Whats going on? Posting almost EVERY DAY?
(Please visit Monkeys Need Love Too for my post on character emotion - and cute monkey pics) Yep. Found a challenge on Tossing it Out suggesting we all blog 26 times this month AND make our blogs alphabetical. Who am I not to aimlessly follow every suggestion? What's that? Bridge? Would I jump? Sure, there's candy at the bottom, right? So bringing on today's blog, brought to you by the letter A.
Amazon
Amazon have been in the media a lot lately for their forceful tactics in trying to control pricing of e-books for their Kindle readers. If you haven't heard about the removal of the 'buy' button for Macmillan books (I believe it's all back to normal now), then check out these articles I found:
There have been lots of responses complaining about how the author suffer from these wars, and they're right. But there is another side to this. As a reader and purchaser of many Kindle books for my Mac and iPhone, I WANT the prices kept low. I argue that these are digital files and should be no where near as expensive as paperbacks. Some Kindle books are even more expensive than the hardcopy!
Since finding Kindle books, I probably buy at least six times as many books per month as I did before. I am more likely to purchase a book under $10 without hesitating. More than that and I'll think it over.
How do you feel about e-book pricing as a reader and/or as a writer? As you'll note from the start of this blog, I'm easily swayed - so convince me! :-)
The amazing re-appearing blog!
ReplyDeleteGot my dates mixed up and posted this early yesterday, so you're not going crazy if you think you've already read this post :-)
I saw that! hehe I was going to say something cheeky about you being an aussie but thought I better not! :o))
ReplyDeleteNiki - lol only Aussies and New Zealanders would understand the friendly ribbing we like to give each other as neighbours! ;-)
ReplyDeleteNot sure about Kindles yet since I don't have one, but I have a friend who loves hers. Nice touch with the Easter Eggs.
ReplyDeleteIf I ever go that route then the i-phone is just so sparkly and attractive. I'd just have to have the cool-kids phone but only for reading purposes - you understand?
ReplyDeleteI have a kindle for PC and love it! I will buy a book much more often too because it takes so little time and effort to buy and I don't mind reading on the computer.
ReplyDeleteann
I don't really have an opinion on this as I don't buy e-books. However, I do buy and have bought TONS of things from Amazon and hope that they take the interest of their customers into consideration and lower their e-book prices.
ReplyDeleteYou started me off with a good laugh--"bridge""candy at the bottom"--I love it.
ReplyDeleteI don't really know much about what you're talking about--this luddite ain't got no kindles or anything like it yet. I want real books. And charge more for the downloaded book than the book itself? Hah! I'll jump off the bridge for some candy first.
You're off to a great start!
Lee
What's that you say? April 1st? Are you SURE??? ;)
ReplyDeleteAwesome post! I hate hate hate the idea of e-books. Need I say more? Reading is just not the same with the paper in your hands.
Re pricing, well I think they should be the same at the real books. Authors put so much work into their art I don't think it's fair for them to lose out on sales just cause their electronic. :)
A good start to the challenge, I have my book on Amazon, also I have purchased many and cds/dvds from Amazon. Look forward to reading more from you.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day.
Yvonne.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI don't have a Kindle, but I do have a Sony e-reader that one of my daughters gave me for Christmas. I download the free e-books from the Sony reader store and read them. It is a really neat gift and I enjoy using it. I, too, enjoyed your joke about jumping off the bridge if candy was at the bottom of it. ha ha.
Very interesting posting.
Best Regards to you
Ruby
Great post! Amazon is the leader in so many controversial topics concerning digital content, rights and authors.
ReplyDeleteTo take a different perspective in the pricing wars, I know from personal experience that books priced AT 10.00 only get about 3.00 for the author in royalties. I'm talking about the self-publishing author of course.
I'm not sure how the royalty structure is with publishing houses maintaining everything for authors, I have to assume it's possibly less.
I know I have paid as much as 26.00 for a digital book because I just COULDN'T live without reading it RIGHT THEN.
So as much as I agree that we should try to keep digital books priced affordable, especially in these times, I think it's also important to remember not to undervalue the worth of the writing.
I feel sad for authors that list their books for 1.99 on the Kindle and receive pennies for months and months of labor. Sure, in the long run it adds up, but to see a labor of love priced so low...could break a writers heart. I guess it is all in a matter of opinion!
Sorry I haven't stopped by in a while! Love the new Blogger Challenge you found! :D
~Karisha
I didn't realize some of the e-books were so expensive. I've just been sticking to actual books for now, but am interested in a Kindle (or something like it) in the future. Nice post and love your blog! (Found you through Writing Mommy.)
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