E-Piracy
We've been burning up the writing loops about this. I found Heart Fate available for free download THREE days after the book was released. I asked the person who did it why she was doing this to me when I had a hard enough time making a living writing. The penny dropped and she took ALL her files off. I felt I'd fought the good fight and won (and did I tell you this story before? Let me know when I start repeating myself).
But now all the Heart books are available in e-format.
Yes, I WILL pursue having my work removed from sites -- since only the publisher and the author seem to be able to do this. So if you see it on a site, please let me know.
I buy my music through emusic, and if there's something I hear on the radio, I buy it new and discounted where I can. Ditto with books. I have four books on the way to me from amazon booksellers and half.com booksellers.
Many people may just NOT be thinking of the author. Many feel entitled to "share." (I always wonder if they are paid for THEIR work).
So, please, if you see my work let me know. If you see other fantasy authors' work, press the button on the site.
Here's a wonderful article by Brenna Lyons.
May you be paid for your work today.
Robin
posted by FantasyAuthor RobinDOwens | 12:34 AM
11 Comments:
For all the joys that the internet gives and allows us to communicate with friends half a world away, it also causes a lot of grief too, especially with piracy. I've heard of movies being on the internet within hours of their release. I'm glad that at least one pirate cared enough to agree to take the Heart book down, but there's so many that it takes an act of Congress before it'll happen, and then they go looking for another site and set up shop somewhere else.
I tried to read the article that you mentioned but couldn't find the link. Am I missing something?
Keep fighting the good fight, and good luck!
A group of friends and I spend some of our time surfing the various file sharing sites and reporting to authors when we find their work. We got started because one of my favorite authors, who actually releases her books in e-format, is very ill and needs her profits to pay for treatment of her condition, but her profits were being severely impacted by pirated copies of her books. Since e-books sell many fewer copies than traditional books each pirated copy is a big deal for these authors. We have since branched out into searching for pirated print books turned into e-books.
I'll add your name and titles to our "Seek and notify" list so if we see them we'll let you know. I'm sorry to say that it's more than likely the person who seemed so reasonable about taking your books down merely moved them to another site.
"Many people may just NOT be thinking of the author."
I think many people believe everyone, in all aspects of the entertainment industry, are fabulously rich. The average reader has no clue how much most authors make -- they see only the stories that hit the news about writers contracting in the six figures.
Last year, when the writer's strike was going on in Hollywood, someone wrote a letter to TV Guide blasting the writers 'who all are millionaires' as being selfish and greedy. There's no framework for the idea that many of those same scriptwriters work two day jobs to pay the bills while also trying to sell their scripts, because all people see are the media stories about the small percentage who are really wealthy.
I'm not excusing those who pirate, whatever the medium. Not at all! Rather, I'm saying that I'm not surprised the person who posted Heart Fate took it down when you told her what it was doing to you.
I think most people want to continue to reading their favorite authors and when it finally gets through to them that that can only happen if the person is paid for what they do, they'll rethink what they're doing. But getting over that mis-belief of 'all authors are as rich as JK Rowling' is a challenge -- especially when we, as writers, have just as much a right to privacy in respect to how much we earn as the next person.
All right, the link is working now to Brenna Lyons blog. She said it so well.
My latest problem has been a site called viprasys which had ALL my books, including Guardian of Honor, which has never been in ebook form so someone scanned it in!
Note, I am NOT living on my writing.
Robin
What I wonder is how much worse will this get considering that the US economy is in such dire straits? A lot of people will be looking for piracy sites to get their books (movies, etc) because they can't afford to buy a book. There is the library, but a lot of people don't think of that, or their library doesn't stock their favorite authors. I'm sure some piracy sites see themselves as creating a service to those who aren't able to afford the books.
That's true, but I buy my books at greatly discounted prices. But if people DON'T buy my books, I won't be selling them, and neither will other authors. I'll be writing for myself and my critique group, and, no, I am not about to self-publish, too much hassle.
The writers they love will just go away and they'll wonder why.
Robin
I have to say, every time I purchase one of your books (and I am one of THOSE .... I buy them in pre-order status on Amazon, and get them the day after they come out) when I open the box -- I always smile, first because it is a new Heart * book (and those always bring a smile to me) and then because I think that some percentage (no matter what) of my purchase "power" goes deservedly to you... That may seem silly, I don't know, but I do feel like I am voting with my dollars on the authors that I love and that I truly want continue with their literary efforts.
To hear that this is happening, and the degree to which it eats into the overall profits of your fabulous work, is disheartening, not a little bit because I make my money on the internet, and I don't like hearing that anyone is being deliberately (or even un-deliberately) screwed over.
I don't spend much time looking at file sharing sites...but applaud Valerie O. for adding your name to the search list criteria for her group...
Happy New Year Robin, and please know that you enjoy having real fans who know the hard work (and sweat) that go into the worlds you build, and that I (among many many others) very much appreciate your efforts!!!
Love Ann
Chicago Fan
I'm the same way - I buy my books or they come from the library. Paying for the books is the best way to let an author know how much they are appreciated and that I, as a reader, want to see more.
Happy New Year, Robin, and a wish that 2009 will mean more sales for you!
Debbie
Fort Mill, SC
Thanks all! I spent most of the day visiting a site or two and sending legal type mails.
This really boosts my morale.
Happy New Year!
Robin
Robin,
you are in famous company, I had to send emails to four other authors about pirated copies of their books yesterday including J.K. Rowling, Christine Feehan, Nora Roberts and Sherrilyn Kenyon along with the one I sent You. We'll keep looking, the group sends the info to me I verify it and send it to you (or whom ever).
here's another :
http://www.godziratech.net/Einniteblood/Celta%201%20to%205/
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