Amazon.com first started selling used books in 2002. It was a huge success. By 2004, 67% of used books sales were online–a higher percentage than any other product category. (Only 12.7% of new books sales were online.)

The Author’s Guild urged its members to de-link Amazon in protest…

I never said anything of the sort, friend. I said this:

1) I like it when people read my books, no matter how they get it. If I were worried about libraries, I wouldn’t have given away one of my upcoming books on my website free for download.

2) I like it when people buy hardbacks. People have written me emails asking why hardbacks cost so much. I wrote this article as a response. I told them to buy paperbacks if they like them–that’s fine! But, the reason in my business we publish hardbacks is because they’re what make the money.

3) Paperbacks make money for people in my sub-set of the business, but hardbacks are what drive the market. (My market being thick fantasy novels.) We have a smaller readership than a lot of other genres, and many authors are supported solely from their hardback sales, with paperback sales mostly being a form of promotion for the next hardback.

Word of mouth is very important, and we love it when people check out our books from the library. I have no complaint with that. I apologize if my article is confusing in this regard.

actually, according to Sanderson, all libraries should be banned since they are stealing authors’ money…
honestly, I’m not an expert in the publishing business, but if paperbacks hurt authors that much, why don’t they simply refuse to publish their books in paperback?
for instance, musicians lose hell a lot of money when their CDs are illegally copied, but they can’t help it. book authors can do that!

I find myself backed somewhat into a corner! In my last comments, I suggested that as a writer I want to do what the readers wish of me. And yet, you–as a reader–suggest that what YOU want is to stay out of the process and not influence me. And so, we enter an infinite loop. Perhaps there’s a science fiction story in that somewhere…. :)

On a more serious note, I do find that the more I discuss this topic, the more I think that you have a point. The last thing readers need is to be beleaguered by sob stories from authors. I wasn’t intending to sob (I’m actually quite humbled by how well my own books have been doing, all things considered, and am quite easily able to make a full-time living as an author right now. Believe it or not, most of the reason I wrote this essay had to do with seeing the sales numbers of some authors I respect, and wishing they were better supported by the community.)

However, I don’t realistically think I can approach a subject like this one in the way I once did, when I was unpublished. The simple truth is now that I make my money from this profession, I’ve lost my ability to speak about something like this with any sort of assumption of objectivity. And so, all I end up doing–despite intention–is make readers feel bad about the books they ARE purchasing.

In short, well argued. Bravo.

You wrote: “I do find that fascinating concept. But in the system of patronage, don’t you the writer owe something to the reader beyond just the writing? In the old days of benefactors, there appeared to be obligations that the benefactee would have to endure in order to keep the patronage.”

I think, indeed, there are things which the author owes to his or her readers. The system is much less formal than the classical example we’ve been using, but I do think that the readers have a right to certain courtesies. For instance, I think that we authors should finish the series that we start, and should do our best to meet deadlines so that readers don’t have to wait too long between installments of a trilogy or series. More importantly, I think we should treat readers with respect–as you are, essentially, our employers.

There are authors who decide they do not want to have much of a public image, and I think this should be respected. However, if an author decides to become a public figure–such as by, say, publishing essays on their blogs–then I believe they should be ready to accept criticism. To post on the internet, where things are much less formal, is to invite discussion, comments, and the sharing of ideas.

A writer such as myself can’t, therefore, complain when someone notices an opinionated blog post he has made, then makes their own opinionated blog post in response. Books are, generally, faceless–and criticism of books should rightly focus on the book and not the author. However, essays and blog posts are personal. By making them–as has been noted in comments–an author exposes himself or herself up to personal criticism. I think that it’s only fair to expect this, and be willing to accept it and not take personal attacks. . .well, too personally. If that makes any sense.

I think a way around this dilemma is for everyone to be about the book. If a reader finds a winner, tell everyone–like you already do on blogs etc. Like I still do, though not publicly on the ‘net (because I don’t want to leave any of my friends out). Even though I’d love all my readers to love all my books, if they love one and tell their friends about it, the rest will follow.

So I guess I’m sayin’, imho, keep doing what you’re doing. It’s wonderful how word gets spread around here. I’ve discovered lots of new authors through the reader blogs!

