Im an author, but the truth is, readers move on. Sure, theyll miss you for a while, if you stop writing for one reason or another, or because your work cant be found. Theyll reminisce about how awesome you used to be, but theyll find someone else. Amazon has every right to refuse to sell consumer goods in response to a pricing disagreement with a wholesaler. We all appreciate discounted razor blades and cheaper shoes. But books are not consumer goods. Books cannot be written more cheaply, nor can authors be outsourced to China. Books are not toasters or televisions. Each book is the unique, quirky creation of a lonely, intense, and often expensive struggle on the part of a single individual, a person whose living depends on his or her book finding readers. This is the process Amazon is obstructing. And I dont think this is the best way to defend the status quo, when the publishers are already changing the way they do things (smaller to no advances, acquiring companies that charge authors to publish, etc). And the thousands of times each year that publishers take a risk that doesnt pay off, the author gets dropped. Its not exactly the most nurturing environment. Publishers provide venture capital for ideas. They advance money to authors, giving them the time and freedom to write their books. This system is especially important for nonfiction writers, who often must travel for research. Thousands of times every year, publishers take a chance on unknown authors and advance them money solely on the basis of an idea. By assuming the risk, publishers expect—and receive—a financial return.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 00:34:19 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015