Justice Department vs Agency Model and Joe Konrath
Most of you have already heard that the Justice Department filed suit against five of the BIG 6 publishers and Apple, charging that they colluded to raise the price of e-books. Many writers felt dismay over this decision and some raged. Personally, at this point, my vote is with the Justice Department despite and in spite of the idea that the decision may raise Amazon to incommensurable hegemonic heights.
There really is much more to this than meets the eye. The venerated big-six publishing monopolies have dominated the book world for decades. Even as independent filmmakers and musicians began seizing power for themselves by creating, producing and becoming well-known, the writers of this world were told you better NOT! Amazon and Barnes and Noble changed everything. If this is a monopoly, it is one that, at least for now, serves our democracy. Readers are exposed to many, many more authors than if self-publishing hadn't flourished, and they can buy more books because the books are now affordable. Honestly, when you can purchase books for $2.99 on Kindle over hard covers that end up costing $26.00+tx...??!! And the chances that the more expensive books will possess higher intellectual rigor - not likely - in my personal past experience.
As to writers: no longer does the story teller HAVE to be a best-seller author to be read, but he or she can finally expose her work to the interested public and make a few bucks on the side. I dig this changing world: for once, its offerings are skewed to the hard working writers' hood.
There really is much more to this than meets the eye. The venerated big-six publishing monopolies have dominated the book world for decades. Even as independent filmmakers and musicians began seizing power for themselves by creating, producing and becoming well-known, the writers of this world were told you better NOT! Amazon and Barnes and Noble changed everything. If this is a monopoly, it is one that, at least for now, serves our democracy. Readers are exposed to many, many more authors than if self-publishing hadn't flourished, and they can buy more books because the books are now affordable. Honestly, when you can purchase books for $2.99 on Kindle over hard covers that end up costing $26.00+tx...??!! And the chances that the more expensive books will possess higher intellectual rigor - not likely - in my personal past experience.
As to writers: no longer does the story teller HAVE to be a best-seller author to be read, but he or she can finally expose her work to the interested public and make a few bucks on the side. I dig this changing world: for once, its offerings are skewed to the hard working writers' hood.
Better yet, you should read more about this very important issue by someone who is an expert in the area, and to whom I owe a debt of gratitude :
Joe Konrath/jakonrath. The man is a knockout thriller writer who became very successful self-pubbing, and made his success knowable to unknown writers such as me, by posting well and often here:
http://www.jakonrath.blogspot.com
Joe Konrath/jakonrath. The man is a knockout thriller writer who became very successful self-pubbing, and made his success knowable to unknown writers such as me, by posting well and often here:
http://www.jakonrath.blogspot.com
"The Agency Model Sucks" entry is indeed eye-opening.
