Why did Elizabeth Moon stop publishing through Baen?

Stinger · 06-27-2010, 05:09 PM

Title says it all. It came up in passing in the book club nomination thread, and I haven't been able to find anything around the interwebs on the matter.

HarryT · 06-27-2010, 05:17 PM

Don't you think that's a private matter between her and Baen?

AnemicOak · 06-27-2010, 05:19 PM

I remember reading about some kind of disagreement, but don't know the details. I'm sure it's something that happens all the time in the publishing industry though.

Stinger · 06-27-2010, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Don't you think that's a private matter between her and Baen?

That's actually what I was curious about. Whether it was some sort of personal decision, or whether it was simply business (more sales with the bigger publishers).

ATimson · 06-27-2010, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

Title says it all. It came up in passing in the book club nomination thread, and I haven't been able to find anything around the interwebs on the matter.

Comments by Ms. Moon make it sound like Baen wasn't willing to publish some of her books that don't exactly fall within their typical mil-SF/high fantasy bailiwick. (Having read The Speed of Dark, I can see why Baen didn't think it would do well with their audience.)

TallMomof2 · 06-27-2010, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATimson

Comments by Ms. Moon make it sound like Baen wasn't willing to publish some of her books that don't exactly fall within their typical mil-SF/high fantasy bailiwick. (Having read The Speed of Dark, I can see why Baen didn't think it would do well with their audience.)

The Speed of Dark is probably my all time favorite book by Elizabeth Moon. She is one of the few authors for who(m) I will make an exception and purchase her books at retail prices. But I was sorry to see her leave Baen because it means that I have to purchase DRM infested books.

delphidb96 · 06-27-2010, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

The Speed of Dark is probably my all time favorite book by Elizabeth Moon. She is one of the few authors for who(m) I will make an exception and purchase her books at retail prices. But I was sorry to see her leave Baen because it means that I have to purchase DRM infested books.

And yet "The Speed of Dark" was, to me (and I realize that any book's 'value' is in the mind of the customer, so take my opinion with any necessary grains of salt), so unreadable as to almost make me swear off Ms. Moon's future books. It did NOT fit the Baen library.

Even so, I'm sure Ms. Moon will find other publishers who are eager to publish her books.

Derek

Worldwalker · 06-28-2010, 07:51 AM

And it means I will not purchase her books. In my eyes, no author is so good as to merit my support of DRM. Also, Ky Vatta is a Mary Sue.

ATimson · 06-28-2010, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

Also, Ky Vatta is a Mary Sue.

No more than Heris Serrano or Esmay Suiza, surely...

HamsterRage · 06-28-2010, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Don't you think that's a private matter between her and Baen?

I've been pondering this post for a couple of days, trying wrap my mind around it.

My answer would be, "No, it's not". For a couple of reasons:

Publishing books is by its nature a public thing. I think the authors implicitly give up the right to some privacy - at least for those things directly related to publishing.
The choices directly affect the readers. Others have noted that this makes some of her material unavailable in a DRM free format.

neilmarr · 06-28-2010, 11:23 AM

I'm afraid, Harry, that I have to disagree with you this time and support Hamster's take. A reader does have some legitimate stake in a writer and how and where s/he publishes. Neil

HarryT · 06-28-2010, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HamsterRage

[*]The choices directly affect the readers. Others have noted that this makes some of her material unavailable in a DRM free format.[/LIST]

That is incorrect. All her material is available in totally DRM-free paper format.

DawnFalcon · 06-28-2010, 11:40 AM

...

Pedant.

Anyway, I'm with Worldwalker on this one, and it's a shame.

pdurrant · 06-28-2010, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

Title says it all. It came up in passing in the book club nomination thread, and I haven't been able to find anything around the interwebs on the matter.

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.

HamsterRage · 06-28-2010, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

That is incorrect. All her material is available in totally DRM-free paper format.

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.

06-27-2010, 05:09 PM	#1
Stinger Asha'man Posts: 335 Karma: 844 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo	Why did Elizabeth Moon stop publishing through Baen? Title says it all. It came up in passing in the book club nomination thread, and I haven't been able to find anything around the interwebs on the matter.

06-28-2010, 11:23 AM	#11
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	I'm afraid, Harry, that I have to disagree with you this time and support Hamster's take. A reader does have some legitimate stake in a writer and how and where s/he publishes. Neil Attached Images

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06-27-2010, 05:17 PM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Don't you think that's a private matter between her and Baen?

06-27-2010, 05:19 PM	#3
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	I remember reading about some kind of disagreement, but don't know the details. I'm sure it's something that happens all the time in the publishing industry though.

06-28-2010, 07:51 AM	#8
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	And it means I will not purchase her books. In my eyes, no author is so good as to merit my support of DRM. Also, Ky Vatta is a Mary Sue.

06-28-2010, 11:40 AM	#13
DawnFalcon Banned Posts: 2,094 Karma: 2682 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: N/A	... Pedant. Anyway, I'm with Worldwalker on this one, and it's a shame.

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