tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post8159401050428489962..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: My Advice to Authors UnitedJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-83413381775731189672014-10-02T18:23:11.260-05:002014-10-02T18:23:11.260-05:00Maggie,
They resolved that, or are in the process...Maggie,<br /><br />They resolved that, or are in the process of resolving it. What I'm not seeing is anyone affiliated with Disney protesting that Amazons actions are hurting them. <br /><br />And Amazon has had several recent negotiations go through. Perseus just signed a new deal on ebooks, and Kensington signed a new deal as well. <br /><br />But honestly, what do you expect a DoJ inquiry to do? I expect it to do as much as the DoJ inquiry against Simon and Shuster did in 2013 when that particular kerfuffle was dominating the literary world. <br /><br />Heck, Amazon migh even welcome and inquiry, because the it would also force Hachette to defend it's own business practices. That could be fun spectating there.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-43867194927854188482014-10-01T10:31:31.295-05:002014-10-01T10:31:31.295-05:00Agent Orange,
I can take my books off Amazon, off...Agent Orange,<br /><br />I can take my books off Amazon, off Kobo, off google, iBook, Smashwords et al and sell them on my own website if I wanted to. It would take me less than a week to set that up.<br /><br />Can Lee Child do that? Can any author currently under contract to a traditional publisher do that?<br /><br />My individual earnings to Amazon are insignificant, but all the indie authors together are a nice chunk of change. Why would Amazon piss us off? They are making money off us, and yes, they might want to make more, but that's a bridge I'll cross when I get to it, if I get to it.<br /><br />I've asked before and noones seen fit to answer:<br /><br />How is Amazon going to achieve a monopoly when its share of the ebook marketplace is falling each year?<br /><br />Amazon is not my friend, I've never said that. Amazon, in the current environment, is the better business partner for me.<br /><br />But your telling me Amazon might do something in the future that makes my situation then as bad as it is in traditional publishing now, so I shouldn't support Amazon. How is that good business sense? Thats like saying I should leave my great relationship now, and go back to my old abusive relationship before my great one becomes abusive as well, despite their being no indication of that happening.<br /><br />Hachette has been screwing the Lee Childs of the world longer than Amazon has. Recent, and long, history has shown us that if any party in this fight is to be distrusted, it's Hachette.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-51725946816109857442014-10-01T10:00:11.074-05:002014-10-01T10:00:11.074-05:00Amazon is not your friend! Perhaps it's all co...Amazon is not your friend! Perhaps it's all coincidence?<br /><br />http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/30/amazon-paul-ryan_n_5906692.html<br /><br />Maggienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-72939544358459273002014-09-30T17:45:24.757-05:002014-09-30T17:45:24.757-05:00Anonymous,
Brave words, but this notion that the b...Anonymous,<br />Brave words, but this notion that the book market on the internet is some sort of moveable feast seems wildly optimistic, Amazon are doing everything they can to tape it down. Bezos is exactly like a 19th c tycoon and he'd love us all to only be able to buy from the company store.<br />As for the notion that you or any other indie authors earnings are anything other than wholly insignificant to Amazon: well if they are prepared to screw the Lee Childs of this world then why not you?<br />One publisher, one retailer and a million authors...<br />Big publishing is idiotic in so many ways, but that does not make Amazon your friend. Agent Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06906801856455617926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-32032994464332076392014-09-30T10:42:07.212-05:002014-09-30T10:42:07.212-05:00Agent Orange,
If, as you say, Amazon does decide ...Agent Orange,<br /><br />If, as you say, Amazon does decide to turn the screws and come after me, whats stopping me from selling my wares elsewhere, like my own website, or an amazon competitors website?<br /><br />Secondly, why would Amazon want to come after me? <br /><br />I understand that in many traditional "apologists" hind brain is the idea that Jeff Bezos 20 plus year to low customer service and low prices is an act, that he's really a 19th century Robber Baron in disguise and that if we we're to only wait and see, you'd be right!<br /><br />But honestly, Amazon is making money from my sales, not as much as some authors, but more than some others, and that's a nice chunk of change for them. Why drive a lot of that revenue away by taking more money.<br /><br />And honestly, I think my feeling on the subject, as I've said in previous posts, are the same as a few other indie authors: When Amazons rates become as bad as traditional publishing, then we'll leave. Until then, we're keeping our options open.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-56153085043404070872014-09-30T10:18:49.612-05:002014-09-30T10:18:49.612-05:00Maggie,
