What's a real book?

[Brian Clegg]

I'm having a twitter argument at the moment with someone over a complaint from him I don't really understand, but thought I would share with you.

I had tweeted encouraging people to get a free copy of Henry Gee's book on Kindle thus:

If you Kindle and haven’t downloaded your copy of Henry Gee’s Science of Middle Earth (free til 19th) do it now! http://popsciencebooks.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/the-science-of-middle-earth-henry-gee.html

Someone I don't know replied:

I know lets stop making paper books cut author pay down to suit close all bookshops oh no hang on! Lets just promote real books

To which I said:

This is a real book, by respected author @HenryGee99, and he is promoting the free version - don’t think he needs defending

Which got this in reply:

I'm trying to defend real books and bookshops as well as all authors.

My response of:

Okay, but I don’t understand why Henry’s book isn’t ‘real’ - and this book is unlikely to be in UK bookshops

has yet to get a reply. I really don't understand his problem! Perhaps you do?

 

[Katie-Ellen]

I understand he perceives a general threat to books as objects, a threat to authors who aim or need to earn, who cannot afford to give their work away for free, and a threat to bookshops, with all their overheads.

 

[1408]

Yeah, what Katie said. It sounds like someone who really isn't keen on books being sold in a digital form and also, possibly, being given away for free. They aren't defending "all authors" by attacking how someone chooses to promote their book. If we want to keep bookshops open, we need to encourage reading, and if offering promotions and publishing digitally might help that, it seems wrong to attack it.

I'd step away from the argument with your final tweet. That is, unless they say something that's worth discussing. But, generally, if someone approaches something snarkily like they have you, I doubt they want a discussion, it looks like they just want to argue about it.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

What they both said. Sounds like a rational argument isn't really likely, and we all have to accept modern ways to promote 'real' books. Digital still aren't as popular as the 'real' thing, but both can be useful and profitable, so in reality, digital is also real.

 

[Carol Rose]

Oh don't even get me started. Not only do I have to deal with people who think all authors are so rich we should give away our work for free all the time (which begs the question of how the heck they think we got rich off the books, then!!), but I also get the double-edged sword of digital books and romance not perceived as "real" books. Right. And those contracts I signed aren't truly "legal." Those royalty payments I've been receiving for just shy of four years now aren't "real" money. *SIGH*

 

[Brian Clegg]

Henry Gee, the author in question, has written a good blog post explaining why the book is briefly free (and why it is a real book).

 

[1408]

It seems almost mad that he's had to explain that it's a real book. But, it was an interesting post! If I decide to self-publish my book as an e-book, I don't think I'll be as patient with tweeters like Mike Whiting. They'll get a "Shut up" and that's about it! If that, after all, I have lots more fake books that need writing!

@Tara Rose I've had the same argument with a friend! He was telling me there is nothing wrong with downloading anything you want because 1. the people behind it are rich anyway and 2. if you enjoy doing it then that's all the payment you need. It honestly worries me how many people think creative work doesn't involve any, well, work!

 

[Carol Rose]

The same thing happens in the music industry. Everyone assumes musicians and writers are rich and we can afford to lose books or songs to pirates, or that we shouldn't get paid for what we do. It's not "real work." They can try and justify it any way they like, but stealing is still stealing. And as I sit here on deadline, typing away in the background, I can assure you that writing a book IS work.

I love what I do and I'd still write stories even if I didn't make any money from it. But just because I have that level of passion for creating something doesn't mean people should assume it's all right to steal it. I'm not the one deciding to give it away for free. When someone else decides that for me - that I *should* give it away, because they're jerks with a misplaced sense of entitlement - that's the same thing as them stealing my paycheck. I guarantee if I went into their homes and took the money they earned from working, they wouldn't call it anything else except theft.

And another BS argument I hear all the time goes along the lines of "People who illegally download a book and like it will buy the rest of them from that author." WRONG. They will STEAL the rest from that author, but I promise you they will not pay for those books.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

[QUOTE="Tara Rose, And as I sit here on deadline, typing away in the background, I can assure you that writing a book IS work.
[/QUOTE]

Well a part quote, because I agree so strongly. I go crossed eyed at times sitting at a screen editing, which takes more time than actual writing. It's also a worry when you read articles that say over the years (in the UK anyway, and probably elsewhere) that say the average income for an Author has actually decreased. Like anyone else, we have to pay the bills and eat. You can't write much, let alone earn much, unless you put the time and effort into it, just like any other trade etc..

 

[1408]

I think you summed it up perfectly. My favourite bit was definitely:

because they're jerks with a misplaced sense of entitlement

 

[Carol Rose]

It's also a worry when you read articles that say over the years (in the UK anyway, and probably elsewhere) that say the average income for an Author has actually decreased. Like anyone else, we have to pay the bills and eat. You can't write much, let alone earn much, unless you put the time and effort into it, just like any other trade etc..

Absolutely. But putting in the time doesn't mean much when my books are illegally downloaded by the thousands. If those were all sales instead, I could have easily quit my real job by now and would be home writing all the time. I'm working two full time jobs, in reality. The one that pays the bills, and the one that I adore and would do all the time if I could. But piracy has made that impossible, and it won't get any better until the laws change. The problem is, the powers that be don't take theft of intellectual property seriously. Until they do, this will only get worse. And morality has apparently gone right out the window. Most people who do this have convinced themselves they aren't committing a crime. Won't they be in for a shock one day when they have to answer for it. I hope I'm there to watch. Every. Single. One. Of. Them. Account. For. It.

 

[Dudley]

Authors can have an income? Who knew?

Mr. Clegg, I noted a fundamental flaw in your original post. You gave a troll a bone. Trolls love bones. Deny them their bones!

 

[Brian Clegg]

Authors can have an income? Who knew?

Mr. Clegg, I noted a fundamental flaw in your original post. You gave a troll a bone. Trolls love bones. Deny them their bones!

I take your point, but I think he was genuinely concerned for Henry Gee's welfare. It was never nasty.

 

[Richard Sutton]

To return to the original question, here (and I'm pretty sure that Henry would approve...) is a REAL book, complete with gilt edging and embossed, stamped cover...

 

[AliG]

...and it's a real beauty, Richard. I covet it. Guard it well