Posted on 07/27/2014 2:24:07 PM PDT by ransomnote
Book Publishing Needs Socialism to Save It
Let me just state up front that I love America and wouldn’t live anywhere else but, I also believe there’s room for a blend of socialism and capitalism to exist in a democratic society, and when it comes to how books are sold or treated, I prefer what the French and other advanced nations do.
They protect books and the printed word. I applaud them—and so should you.
Here in the U.S., thanks largely to Amazon, books have become commoditized. You can buy clothes based on price—or a desk or the hotel you vacation at. But books should not be purchased based on price alone.
Sure price is a factor. One may buy a used book vs. a new one, to save money. Others will buy a paperback rather than the higher-priced hardcover. But when books become so devalued and sell at a loss, you have to question how such pricing helps the long-term viability of books.
In the U.S. it seems the publishing market is ruled by one company—Amazon—and five major conglomerate publishers—and one physical retailer (Barnes & Noble). When Amazon makes a change, the publishing industry trembles and acquiesces.
But the Hatchette-Amazon battle is now being waged and the repercussions of it could dictate the fate of publishing’s long-term viability. However, in other countries, books are a much healthier product.
In France, where Amazon only owns 10-12% of the book market—but 70% of online sales, Amazon is contained because of laws passed to protect and support bookstores and publishers.
The law says online sellers can’t offer free shipping on discounted books. Further, booksellers can’t offer more than a 5% discount off a book’s cover price.
(Excerpt) Read more at bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com ...
I love the used books on Amazon. I've gotten a couple that were rated a little high (very good instead of good condition), but I've had more that were in better condition than stated. When you get a $50 book for $10 including shipping you know you've gotten a deal. It used to be that you would have to scrounge around local used book stores to find an out of print book or cheap copy of a book still in print (and usually not find it), but now you can search the entire country at one shot.
People who can’t compete desire socialism to keep their failed business practices afloat. I am a self-publisher, so I do have a dog in this fight, and let me explain what the fight is about:
How much of a customer’s money goes to who.
Before Amazon and their opening of Kindle Direct Publishing, if a customer bought a book, the profits from that purchase were split between the retail store, the publisher, and the author.
The publisher had to pay their editorial staff, their cover designers, their formatters, the cost of printing, and the author. Often authors received contracts where they would be given a stipend (called an advance in the industry) that would be payed off their royalties. Once an author had “earned out” their advance, they would be given royalty checks based upon further sales.
Most of the time an author did not earn out their advance because their royalties were often 5 to 15% of the net profit of the publishing house. When you realize that agents were required and they took 15% off the top of any advance or royalty from an author, you can see why many authors wrote as much as they could around their full time job.
Enter self-publishing. Now I pay my editor, my cover designers, and my formatters. Some of the work I do for myself (like formatting), other work I can trade out or hire for a competitive price.
I get 70% of books sold at $2.99 or more, and Amazon gets 30%.
What does this mean for consumers? Cheaper books.
What does this mean for authors? More profit.
What does this mean for editors and cover designers? More customers (as more people can self-publish than publishing houses would, or could, take on.)
Who are the only losers in this system? Publishers who have not changed their business models and agents who are not needed to arrange for contracts between authors and publishers.
So who is screaming for socialism over capitalism? Publishing houses, agents, and authors who cling to the old system because it kept them at the top of the heap.
My latest book is killing most of the just released big 5 books in the Amazon rankings.
Why? Because for just a few dollars I am getting people a great read. And you know how many people look for a publishers mark before they buy a new book? None.
I can one up this dolt. Everyone should get free books, whatever they want. Profit is evil. You should work for free. Quit being selfish. You didn’t build that book. Other people helped. Other people printed it. /sarc
How did you get this deal from Amazon....?
I am in Amazon Advantage and Amazon takes 45% leaving me with 55%....my retail price is $17.95.
Is this for a paperback or e-book?
Through KDP (e-books) if you set your price between $2.99 and $9.99 you receive a 70% royalty rate. If it is under $2.99 or over $9.99, you receive a 35% royalty rate.
https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=A30F3VI2TH1FR8
PS...I guess these are e-books.....mine are all perfect bound.
Yeah, for my paperbacks I make around 30% because I go through Createspace.
For me its like a labor of love...I work as a tanker truck driver...keeps me fit at age 72.
” their royalties were often 5 to 15% of the net profit of the publishing house. When you realize that agents were required and they took 15% off the top of any advance or royalty from an author”
Okay I didn’t know royalties to the author were 15% of NET and then the agent took 15% of that! I attended a talk by a NYT best selling author (non-fiction) wherein she said that she spent 30% of every work day promoting her book because the publisher doesn’t do any of that any more. She ruefully said she made “cents on the dollar” and when a self published author asked her a question she pointed to him and said “Look! He’s getting 70% of every dollar and I’m getting pennies of every dollar AND spending 30% of every work day pushing her books to make those pennies.
I read somewhere - about 2 years ago that the Big 5 were in a state of collapse and as it all falls down around them, they are racing to “secure” publishing from authors (i.e., they’ll own the rights even after all pretenses of “helping” the author market etc. have ended).
Very nice! I started self-publishing two years ago after I lost my job. Have put out 6 books and a bunch of short stories since then.
Whoa! Thanks for the info.
“Book Publishing Needs Socialism to Save It”
This is a super idea and is particularly relevant because newspaper publishing, CD makers and DVD makers are all also facing extinction today because of digital publishing and streaming. And just think, if socialism for buggy whips had been around at the turn of the 19th century, we’d still have plenty of buggy whip makers around even today. And don’t forget that power looms devastated the hand weaving industry even earlier. Linotype operators were thrown out of work, as were switchboard operators. Why the list is almost endless. And if we had JUST had socialism, we could have saved all of those industries and all of those jobs.
Buy copies of survival books, skill related books or politically incorrect titles via cash. Your purchase history isn’t tracked, and you own the work outright, versus Kindle copies that could be deleted off the device via DRM.
Is it the same man who wrote Wool?
I enjoyed your post.
I wonder how much of this bloggers “touch of socialism” request is a reaction to Hillary’s book ending up in the bargain bin while conservative books soar. Gotta hide that disparity right?
I’ll answer. Yes, Hugh Howey is not only an incredible writer, he is a tireless advocate for indie publishing, and he is one of the nicest people in the entire industry.
He does the research and compilation of data for free and posts it publically.
Thanks again.(your thread about publishing the other day)
I thank my local friends of the library, they have a book sale about every quarter. Once a year my girls and I load up on ~10 paper grocery BAGS for $3 each. I’m amazed at what I find.
You are very welcome!
The brilliant book publishing industry gave Hillrat $14 million for her bird cage liner/books by the pound project. What else needs to be said?
If Steven King, John Grisham, JK Rowling and a few others said “We don’t need publishers.” and decided to digitally distribute books for tablets only? The industry would implode within 5 years.
I feel absolutely no empathy for book publishers, none. For years and years they were an abysmal gatekeeper preventing new talent from coming to market. Worse than even the record companies, if you can imagine that.
When book retailers made a habit of hiding books the staff didn’t like, you know anything written by conservative author, I spit in their faces when it comes to cries about “Whoa is us! AMAZON IS TEH EVIL!”
The publishing industry and book retailers dug their own graves. LIE IN THEM!
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