Yes, Amazon is the largest supplier of bo...Maggie,<br /><br />Yes, Amazon is the largest supplier of books, because the publishing Industry has ceded that ground to them.<br /><br />Amazon didn't create the ebook market, but they began to dominate it with the release of the kindle. A few years ago they had 90% of the ebook market.<br /><br />Today? Depending on who you want to believe, 55-65% of the market, and it's falling each year, because of entrants like Kobo, Smashwords, BN.com, and other online sellers.<br /><br />How exactly does one achieve and maintain a monopoly by lowering market share each year?<br /><br />This is the 21st Century of business. If Amazon were to do what you think it might do, whats stopping someone (A google, a yahoo, two guys in a garage with an idea) for coming up with a better way to sell books?<br /><br />If Amazon, in the future, does try and screw me over, I've got my mailing lists, my facebook groups, and my websites. I can sell direct, because I own everything. I'm not worried. Why should I be?<br />Honestly, as I said above, Even if Amazon cuts my rates in half to 35%, that's still at least 10% better than anything I could get through a traditional publisher.<br />And I'll deal with that if and when it happens. Worrying about what might happen is a waste of time better spent writing.<br /><br />I've seen the future of ebook sales without amazon, and so can you.<br /><br />Check out Harpercollins.com<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-16125247263217575112014-09-30T08:56:47.661-05:002014-09-30T08:56:47.661-05:00Apologies for my drive-by Anon but I felt compelle...Apologies for my drive-by Anon but I felt compelled to address this particular point:<br /><br />"1. That 4 person shop owns those booties. At anytime, they can sell them through another store (physical or etail) with little or no problem. Selling through Amazon is a choice, and they have to determine what is best for them and their company.Amazon is under no obligation to help them sell their booties for $10, if anything Amazon has combed through it's databases and found that most booties sell best in the $5 range, with higher sales volume helping offset lower profits."<br /><br />The larger issue (for me)is that it will come to pass that Amazon alone is the largest supplier of baby booties (ok, books!). The manufacturer will have the greatest opportunity for sales via Amazon and thus, the true insidiousness claws its way into the light....<br /><br />And to answer you questions re: Hachette notifying "authors" of the Amazon offers, I was never aware of these offers. It does not surprise me however as few corporations make business decisions by consulting their "employees" on every level. Should Hachette have sought out authors' positions on the offers? Perhaps. Does it tick me off - yes indeed.<br /><br />You see, we are not so far apart in our thoughts about the issue.<br /><br />Cheers!Maggie Meadehttp://www.maggiemeade.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-63651296592306695202014-09-30T04:23:48.607-05:002014-09-30T04:23:48.607-05:00I've been blogging anonymously (because critic...I've been blogging anonymously (because critically) as Agent Orange about the issues facing the industry in the UK for some years now - check me out on both thebookseller.com and futurebook.net.<br />For me this is all about author earnings and what is in the best long term interests of authors. What I simply don't understand about the Amazonians - you Mr Konrath, Hugh Howey, David Gaughran, Barry Eisler et al is that while many of your criticisms of the traditional publishing business are hugely valid it is also wholly clear to me that while your interests and Amazon's coincide for now, if they win and reduce publishing to a cottage industry rump they will come after their other suppliers - i.e. you 'indie' authors next. Amazon have sunk billions into pursuing a position of total dominance of the book business: if and when they have won they will be turning the screw on you - and you'll have no-one left to turn to. It seems to me that your position is informed primarily by contempt for trad publishers and that fatally undermines the validity of your arguments and clarity of your thinking.<br />Secondly, you write as if all authors are the same and exist on the same playing field. That is not true - the ebook market is pretty much wholly a genre, mass market: it does not serve the literary end of the spectrum well and nor does it show any likelihood of doing so. So while you set yourself up as speaking for all writers what you are doing looks suspiciously like promoting a self serving ideology which involves leaving behind all of those more thoughtful, less obviously commercial writers who have always been subsidised by commercial authors.Agent Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15068666571885387539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-54105187039951504422014-09-29T14:35:13.034-05:002014-09-29T14:35:13.034-05:00Hello again Anon!
