On the Matter of Books…

Interesting observations over here (via Ed Driscoll on Instapundit) on the future of publishing.  I personally have three criteria directs and will direct my purchasing habits when it comes to books:

  1. I want the books to be reasonably priced.
  2. I want the books to be worth the price.
  3. I want the people writing the books to be able to make a reasonably decent living at it.

The first criterion satisfies my personal desire; the second satisfies the expectations and traditions of literature generally; and the third satisfies the needs of the artists who create literature.  Interesting thing of note, there: nowhere in that list are the concerns of publishers taken into account.  That’s because publishers exist to provide me with a product.  If they can’t, well, that’s their problem, not mine.

Which is not to say that I am unsympathetic to the travails of publishers… but I’m not here to subsidize their old business model, either.  They’re in the business of dissemination of information – and it’s never been easier or cheaper to disseminate information.  Deal with it.

Moe Lane

PS: Sorry, you still have to deal with it.

PPS: Yup, live is not fair.  Deal with it.

8 thoughts on “On the Matter of Books…”

  1. I think you misunderstand the publishing business, they’re not in the business of disseminating information, they’re in the business of selling used paper at a markup. I’m guessing that they have huge penalties in their long-term paper purchasing contracts if they fail to buy certain amounts – nothing else really explains their behavior.

    On a different note, are all the lefty advertisers targeting your site, or do I just see the ads because I live in “Moscow on the Guadalupe”? Essentially all I see on your site is anti-Walker in Wisconsin, Obama, etc., lately. I guess I should click through so you get some revenues from it…

  2. The was an article a couple of weeks ago regarding the amazon/apple issue with ebooks. Admitted that paper was a minor cost. Stated the cost was because of authors and marketing cost. Dont believe it when I can buy a paperback cheaper

  3. The numbers I’ve seen say that authors earns about 11 cents a book. And it’s rare that I’ve seen or heard a book advertized.

  4. E-book prices are the publishers thinking they’re essential to the process. They’re going to learn they’re not.

  5. Publishers provide a number of useful servies to authors and readers. The actual medium of the book doesn’t change these:

    1) They filter out a lot of absolute drek from the slush pile.

    2) They help edit books into something readable. Think of what happens when a big name author gets big enough to be protected from editors.

    3) They provide publicity and trusted brand names for new authors, heping connect them with their reading market.

  6. “1) They filter out a lot of absolute drek from the slush pile.

    2) They help edit books into something readable. Think of what happens when a big name author gets big enough to be protected from editors.

    3) They provide publicity and trusted brand names for new authors, heping connect them with their reading market.”

    #1 – true and one of the reasons I don’t look at most self-published e-books. Some kind of filter is needed. Publishers, though, don’t do a very good job of it; look at all the drek that gets through.

    #2 – Not that much editing goes on any more; see “drek,” above.

    #3 – Publicity? From my 20 years experience as a reasonably competent midlist author – BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! All they really provide is distribution. That meant a lot in the last century. It may be meaningless in this.

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