store in Boulder had to close.

It's Amazon's fault that they couldn't compete with Amazon? Hmm.... Ok.

BOb

[Xenophon]

Poohbear:

Try sending them off to talk with (or learn about) Baen Books. That'll give them an example of a publisher that has had great success with eBooks. Heck, they could even consider distributing through Webscriptions (in addition to Fictionwise, BooksOnBoard, etc.).

Xenophon

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by Xenophon

Poohbear:

Try sending them off to talk with (or learn about) Baen Books. That'll give them an example of a publisher that has had great success with eBooks. Heck, they could even consider distributing through Webscriptions (in addition to Fictionwise, BooksOnBoard, etc.).

Xenophon

I gave them a list: Fictionwise, Webscriptions, BooksOnBoard - forgot about Baen. If I get an answer to my first email, I will add them on. Thanks.