Thanks for your reply again and...Hello again Anon!<br /><br />Thanks for your reply again and your clarification. I keep reading that “Hachete had 3 offers that would “take authors out of the line of fire” but refused to do it. As I asked of Rik, please point me to where I might be able to read these offers. As far as I am concerned, the most valid offer would be for Amazon to say, “Ok, we are going to do the right thing and stop hurting your authors as a means to our end.” Amazon will continue to take “hostages” until Hachette pays the ransom, so to speak.<br /><br />“If Hachette is OK with selling your book for $11.20 on Barned and Noble, why doesn't the price on the book read $11.20. It's a consumer shell game, right?”<br /><br />Everyone loves a bargain though, right? The bargain pricing is only found online however; brick and mortar shops sell the books at cover.<br /><br />“I'm not happy your being hurt, but I am surprised you think Amazon is the sole reason for the position you are in.” Oh believe me. I do not think Amazon is the sole reason however, I think their position is disgraceful and despicable. <br /><br />You say that Hachette is not fighting for you/me and I agree to a certain extent. I am not entirely naive. Let me try to illustrate why I think you are half-right/half-wrong. The small 4 employee shop that hand makes baby booties is selling them on Amazon for $10 each. Suddenly, Amazon decides that they would sell better if they were $5 each. Amazon asks the shop if they would start selling at $5 and oh-by-the-way, we want to raise our profit percentage by 10%. The shop would not be able to survive so they say not to Amazon’s offer. Amazon decides to “punish” them by doing what Amazon is doing to Hachette authors - delaying shipment for example. <br /><br />Now you may think, “What do I care? I don’t need baby booties” and maybe that’s true but what type of product or company could be the next target? Amazon is not doing this because they have altruistic intentions. Amazon wants a higher profit percentage; don’t they all?!<br />Maggie Meadehttp://www.maggiemeade.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-23911048880406644952014-09-29T14:20:24.623-05:002014-09-29T14:20:24.623-05:00Hi Rik,
Thank you for your reply. I appreciate t...Hi Rik,<br /><br />Thank you for your reply. I appreciate the insight. I will answer a few of your questions/points as well.<br /><br />“I think it's disingenuous to suggest that it's only Amazon doing this. When Amazon offered - in three different ways - to take you out of the line of fire, Hachette left you there.”<br /><br />I think that you are assuming that the Hachette authors are party to the negotiations and are asked for their input. We are/were not (well I personally was not) invited to the table. Now I am not defending Hachette however, there are not too many companies that continually ask for their “employees’ input into sales and marketing. Are you saying that Hachette should have presented the offer(s) to it’s authors to review? I would love to see these “offers to take authors out of the line of fire”. Would you please direct me to a place where I might read these?<br /><br />“t seems unfair to demand that a vendor buy inventory which they may later lose the right to sell - which does, if true, justify keeping smaller inventories.”<br /><br />I have been reading in a few places that Hachette is not the only publisher that is selling on Amazon without a firm contract. I am not sure if this is fact or fiction however. I will politely have to call BS to Amazon on having to carry light inventory; if this were true then why the extreme fluctuations in ship dates from one hour to the next (and I refer to my book only)?<br /><br />“Have they stopped recommending your books on pages for other projects? That, I think, would be unjust.” <br /><br />Yes, they have sadly. It is not consistent but it occurs at least once a week.Maggie Meadehttp://www.maggiemeade.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-70281225717885524022014-09-28T13:18:11.739-05:002014-09-28T13:18:11.739-05:00Terry,
650,000,000 plus active websites on the wo...Terry,<br /><br />650,000,000 plus active websites on the world wide web.<br /><br />However will I know where to go and what to visit, and who will protect me from the crap people are putting out there for the entire world to see? <br /><br />It's like there should be someone somewhere who's looked at a lot of them, and can tell me "Go here, don't go there, trust me, I know what you want to read and look at...."<br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-20583302045804716082014-09-28T13:14:19.140-05:002014-09-28T13:14:19.140-05:00Hi Maggie,
