If you were/are a writer, you'd rather - Page 2

khalleron · 11-16-2009, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fugazied

Well if you are doing it for a living, option B lets you continue doing it for a living. Option A means you are broke or living in your moms basement!

Or have another job and write on the side, as most writers do.

It's not all one thing or another.

igorsk · 11-16-2009, 06:23 PM

I'm not a writer and don't intend to become one but I'll quote Eric Flint.

Quote:

Someone asked me once, in a debate, how I'd react if I discovered that one of my titles—maybe all of them!—had become widely pirated. I started by posing the most extreme case I could imagine.

"You mean, I walk into a drugstore and see that the latest copy of Time magazine has my face on the cover, with a title that reads 'Works of Eric Flint pirated worldwide!' and an article on the inside that tells everybody exactly how to do it?"

"Yes," came the reply, demonstrating that my opponent was no wizard at the art of debate. "What measures would you take?"

"Well," I said, "the very first thing I'd do is get on the phone and call my friend Mike Spehar. He's a retired Air Force pilot, and I'd want his advice on which brand of private jet I should buy to be able to commute easily from the villas I'd be buying in southern France, the coast just south of Barcelona . . . Hm, maybe a penthouse in Manhattan and another one in Paris . . ."

It was like shooting fish in a barrel.

In the real world, the only authors—or musicians, by the way—who get "pirated" in any significant numbers are ones who are already famous and enjoy top sales. (And all the "piracy" is likely to do, even then, is simply boost their sales. See my next essay for a further discussion.) The great problem faced by all authors—musicians are in a very similar position—is the opacity of the book market. The entertainment market in general, actually, even movies. Compared to that problem, all others are fleas standing next to mammoths.

HistoryWes · 11-16-2009, 06:51 PM

I would really like to make some money someday writing, but I get just as much of a thrill when a reader sends me a note telling me he likes the free book he downloaded and read than I do when somebody buys a copy of one of my books for sale.

khalleron · 11-16-2009, 07:15 PM

The biggest egoboo I ever got was finding that someone had posted a quote of mine, from a *fanfic* no less, on their blog under "Favorite Quotes."

That's when I knew I was on to something.

Can't imagine it gets any sweeter than that, and that was *one* person.

A million? Eh. I don't need *that* much ego.

GA Russell · 11-16-2009, 07:38 PM

I chose one million buyers. My first thought was that with sales like that, publishers would be willing to pay for a second book, and maybe the public will read that one!

Format C: · 11-17-2009, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

"One million readers all sharing one single copy of the book."

Interestingly, if it takes each reader a week to read on average, a million readers would take 19,230 years.
I suspect most authors would have stopped caring by then.

They share via reading aloud, broadcasticng, photocopy and/or scanning: in a week everybody has got it.

Moejoe · 11-17-2009, 08:59 AM

Interestingly you only need 10,000 fans to make a living as a writer. That's the theoretical number at which charging or asking for donations becomes worthwhile. Below that any mention of money is pointless and will put off more people than it attracts.

GA Russell · 11-17-2009, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moejoe

Interestingly you only need 10,000 fans to make a living as a writer. That's the theoretical number at which charging or asking for donations becomes worthwhile. Below that any mention of money is pointless and will put off more people than it attracts.

That's interesting, Moejoe. That makes me wonder how many lulu.com authors sell 10,000 copies.

Daithi · 11-17-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Good answer!

I do a fair amount of writing without thought of monetary reward hoping to influence the opinions of family, friends, and sometimes unsuspecting Internet denizens; but if I wrote fiction, I'd want the money!

I want to second Tom. I like this answer too.

------------
Edit: I chose one millions books, but after reading Igorsk's post I think I want to change my vote.

Moejoe · 11-17-2009, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GA Russell

That's interesting, Moejoe. That makes me wonder how many lulu.com authors sell 10,000 copies.

One: Whil Wheaton

Crowl · 11-18-2009, 12:09 PM

Option B for me, either I am writing for my own enjoyment then any reader (even one) is welcome or I am writing for a living and then sales matter.

View Poll Results: If you were/are a writer, for your latest book you'd rather have:
One million readers all sharing one single copy of the book	21	48.84%
One million buyers of a copy of the book, just one of them actually reading it.	22	51.16%
Voters: 43. You may not vote on this poll

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11-16-2009, 06:51 PM	#18
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	I would really like to make some money someday writing, but I get just as much of a thrill when a reader sends me a note telling me he likes the free book he downloaded and read than I do when somebody buys a copy of one of my books for sale.

11-16-2009, 07:15 PM	#19
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,700 Karma: 3605799 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: MeeBook, Kobo Libra Colour	The biggest egoboo I ever got was finding that someone had posted a quote of mine, from a fanfic no less, on their blog under "Favorite Quotes." That's when I knew I was on to something. Can't imagine it gets any sweeter than that, and that was one person. A million? Eh. I don't need that much ego.

11-16-2009, 07:38 PM	#20
GA Russell Riders win Grey Cup! Posts: 7,724 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	I chose one million buyers. My first thought was that with sales like that, publishers would be willing to pay for a second book, and maybe the public will read that one!

11-17-2009, 08:59 AM	#22
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	Interestingly you only need 10,000 fans to make a living as a writer. That's the theoretical number at which charging or asking for donations becomes worthwhile. Below that any mention of money is pointless and will put off more people than it attracts.

11-18-2009, 12:09 PM	#26
Crowl Wizard Posts: 1,340 Karma: 1160346 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Southport, GB Device: Kindle Voyage, PW Signature edition	Option B for me, either I am writing for my own enjoyment then any reader (even one) is welcome or I am writing for a living and then sales matter.

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