That might make an interesting column one day, too.[/quote]

When I see readers talking about things they categorically dislike in books (and I’ve been guilty of doing so myself) I worry that they are steering the authors away from interesting choices they could make in their writing. Authors have to know when to tune readers out, I think. It probably isn’t easy.

I worry about authors writing to what they perceive to be reader expectations and I worry about readers feeling guilted into supporting writers instead of books — because both of these things, IMO, do not bode well for the *books*, and I’m in this for the books, not the authors, per se. Sure authors and publishers have to make money for those books to keep coming — and I will take on what I see as my responsibility to help that happen — but I don’t think that necessitates the blurring of the line between author and book. Not only do I NOT want to feel guilted into doing something for an *author*, but (and this if oten more the case), I don’t like feeling that I have to get over some jerky thing an author said or did online to start or keep buying his or her books.

I agree, but I’m not sure what’s to be done about it. I have to admit, too, that I enjoy reading authors’ comments on message boards and blogs, just not as much as I enjoy reading a terrific book. If I had to choose between great books and great conversations with authors, I would choose the great books every time. Conversations with authors are enjoyable in large part because I love the books to begin with. If the books all sucked, I wouldn’t read their authors’ blogs, either.

First, your plea is no different than several others including a nicely worded but saying the same thing post by Sylvia Day at Romancing the Blog who suggested that readers should consider adopting an author and buying all those books new. My blog post, and I think the reaction of many online readers, is one of weary. We’ve heard it again and again and again.

Readers’ buying habits, though, are generally opposite of what a new writer needs. For the average romance reader, hardcover purchases are earned and those stingy dollars are awarded to authors who have earned that right in the reader’s mind because as you posited in your essay, buying a hardcover means forgoing at least one other book, if not two other books.

As for the decreased purchase of books, I believe that to be true. There are so many other forms of entertainment these days and decreased amounts of time. My SIL has several boys and their family is gone virtually every night. Before she had children, she read quite often. Now she’s lucky to read one book a week. Increased family involvement and alternative forms of entertainment are creating a dwindling reading population or at least, a lowering of books sold (which is why I think ebooks can help to provide capsulated reading times, but that’s another letter, another day).

Let me address, lastly, the most interesting part of your comment (at least to me) and that is the idea of the author being supported by the wealthy benefactor being the larger reading community. I do find that fascinating concept. But in the system of patronage, don’t you the writer owe something to the reader beyond just the writing? In the old days of benefactors, there appeared to be obligations that the benefactee would have to endure in order to keep the patronage.

Plus, I’ve often seen authors very dismissive of their readers. Famously, LKH and Anne Rice, but less famously I’ve seen similar comments by smaller named and larger named authors. An author (whose name I can’t recall at the moment) mocked a few of her less than articulate readers on Romancing the Blog a few weeks ago. I am sure authors, like Ms. Roberts alluded to, have a ton of stories about crazy fans and their crazy requests. But sometimes, if the patronage system is encouraged, those responses have to be expected.

I like, BevBB, believe that there is a line between author and reader and it obviously is a different line for each reader, but to cross it means that there is some permissible criticism of the author as a person.

While in the overwhelming majority of casess I won’t let an author’s jerky online behavior deter me from buying one of their books (especially authors I haven’t tried yet), I WILL sometimes pick up a book of a new-to-me author when s/he impresses me online. I know that seems inconsistent, but I see it as just another kind of recommendation, and if I dislike that book, I may not be inclined to read anything more by that author.

That’s a very well-reasoned assessment–you’ve obviously thought this through, and I honestly find your points about the author/reader relationship fascinating. You have almost a ‘Heisenberg approach’ to this all: Leave the authors alone as much as possible, lest you influence them for the worse.

From my side, I still find it a little surreal to–after about ten years (and thirteen unpublished books) trying to break in–suddenly be in the middle of debates like this. I’ve found there seems to be a lot of pessimism among publishers. They talk about how people don’t buy or read books anymore, and about how readership is shrinking every year. I’m not convinced it’s true, but it does foster a bit of paranoia in a lot of us authors. I think, if I look at it critically, my essay plays into this.

(Though, on a side note, something you said reminded me of a story you may find interesting. Last year, I did a booksigning on the Saturday before the ‘official’ book release of Mistborn. Tor approved it, and everything went very, very well. We sold around 250 books, which is very good for someone as new as I am. When my agent heard about this, however, he disapproved. “You shouldn’t have signed at a pre-release like that," he said. “It ruins your chances of getting on the bestseller lists." It felt kind of weird to have something so successful be turned on its head.)