Amazon is not "targeting" au...Hi Maggie,<br /><br />Amazon is not "targeting" authors. Authors are a casualty in this negotiation. Amazon knows this, that's why they put forth <i>three</i> different proposals to help authors during these negotiations. Hachettes offer to help authors hurt by these negotiations has been to simply say "Amazon needs to agree with our proposal." Amazon knows your being hurt, Hachette knows your being hurt, yet only one of them has done anything publicly to try and address that. <br /><br />"I find this to be intellectually dishonest and completely disingenuous. You know very well that discounted prices are what helps to drive sales on Amazon and other online booksellers."<br /><br />Sure. But this then begs the question: If Hachette is OK with selling your book for $11.20 on Barned and Noble, why doesn't the price on the book read $11.20. It's a consumer shell game, right? We know the product costs "X" to produce, and if we sell it at "Y", we'll make money. But instead, let's price it at "Z", "discount" it to "Y", and let the consumer think they're getting a bargain. JC Penny's does this all the time, but a couple of years ago when new management decided to price everything at "Y" straight across the board, customers were upset, because they could no longer see the "deals" they were getting, even though the sales price never changed.<br /><br />I think a very small minority of indie writers are happy Hachette authors are in a bad way. Then again, a small percentage of writers who publish through Elloras Cave are happy their publisher is suing a fellow EC writer for defamation after she wrote a blog post detailing the current problems EC is having. People are weird like that.<br /><br />Honestly, I think a lot of indie writers look at whats happening to Hachette authors and say "There but for the Grace of God and KDP go I." <br /><br />Hachettes not fighting for me in this, any more then they are fighting for you IMO. If this "war" comes to my doorstep, I can pick up my IP and sell it elsewhere. Until then, I'm not worrying about what Amazon "Might" do. Heck, Amazon could cut my rates in half to 35%, and I'd be OK with that, because that's at least 10-15% higher than I would get if I were to sign with Hachette or any other traditional publisher, and I'd still retain the control I have now.<br /><br />I'm not happy your being hurt, but I am surprised you think Amazon is the sole reason for the position you are in. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-14969222456862666412014-09-27T23:45:00.442-05:002014-09-27T23:45:00.442-05:00I find it difficult to believe that readers will s...I find it difficult to believe that readers will simply settle for the crap that is being self-published on Amazon (with a few diamonds to be found in the sewer, no doubt; but it's still mostly crap that's found there). I very much hope you're wrong about that.Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17404115699893699970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-66327516728094512192014-09-27T16:03:59.130-05:002014-09-27T16:03:59.130-05:00Maggie: You asked "I am asking for sincere an...Maggie: You asked "I am asking for sincere answers as to why people believe that Amazon is just in using authors' book sales."<br /><br />I think it's disingenuous to suggest that it's only Amazon doing this. When Amazon offered - in three different ways - to take you out of the line of fire, Hachette left you there.<br /><br />And sure, there's a debate to be had about the merits of each of the offers, but Hachette <i>refused to participate</i> in that debate. The offers were rejected, according to everything I've seen including direct quotes from people on both sides, out of hand.<br /><br />Hachette could have protected you from Amazon (sure, at considerable financial cost to themselves - but also to Amazon) and decided not to. I don't deny that there's harm to you, and something quite possibly suspect, about Amazon's treatment of you, but isn't it also possible to say that of Hachette's decision?<br /><br />To actually answer your question about the justice of Amazon's actions is more complex. Some of Amazon's actions in respect of Hachette publications are not so much matters of justice as necessity - it cannot in conscience or pragmatism offer pre-orders on books it may never have a contract to sell. I don't know the details of their distribution, warehousing and stock maintenance arrangements, but it seems unfair to demand that a vendor buy inventory which they may later lose the right to sell - which does, if true, justify keeping smaller inventories.<br /><br />The business of using landing pages for your books to make recommendations for other products is a different matter, though 'Similar to' and 'customer also bought' are normal practice at Amazon. Have they stopped recommending your books on pages for other projects? That, I think, would be unjust.<br /><br />Above the specifics, though, my greater respect (as an independent author) for Amazon over Hachette - my feeling that they are closer to being in the right - comes from those offers to take you out of the line of fire, and the behaviour of Hachette in response.Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16677076598470332030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-5549815322527236972014-09-27T14:18:43.443-05:002014-09-27T14:18:43.443-05:00Dear Anon.
