Re: The Seven Types Of Pirate

>   The only response of publishers that seems relevant has been to try to
> persuade governments to legislate to criminalise piracy. I see no way that
> helps pirates feel justified. So my problem is that I have no actual
> awareness of a publisher response that could be used in the way you suggest.
>
> Nor do I see any 'argument between'. I do see a constant - though much
> reduced now - series of attempts to justify piracy. It seems to me quite
> logical, reasonable and good business sense to answer those claims, and to
> ensure the publishers' case does not fail by default.
>
>
>
Joseph,

Hang tight, because I know what Barry is trying to say here. At least I
think I do, because I'm about to explain it just how I do on my blog. He's
stating it poorly and raising backs...no offense, Barry...but I think I know
what he means to say.

NY conglomerate publishers (save the Carina line from Harlequin) are doing
several things that provoke readers (not argumentative but non-responsive to
reader wants and needs), and I have seen honest readers on blogs and forums
say they are going to pirate because of it, because they feel it's the only
way to get the books they want, how they want them.

Keep in mind that some of these readers have cut their teeth on indie press
ebook offerings. They are used to a certain amount of publisher-reader
respect and responsiveness. Indie turns on a dime. NY conglomerate turns on
a railroad turnstyle.

1. NY conglomerate still uses the old rights systems for overseas rights.
Those rights contracts now have ebooks included in them. So, unlike indie
presses, many conglomerates do not release ebooks worldwide from day one,
because they are trying to "protect" their overseas print market. Since the
readers overseas are frustrated by the fact that a format capable of selling
day one worldwide is being (their opinion, and I don't disagree with this
part, actually) stifled by the conglomerate publishers, they turn to piracy.
They thought ebooks would allow them to read books that hadn't reached print
in their own countries or are priced prohibitively in their countries, and
now they can't, because NY refuses to tap that market.

Some of these readers are already hampered by their locality. I'm talking
about Oz here, among others, some of which block whole groups of US and UK
publishers, for what their state religions or governments consider content
problems. But back to Oz readers only, for a moment... They already get
print later than the US and UK, so the fact that they can't get the ebook
available in the US and UK either is incidiary. With a global Internet and
all the US/UK readers already discussing books they can't get, how
irritating is it that something that can be shipped electronically, with no
delivery fees, worldwide, is being denied them? I can't argue why they are
upset. Is piracy the answer? Admittedly, no, but they don't have the
patience for any other answer, it seems.

2. NY conglomerate often delays the release of ebook to "protect" (you'll
hear this from them a lot) their hard bound sales. Now, this one I have
little sympathy for pirates on. Granted, indie doesn't do this, and I think
conglomerates are idiots for it, but that's my take on it, and not everyone
will agree. BUT... This is where I can't sympathize with readers. NY
conglomerate has already done this with mass market for how many years? At
least seventy now? More? They would delay the release of mass market for 6
mos-a year or more past the release of the hard bound book. So why wouldn't
they do the same with ebook? But since the ebook in indie is available
concurrent with or before print (even Baen does pre-release ebook sales),
they are incensed by NY holding ebooks back after the hard bound release. In
their opinions (and they aren't wrong about NY's aims here), NY wants to
force them into no choice but buying the hard bound edition, if they are
fans and want to get in on early discussions.

3. NY conglomerate's pricing system for books is often outside the indie
range. You saw this argument as far back as Amazon, and it hasn't changed.
Your average indie is pricing fiction novels at $5-7. A few price as high as
$8 or so. So, NY conglomerate wanting to price at $10-15 is seen as price
gouging. I can't fault readers for thinking so, since I agree. eBooks
settled some time ago at a price at or below mass market. Not at the price
of a hard bound or trade paperback edition. Again, do I see it as an
adequate excuse for piracy? No. But, I understand the mindset. And yes, I do
believe the actions of the conglomerate publishers are causing discord here.
It's not an argument. It's a difference in goals and philosphies. A culture
clash.

4. DRM. Enough said. We've beaten that horse to death. Readers of ebooks are
investing in their reading material, the same as readers of print books are.
No one wants to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on ebooks only to
lose them later or not be able to access them to change font size, have text
to speech read to them, or any other "up side" to buying e.

Not to mention, the fact that conglomerate uses DRM is seen as untrusting of
their loyal readers and a poking irritation to already disgruntled readers.

Brenna
-- 
http://www.brennalyons.com    http://www.facebook.com/brenna.lyons
2-time EPIC's e-Book Award WINNER! "Powers or no, the Kielan are their own
worst enemies, caught up in systematic, stagnated tradition, lost to the
hypocrisy of classism, and defenseless despite their psi powers. Time
Currents is a tale that I won’t soon forget." Patrice F. for Joyfully
Reviewed


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