Comments on: Susan’s Inside Writing: Are you Kidding Me?

By: Thomma Lyn

Thomma Lyn — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:58:18 +0000

Oh my goodness, if a reader told me she’d shared my book with all her friends and family, I’d be humbled and tickled pink up to my ears. I’ve had a couple of readers tell me that, in fact, and I felt utter delight.
Thomma Lyn´s last blog ..At Last, Another Hike!

By: pjamarama

pjamarama — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:23:50 +0000

I totally agree, I mean I have been known to buy books in the past on friends recommendations and most of the time I’ve not wasted the cash but then there are those books that sit and look at you for a few months and then end up being donated. And some books can be pretty pricey. I’ve lent books to my sister never to friends though I rarely see those again, but my sister takes too long to read them so I end up buying her them, well the ones I know she will like.
I did it for my mum too but that was because I couldn’t think if what to get her for xmas and thought she might like the author.
But going back to your point if I ever met an author like that I might be persuaded to get all their books from the library and make bootlegged audio books and spread them far and wide and see if they liked the royalties then…
(actually I probably wouldn’t because I’m very lazy but would be good if someone did hehe)
Happy New Year!
pjamarama´s last blog ..Book 2…Death’s Mistress by Karen Chance

By: haleyknitz

haleyknitz — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:15:51 +0000

weeeeellll….

as a writer (i’m not published, but I can understand it) I understand that sharing a book with friends is special. sharing a book with three or four friends is nice. but sharing with like… 15? really. you could at least buy two or three copies and rotate them, right? everyone pitch in three dollars or something?

as a reader: I only donate books to the library that I know I’ll never read again, or that I think other people will like but that I didn’t get a kick out of them. if a friend asks to borrow a book, i’ll let them. but if i read a really good book, i encourage other people to buy it and support the author.

lastly, buying books from goodwill (which i do) or used book stores (which i do a lot) or from library sales (most often) I may read a book and find that I love it. then I want more! so i’ll buy the rest of the series, or buy more from that author (hence my purchase of The Host, by S. Meyer, or The Almost Moon, A. Sebold) and i’ll review the book or blog about it, and other people buy it. so even though I didn’t purchase the book full price… does it pay in the long run? sure. Because I never would have read some of the books i’ve read or bought some of the books i’ve bought if I hadn’t gotten them dirt cheap in the first place.

haleyknitz´s last blog ..Giveaway: Hearing from God each morning

By: Phyl (kashicat)

Phyl (kashicat) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:18:29 +0000

Yegods. I just can’t believe authors like that! They’ve obviously fallen for the “almighty dollar” stuff that’s pervaded the society with the whole corporatist world view in the last couple of decades. (“Who cares what your circumstances are, give me money!!1!”)

I agree with some of the above commenters — there’s no better marketing in the world than enthusiastic readers giving books to other enthusiastic readers, who are very likely to want their own copies if they like the borrowed book.

But being told they are somehow obligated to buy a copy, before they’ve even read the book, is the essence of greed and arrogance. And such demands will never make people with little money any more capable of actually buying the book. Those demands, will, though, make sure a lot fewer people buy it. Grrr.

By: Eric "Speedcat Hollydale"

Eric "Speedcat Hollydale" — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:55:00 +0000

Maybe the line is drawn between loving what you do, and loving money?

I would opt with “thanks for the compliment”
Eric “Speedcat Hollydale”´s last blog ..Sherlock Holmes Movie

By: Shelley Munro

Shelley Munro — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:52:09 +0000

But this is how word of mouth starts. You’re excited, you loved the book and shared your excitement with your friends. The excitement increases like a snowball and somewhere further down the line the author WILL sell more books. Heck, I should be so lucky to get a snowball rollin’!

I read a lot. If an author lectured me, I’d never buy their book again.
Shelley Munro´s last blog ..Soaring Heights

By: carol

carol — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:29:44 +0000

I would be humiliated if I got up the guts to talk to an author in real life and got that kind of response. Devastated. Now asking me to encourage them to buy their other books – perfect.

By: luanne

luanne — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:51:21 +0000

Your response for sure! Well, that author knows how to build a loyal fan base eh? I had a similar experience. I was a manager at a large book store. We had a local but well known author come in for a signing. She was so rude and did nothing but sigh, look down and just give off a horrible vibe. She has written another book and when people ask me if I’ve read it, I say no and exactly why I refuse to read her.
luanne´s last blog ..Cleaving – Julie Powell

By: Julia Smith

Julia Smith — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:50:31 +0000

As a lifelong used-book buyer, you can guess where I stand on this issue. The people who can afford to buy new books buy them. The rest of us go to the library or the used book store. And when we get gift cards to Chapters, we zoom over and buy a new release with glee! Whose book do you think we’re going to snap up with our precious book-buying dollars? The lecturing one who sees us as walking royalties? Or the gracious one who sees us as excited fans of their work?

*applause* Susan for your much-needed reality check.
Julia Smith´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday – 133

By: Alice Audrey

Alice Audrey — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:32:09 +0000

Exactly!

If you really want to cash in on the excitement readers bring to a book they share with everyone, write a sequel.

Oh, wait. You already did.