Thank you for your reply and the engag...Dear Anon.<br /><br />Thank you for your reply and the engagement. You neglected to answer the questions that I posed; answering my questions with questions of your own does not allow me to understand what YOUR thoughts are about the matter(s).<br /><br />Let me address a few of your comments; pardon the lack of order. <br /><br />I never claimed that Amazon's position was weak - I merely pondered why Amazon felt it had to target the authors to try and make Hachette bend to its terms. Clearly there is some worry on the part of Amazon; why do they continue to sell Hachette books? Why not just pull the books entirely? Why? If Amazon pulled all Hachette books off of their store today, then all authors and sellers would think twice about their own positions within the Amazon storefront. Wouldn't you? I believe that Amazon does set some pricing for Kindle/eBooks. What if they dropped your pricing to $0.99 because you didn't want to do X, Y or Z with your book?<br /><br />Ugh! This statement is repeated time and time again: <br /><br />"The fact that Amazon is selling Hachette books for the price Hachettes suggests they sell them at is upsetting people is interesting."<br /><br />I find this to be intellectually dishonest and completely disingenuous. You know very well that discounted prices are what helps to drive sales on Amazon and other online booksellers. <br /><br />"Print is not going to be as popular as it once was, there are now other avenues for a writer to get their work to a changing market, and their role in publishing in general is changing."<br /><br />There is a small part of me that feels as though many self-published and indie authors are quite joyful over the fact that Hachette authors are suffering. As I continue to learn more and more about this Amazon/Hachette issue, I have come to feel a lack of empathy from the self-published and indie community. I am asking for sincere answers as to why people believe that Amazon is just in using authors' book sales. One day this "war" may be visited upon your eBook or your Indie company. <br /><br />Please do continue to check on the shipping date of my book as it changes continually along with the dreaded pop-ups. <br /><br />One more thing, I do believe that action against Hachette will be forthcoming from a few authors. It's quite a sticky wicket as it were when it comes to IP and Contract law.<br /><br />Thanks again!<br />MaggieMaggie Meadehttp://www.maggiemeade.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-55914349427078589352014-09-26T18:05:33.400-05:002014-09-26T18:05:33.400-05:00Part Two:
"My book sales, along with the boo...Part Two:<br /><br />"My book sales, along with the books other Hachette authors have written, are suffering greatly due to these tactics." <br /><br />"As you know, these tactics include:<br />refusing preorders, delaying shipping, reducing discounting, and using pop-up windows to cover authors’ pages and redirect buyers purchase non-Hachette books."<br /><br />What publishers did prior to preorders? The fact that Amazon is selling Hachette books for the price Hachettes suggests they sell them at is upsetting people is interesting. <br /><br />"My book now has a 2-3 week delivery and is not being offered at a discount; this gone on since February; at one point in time the shipping was 4-6 weeks out. At least the pop-ups directing buyers to other, non Hachette published books have been removed – for the time being."<br /><br />Hrm, currently you book (on 9/26) has a 1 to 3 week shipping. $16.00 Prime price, $9.99 ebook price, and there are 55 links thorugh Amazon to purchase your book from other sellers. If Amazon wanted to really hurt you, why not take away those other links as well? <br /><br />"How do you justify Amazon's use of these tactics? I wonder if you believe that this "war" is much needed comeuppance... deserve to be casualties of this "war". "<br /><br />I think this "war" is a comeuppance in that it's forcing the traditional publishing industry to recognize that change is here to stay. Print is not going to be as popular as it once was, there are now other avenues for a writer to get their work to a changing market, and their role in publishing in general is changing. Sad thing is, they basically ceded this ground at the turn of the century, and now they're paying for it.<br /><br />"Please, tell me why it is right and just for Amazon to use authors and their books as instruments to force Hachette to bend? Imagine what would happen if all businesses were to begin to run themselves this way."<br /><br />Please, tell me why it is right and just for Hachette to use its authors and their books as instruments to force Amazon to bend? Imagine what would happen if all businesses were to begin to run themselves this way? <br /><br />Like when your local electric company raises it's rates, that you have to pay because there is no local competition?<br />How about an auto company negotiating with any one of its unions? Or a teachers union going on strike?<br /><br />Since this whole "war" started, what has Hachette done to help you survive?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-74095084889722569312014-09-26T18:05:13.455-05:002014-09-26T18:05:13.455-05:00I'll try and answer some of your questions, I ...I'll try and answer some of your questions, I hope you don't mind if I ask a few of my own.