There’s a book I really really really want to read. However, it’s only available in e-format 2 ways: Serialized on the author’s blog (i.e., on the computer—no thanks) and via Kindle (no thanks). Now, I’m getting ready to email him and ask him if it’s available any other way, so we shall see.
There’s another book I really really really want to read. However, it’s only available in 4 formats (actually, 3 because 2 formats are identical in nature), none of which I can read on my ebook reader. The format I want is MS Reader (LIT). Why? Because I can break the DRM and put it on my ebook reader. Which, come to think of it, is probably why it’s not offered in that format.
Really, there’s enough GOOD stuff out there in more accessible formats to waste time having to read on the computer. After having had my eBookWise for a mere 7 months, I’ve gotten to where I WILL forgo a title (no matter how badly I want to read it) if I can’t get it in a format that is accessible to me. Otherwise, I’ll just go to the library, where it likely won’t be.
We’re really trying to put The Proviso in as many places as possible in as many formats as we can. It’s not just in the B10 Mediaworx bookstore (8 DRM-LESS formats bundled together in a zip), but at Amazon in both trade paperback and Kindle, at Barnes & Noble, at Books-A-Million, at Powell’s, and now at ebooksjustpublished (which takes you back to the B10 Mediaworx bookstore, but hey, it’s exposure).
Some time next week, The Proviso will be in the iTunes store as an iApp for iTouch/iPhone. Although we’ve formatted it into EPUB for those who’ve downloaded Stanza on their iTouch/iPhones, we really want to present as many options as possible to make it easy for every customer to read it the way they prefer to read it.
Because not being able to read a book I want to read the way I want to read it is beginning to weary me.
I tend to agree. Right now I have my free PDF up and My Kindle edition up. I’m working on my layout for smashwords, and smashwords lets you put it in several different formats.
Question: Since you do DRM-free, do you worry about piracy? My theory, at this point, and it might change with experience, is that with a free ebook I can gain larger exposure than if someone has to pay to try me out, and later hopefully print sales will follow.
If I do DRM it just pisses people off, if I do DRM free, they can just steal it and share it with thirty of their closest friends anyway.
So what’s your take on this?
I don’t WORRY about it so much as sigh, shake my head sadly, and move along.
One thing that I know is, people who will steal, will steal. They’re making pennies’ knockoffs of branded toothbrushes to sell illegally in Africa, for cryin’ out loud. That involves actual MANUFACTURING processes to do that. Piracy of one sort or another has always been and always will be.
I remember when Metallica went apeshit over Napster and IMO, they made fools of themselves. I also remember when Garth Brooks when apeshit over used CD stores. That was even more foolish. I will admit that when I found myself nodding my head in agreement with Courtney Love–and that she MADE SENSE–I thought about checking myself into a funny farm.
Thing is, no, you may never recoup those losses. You probably won’t even be able to quantify those losses. Worrying about it isn’t going to get me anywhere but in the GI’s office for an EGD.
Every time I start thinking about DRM, I start thinking about a shorn Lars Ulrich ranting on TV about file sharing. He was RIGHT, because the file sharing with Napster was simply overwhelming, but Metallica’s war on Napster only strengthened the DRMA and gave the RIAA the power it’s amassed by using that as a weapon.
That’s true. I’m not sure if I’m going to start charging for ebooks at any point in the future or not though. I’ve sort of got this throw my hands up in the air kind of “here, take it! Now go buy the print version” attitude about it, haha!
On the other hand, if someone’s giving it away, I shouldn’t bitch about it, either.
And holy crap, I just read that article, and DAMN, Courtney Love is SMART. I never thought I would say that. Mostly because she pulls so many stunts and she’s so damn famous it’s easy to forget A. she’s a real person and B. she has a brain.
I’m glad at least that the publishing industry isn’t exploitative like the music industry. Mostly in publishing what we have is a lot of gambling type business choices and lack of market research. We have writers terrified to share their work independently for fear of the “other writers” who will mock them.
Well, who the hell cares about that? Not me. Mock away. I want readers.
What she says though about money and artists makes me think of the book industry though. Because even though the publishing industry isn’t screwing writers over with intent to screw, most novelists aren’t making a living wage from writing their novels.
But unlike the music industry where it’s all exploitation, in publishing it’s all because the publishing industry is run very inefficiently.
Damn, the internet is exciting for people looking for an audience!
haha Do you normally bitch when people give it away?
Hello Moriah,
As a reader I really appreciate your DRM-free stance. Hell, it’s hard enough keeping track of all your files on your PC, let alone having to worry about accounts, activation, etc, etc.
