From: melyons at adelphia.net <melyons>
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 21:29:20 -0400

 If I understand the various posts on the topic of whatever-happened-to-such-and such-writer, it seems that the message is for writers to love every moment of their writing process (luckily I do). But this process doesn't happen in a vacuum. If a writer keeps her/his day job, she or he is working two jobs (I did this for my first seven books--not a healthy way to live). You can't have it both ways. Not forever, anyway, and maybe that's why some writers have stopped producing the very books we wish they would write.

When I started writing, I was a librarian involved in books, yet I was completely naive about about the economics of the book business. Every person connected with the production and sale of books--editors, sales reps, librarians, and so forth--is salaried. The person producing the product that makes these jobs possible is unsalaried. Advances, which are loans against future royalties, make research possible, but I'm betting that not one editor would choose to live on a children's book advance.

And lookit, giving away books is just not that hard. Offhand, I can think of at least three programs in my town that are happy to take boxes of donated books.

Yes, used bookstores have been around for a long time--my husband and I own one. (I suppose this proves my antiquarian status). But when it comes to Amazon, we're talking about a huge difference in scale and immediacy. The Author's Guild has asked Amazon simply to list used books at the bottom of the screen, not at the top next to the new book listing. This is not just my personal angst; the Author's Guild represents thousands of writers. It makes sense. We've all heard it said before. Without royalties from new book sales, writers and their books disappear--the very topic of this month's discussion.

Mary


---- Norma Jean <nsawicki at nyc.rr.com> wrote:
> While I understand Mary's concerns about Amazon classifying, and selling a
> book as "used," even before a review has appeared, I am not sure the problem
> will ever be solved. Prior to the existence of Amazon, and other online
> bookstores, reviewers have always sold books to one bookstore or
> another...mostly those that sell "used books." Some publishers send a
> catalogue to reviewers along with a checklist...the reviewer decides what
> he/she wants to see/read, and returns the checklist. Other publishers do not
> send a catalogue/ checklist to reviewers and select the books based on the
> number of books the publication reviews, as well as the region ( for books
> with regional interests etc.). In my experience, either way works well but
> reviewers are still inundated with more books he/she can review...and too, a
> reviewer may ask to see a book but for one reason or another, decide not to
> review. Furthermore, after a book is reviewed, the reviewer may decide not
> to keep it...there is not enough room in most reviewers' offices to keep
> even half the number of books he/she receives. It is no easy task to donate
> books to libraries, or to children...for the reviewer, one is often looking
> to clear out cartons of books at a time...not single copies. It is not a
> matter of money ( which is minimal) but a method that is expedient and
> efficient. Few organizations, etc., are willing to pick up books, and/or
> sometimes there is simply too much red tape. While one can certainly
> question Amazon's policy regarding "used" books, it also sells hundreds of
> thousands of books for which writers do receive royalties but more to the
> point...this has been going on for many many decades...with smaller
> bookstores throughout the country; Amazon is larger and visible. I buy many
> books from used bookstores...online and in stores, as well as new books. If
> I did not do so, I would buy less than half the number of books I do
> buy...and would have far fewer to recommend.
>
> There is an old adage in publishing...the best form of promotion is a free
> book which I believe is still true. X may buy a book on Amazon and recommend
> it to friends who may buy it in a bookstore. Some evidence has shown that
> people who buy books from Amazon, or other online bookstores are people who
> do not live near bookstores, or who usually do not buy books in bookstores
> for one reason or another. One study showed more men than women buy books on
> the internet because they are uncomfortable in bookstores. I do not know if
> it is true but it certainly is true of my male friends...they all buy many
> more books due to the internet; they can browse at their leisure, etc.
>
> Last but not least..." It also supports unsalaried, untenured,
> un-health-insuranced writers who pay their full social security and work
> without sick leave, professional leave, or vacation days," I know I am
> wading into a swamp when I say no one ever asked a writer, painter, artist,
> musician, etc...to live the life of a freelancer. As a matter of fact, along
> with many of my former colleagues, I begged...and begged is the word...
> writers and illustrators not to give up their day job until they knew they
> could earn a living from their work...more often than not, the advice fell
> on deaf ears..their decision, not mine. A publisher is responsible for
> publishing a book to the best of its ability...how to pay the mortgage,
> health insurance, etc., should not fall into the bailiwick of a publisher's
> responsibility or concern. Norma Jean
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Received on Mon 17 Oct 2005 08:29:20 PM CDT