<br /><br />"What makes me the most angry and upset about the Amazon/Hachette dispute is the fact that Amazon is using "guerilla tactics...."<br /><br />There's nothing guerilla about them. Tactics like these have been standard in negotiations going back centuries.<br /><br />"Please, I understand that "Amazon does not have to sell my book" and it is true. Amazon does not have to sell any authors' books but that is another issue entirely."<br /><br />True. Currently there is no sales agreement between Hachette and Amazon. That's causing some uncertainty, and that's a big "No Go" area for distributors. Amazon doesn't know if (or when) Hachette will walk away, and stop selling its products through Amazon. They aren't going to order stock they might not be able to sell, and they do their best not to carry excess stock.<br /> <br />"Amazon hopes to force Hachette into a new eBook contract and Amazon is using Hachette authors' and their books to achieve this end."<br /><br />Yes, they are. Except Hachette is using you as a bargaining chip as well, aren't they? As a Hachette author, when were you first told of the difficulties going on between Amazon and Hachette? As a a Hachette author, was your opinion and feedback solicited on any of the offers Amazon made to Hachette with regards to supporting authors? The first proposal they made was the same one Amazon and Macmillan used, I don't recall Macmillan authors complaining about that then, do you? Do you think Hachette isn't using your plight as a bargaining chip as well?<br /><br /> "You have written on your blog that the Authors United should turn on Hachette and some of your suggestions are solid. I wonder though, how is it that you (and others) feel that Amazon is right and just in using authors and their books as tools? "<br /><br />How is Hachette using you in this fight? Are you more than a tool to them?<br /><br />"Amazon is impeding and/or blocking the sale of Hachette authors’ books as a negotiating tactic."<br /><br />To be fair, Hachette is as well. If Hachette were indeed worried about their authors, they would have taken a more proactive, stance in negotiating, right? Unless somehow ignoring Amazon until forced to pay attention is somehow a good thing? <br /><br />"This is fact. Is Amazon's position so weak that it cannot negotiate without targeting the authors by impeding or blocking the sale of Hachette books? It's a rather childish but effective stance."<br /><br />In 2010, Big Publishing threatened to stop selling through Amazon unless Amazon agreed to the Agency Pricing Model. All the Big publishers threatened to pull their Were the Publishers tactics against Amazon four years ago correct and proper in that situation? If Amazons position is indeed as weak as you claim, Hachette should be able to walk away and make up any lost sales it would have gotten through Amazon through other sales outlets, be they online or physical retail. If Hachette doesn't need Amazon, and negotiating with Amazon is hurting it, and by extension you, why hasn't it walked away?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-38564738381614872562014-09-26T11:23:27.210-05:002014-09-26T11:23:27.210-05:00Update: While the pop-ups directing customers from...Update: While the pop-ups directing customers from my book to other publishers' books are not back up, the banner showing 3 titles that "other customers have viewed" now is. The kicker is that when you click on those other books, the books do not have the same banner showing "other customers have viewed". <br /><br />www.maggiemeade.com/amazonWBFG.jpg<br /><br />Paranoia is sadly not at the table here. Maggie Meadehttp://www.maggiemeade.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-76364445127572828482014-09-26T10:01:08.146-05:002014-09-26T10:01:08.146-05:00I'm Maggie Meade, an author published by Grand...I'm Maggie Meade, an author published by Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette, and I'd like to chime in here. <br /><br />What makes me the most angry and upset about the Amazon/Hachette dispute is the fact that Amazon is using "guerilla tactics" in its negotiations with Hachette. Quite simply, my book is being held hostage by Amazon. Please, I understand that "Amazon does not have to sell my book" and it is true. Amazon does not have to sell any authors' books but that is another issue entirely. <br /><br />Amazon hopes to force Hachette into a new eBook contract and Amazon is using Hachette authors' and their books to achieve this end. You have written on your blog that the Authors United should turn on Hachette and some of your suggestions are solid. I wonder though, how is it that you (and others) feel that Amazon is right and just in using authors and their books as tools? <br /><br />Amazon is impeding and/or blocking the sale of Hachette authors’ books as a negotiating tactic. This is fact. Is Amazon's position so weak that it cannot negotiate without targeting the authors by impeding or blocking the sale of Hachette books? It's a rather childish but effective stance.<br /><br />My book sales, along with the books other Hachette authors have written, are suffering greatly due to these tactics. <br /><br />As you know, these tactics include:<br />refusing preorders, delaying shipping, reducing discounting, and using pop-up windows to cover authors’ pages and redirect buyers purchase non-Hachette books.