Anyway, I do find myself respectfully disagreeing somewhat with your opinions regarding author/writer relationships. I like interacting with my readers, and I enjoy hearing what they enjoy about my work, and what they think I need to change. This can be daunting sometimes. My first book was a stand-alone novel which was published in a genre which thrives upon trilogies and extended series. I was commended by critics for writing a single volume epic. Yet, from the emails I get, readers are very, very hopeful that I will do a sequel. Many of them plead for me to write more with those characters.

Part of me longs for those days when I was unpublished. Days when I could simply write a book and feel beholden to nobody. However, I don’t know if that’s realistic–or if it is bad to look at it the other way. The truth is that this is a business as much as it is an art, and having the president of the company remind you that stand-alones don’t sell as well as series–or having thirteen year old fans plead for you to continue the story of their favorite characters–is just something to which I feel I have to respond.

Perhaps I fall a little bit too far on the side of a craftsman, as opposed to an artist. I’m not opposed to making the things people enjoy as opposed to those they don’t think I do poorly. I feel beholden to those for whom I write. I feel like an artist who is being fed, clothed, and supported by a wealthy benefactor–though that benefactor now is a community. I don’t want to exist independent of them or their desires.

That’s partially just a function science fiction genre. I’ve mentioned the small, yet devoted, fanbase which we have. Statistics I’ve read place our sales somewhere around 6% of all fiction books sold. Those who buy those books, however, go to a lot of conventions, and feel very close to their authors. They write fanfiction, hang out on message boards, and very much like to feel part of the process. This is also a genre with a history of activism on the part of fans and readers. Just look at what happens when their favorite sci-fi TV series gets canceled. . . .

Anyway, I apologize for going on so long. I am, I’m afraid, rather long winded. Comes from being a fantasy writer, I suppose. It isn’t my intention to turn your blog into my platform–I just noticed you making some very astute comments, and wanted to see if I could offer anything in the way of an intelligent defense of what I wrote. I apologize, also, if I offended anyone who prefers paperbacks, or who depends on them as a business model. That wasn’t my intention. Take is as more of a “Hey, what do you think about this?" as opposed to an attempt to overthrow the system.

I have also seen authors, or their emissaries, post about when readers should buy them. Suzanne Brockmann used to ask people on her message board to wait until the release date. JR Ward’s Yahoo Group bans all notices of early sightings of the book and asks all readers to buy on the official release date and not before.

If the author does make the bestseller list, the readers then say things like “WE DID IT.” Readers start making a personal investment into the author. I think that is a bad thing.

The authors who I read and with whom I have sent an email and mabye even received one in return are not forming a relationship with me. There are comments on the Romancing the Blog forum yesterday which speak to the fact that authors should only be listening to themselves and their editors, not the readers.

I think that is absolutely true. I don’t want to influence an author to write one way or another. The author should write from their heart, gut or whatever. But when the author begins to make personal pleas, like yours, expectations naturally develop. I have seen readers just furious when a mass market author goes hardcover. I have seen readers say that they feel betrayed by authors or taken advantage of when it is nothing more than an author trying to do her job of writing.

But I can’t help but feel for these fan girls /boys who do what the author wants and begins to expect relationships to form with the author.

Further, we have seen many a comment about how it is wholly impermissable to make comments about an author personally. That personal attacks are uncouth. But these pleas for money are personal. How do you separate that – the pleas for personal gain but the disdain for personal attacks?

But it feels to me that whenever an author asks readers to buy a certain format or to buy a certain way, he’s asking the reader to make a personal investment in his personal life. And that’s treading a shaky line.

It also strikes me that I might have been a little too hard on you as you’re relatively young and relatively new.

You don’t want to be responsible for the DEATHS of these BEAUTIFUL LITTLE GIRLS, do you?

Personally, I don’t like hardcovers. They’re too hard to read one-handed, which makes it difficult for me to cuddle said children, or husband, or stir food in pots, or snack, while reading them. They’re heavy. They take up a lot of room in my bookcase (where paperbacks rest in rows on top of each other. I can’t fit paperbacks vertically on top of hardcovers.)