One of the big worries for ebook consumers is that if I buy an ebook in one DRMed format, what happens when the next, brilliant new ebook reader comes along that uses an incompatible, competing format? Suddenly my library is locked to devices from a single manufacturer.
Knowing that you can convert your current library to any format gives great peace of mind.
I also like to listen to my ebooks on my iPod by converting them to speech first. Most DRM’d books don’t let you do this.
Author, Tracy Falbe shared similar views to you Moriah in a recent post of hers
http://herladyshipsquest.blogspot.com/2008/11/why-do-people-hate-digital-rights.html
Thanks for announcing The Proviso on eBooks Just Published!
Mark, thank you for providing eBooks Just Published!
I TRY not to!!! 😀
I believe that, so now I don’t know which is more pathetic: publishers or record industry suits.
Cory Doctorow gives away the electronic versions of his novels and makes money on the hard copies. While this is currently a workable model for an established writer, in the future electronic will constitute a bigger and bigger share. Even there, though, the problem is setting the right price point, not DRM.
Back in the “old days,” when somebody in my family bought a book (or more likely got one as a present), everybody in the family would read it. And if they liked the author, would hit the library soon after. So one book would be shared at least ten times, minimum (not counting friends, relatives, neighbors, etc.).
With a low enough price point, I think people would be more willing to make the impulse buy than wait for a “sharing” opportunity. “Social DRM” would help in that regard. The same way I’ll buy the $.99 MP3 from Amazon rather than try to figure out a way to steal it (conscience + convenience).
And I’d buy even more if the prices reflected actual market conditions–what I’d pay for the used CD off the same Amazon website.
I hadn’t read that Courtney Love article since it first came out. It reminds me how very sharp she is. It’s easy to remember how effed up she is, because the media are all over that. Getting press for brains is far more difficult.
OH Mojo, you meant when CUSTOMERS give your book which you are selling, away. I was talking about when writers give away their own ebooks free. hahaha.
You know, the record industry actually IS pretty evil. But holy crap, at least I can respect their business sense. With publishing, I just can’t respect the fact that they can’t be bothered to hire anyone who went to business school.
There are times I see the antics she and some of her sisters-in-faux-idiocy do and I get really sad that they aren’t being role models (esp. for girls) in different ways.
So was I. Heh.
The last time I read Love’s speech, I was still not writing, not trying to get published, wasn’t in the “scene,” so to speak. Wasn’t even aware of the online romance reader community.
It means something different to me now, and your statement there is almost the exact sentiment I felt when reading it through this time.
I remember a VH1 special on TLC wherein one of the girls (I think Chili) was explaining the arithmetic of how they could be bankrupt while selling oodles of records. (This was before Love’s speech.) I was floored.
I agree, but sometimes determining what that price point should be is a bitch. At least, it was for us and we still don’t know if we got it right. (For the electronic version.) As an iApp in the iTunes store, the developer tells me the price point is in that “impulse buy” range and could bear to be a bit higher.
Okay, now I’m intrigued. I “have” to know why free ebooks bug you.
Also, I’m about 100 pages into “The Proviso” (I’m a SLOW reader, it might take me a week to get through it.) But OMG I LOVE both Knox and Bryce. I’d go for Bryce. I’d think the scar was hot too.
I’d say I probably have a lot in common with Giselle as far as taste in men goes.
THEY DON’T!!!!
A. I have an e-reading device. It doesn’t read PDF files.
B. PDF files often don’t convert to HTML or RTF well enough (that is, the ones without DRM–the ones with DRM don’t translate at all) to convert to IMP (my e-reader’s format).
C. So I very often have to read PDF ebooks on my computer, which I don’t want to do.
D. But since someone’s giving it away free and the free work I’ve come across is GOOD (*koff* THE BOOK OF LILITH *koff*), and I feel compelled to read GOOD stuff, free or not, I must sacrifice to read on the computer.
E. And since it’s FREE and GOOD, I should not bitch about not getting it in a way that’s more CONVENIENT for ME.
See?
Going around looking gift horses in the mouth is not a virtue. 😉
You just haven’t gotten to know Sebastian very well yet.
::evil grin::
hahaha MoJo, I have a feeling your taste in fictional men and mine run very similar haha.
OH, yeah I agree with the annoyance of only having PDF for free ebook, which is why sometime next week, KEPT will be available on Smashwords in several different formats. Hopefully, one of them is one you can read on your ereader, if you’re interested.
I’ll also have to check out the Book of Lilith.
Z
Hi, I’m the author of that book you “really really really want to read.” You’re not the first to complain about it only being available in two formats, so I took some time today to rectify that. Here it is in pretty much any format you might want:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/270
Thanks for the blog post mentioning the book. If you read it, let me know what you think.
Oh, thank you thank you thank you!!!