<br /><br />My book now has a 2-3 week delivery and is not being offered at a discount; this has gone on since February; at one point in time the shipping was 4-6 weeks out. At least the pop-ups directing buyers to other, non Hachette published books have been removed – for the time being. <br /><br />How do you justify Amazon's use of these tactics? I wonder if you believe that this "war" is much needed comeuppance; I get the feeling that you [and possibly a few of your readers] believe that all Hachette authors are multi-millionaire authors who never earned any of their monies and deserve to be casualties of this "war". <br /><br />Please, tell me why it is right and just for Amazon to use authors and their books as instruments to force Hachette to bend? Imagine what would happen if all businesses were to begin to run themselves this way. <br /><br />Thank you for your space,<br />Maggie Meade <br />The Wholesome Baby Food GuideMaggie Meadehttp://www.maggiemeade.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-68999398430400646352014-09-26T04:12:31.317-05:002014-09-26T04:12:31.317-05:00Arghh. I spent two hours reading through this Lee...Arghh. I spent two hours reading through this Lee Child vis-a-vis Joe Konrath conversation and wondered why Russian serfdom, about which I know something, kept threading through my thoughts. Slavery and serfdom both figure wretchedly in Russian history; from whence came the European word for Slave but from Slav? The Mongols and Tartars sold Slavs in great numbers out of the Black Sea Crimean ports into the Mediterranean and European markets.<br />However, Russian serfs were not slaves. They were not captured and dragged in chains to work the land. They signed away their rights, ‘for the life of the author plus seventy years’ (a not too brutal translation from the Old Church Slavonic). Russian serfs could and did become well-treated opera singers, artists, painters, tradesmen, etc. Enlightened owners of these lifelong contracts tended not to abuse their golden geese, but serfs they were, and lived well or badly at the whim of he had their ‘contract.’ <br />Publishing contracts read, again without great liberty in the translation, like medieval Russian laws and contracts institutionalizing serfdom. How could one otherwise interpret this standard boilerplate? Author grants and assigns to Publisher the sole and exclusive rights to the Material throughout the Territory during the entire term of the copyright and any renewals and extensions thereof. Who would sign this but an illiterate and desperate Russian peasant? America’s intellectuals sign these contracts. Go figure. You do what you have to do to make a buck, I guess. But make no mistake:<br />Lee Childs argues from the POV of a well-off serf; Joe Konrath argues for the free man. Pick your poison.Robert E. Townsendhttp://roberttownsendonline.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-62211185058331319962014-09-25T10:13:45.617-05:002014-09-25T10:13:45.617-05:00I'll take another $104k from you (which I'...<i>I'll take another $104k from you (which I'll give to a deserving charity)...</i><br /><br />You will not. You will spend every dime in riotous living. You've earned it. <br /><br />And, you know, I'll help.Dana Stabenowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15493173907957654118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-50976486748209380302014-09-25T10:12:45.907-05:002014-09-25T10:12:45.907-05:00Amazon just proved they can put a publisher out of...<i>Amazon just proved they can put a publisher out of business any time they want.</i><br /><br />The only thing that will put publishers out of business is publishers. Any business that doesn't recognize and adapt to changes in the industry BEFORE they happen has to get a running start every morning, and if they don't catch up, they're doomed to fail.<br /><br />Back in the day, <i>I</i> had to tell my publisher to release my books on Kindle and Sony. And later, when ebooks were the norm, I had to beg <i>another</i> publisher to lower the price—which they refused to do.<br /><br />Amazon isn't putting anyone out of business.Rob Gregory Brownehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12785299355462748009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-26910464182193902052014-09-25T10:10:43.482-05:002014-09-25T10:10:43.482-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Dana Stabenowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15493173907957654118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-29656645033253247122014-09-25T09:02:41.337-05:002014-09-25T09:02:41.337-05:00Joshua and Dan, I'm going to ask you to ignore...Joshua and Dan, I'm going to ask you to ignore each other, It's becoming disruptive.<br /><br />Thanks.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-71507973020472155942014-09-25T08:38:27.467-05:002014-09-25T08:38:27.467-05:00@RD - That was my suspicion as well and my reason ...@RD - That was my suspicion as well and my reason for making his emailed responses to me "public". Especially since he didn't address any of the main issues I covered in my letter in his first response. It felt like a canned, copy-paste reply and "insert name here" sort of thing. Not that I can really blame him. I imagine he's been inundated with people like us telling him how ridiculous he's being lately.<br /><br />Oh, and I'm sorry you don't feel as special :-( If it helps, I feel less special as well. We can be Un-special snowflakes together! ;-)Alan Tuckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06003811594552160836noreply@blogger.com