Jul 19th, 2012, 12:54 pm
Ill give one of your books a read, SciFi is a hard genre to break into unless you are writing something spectacular like the past greats or Ian Banks. I think a lot of people turn to filesharing of books when in the past they would have went to a library. And you are right I do also buy things if I like them although I will wait until they are at a price I think is reasonable in many cases.

When it comes to ebooks the prices are what stop me. Charging the same for ebooks as print books is a big no no, a print book is an expensive thing to create and removing that cost should always be reflected.
Jul 19th, 2012, 12:54 pm
Sep 13th, 2012, 5:47 pm
Hello everyone - a really MASSIVE apology from me, I feel terrible. I didn't check in to this forum after a few days had passed, and now I've just looked again and there are a couple of dozen really excellent, intriguing and helpful posts which I have not responded to. And it's probably too late to do so now. If anyone who posted is still hanging round and would still like my thoughts, let me know.

Really sorry not to have been back for so long. Really bad of me.

Lloyd
Sep 13th, 2012, 5:47 pm
Sep 13th, 2012, 7:03 pm
I will admit that yes books are a form of artistic expression (fiction, non-fiction). Do I feel a sense of regret uploading? Somewhat. I do want to help reach a broader audience for a specific author. I have found a LOT of books here and elsewhere and have also purchased some on my own. If everyone took an understanding that we all aren't bad people. Yes, there are some bad apples who have that "F*** the system!" personality. I am not one of those. I do believe that we should support the creator of a specific work and make an attempt to purchase.

As far as cost though. I blame the publishing houses ("Price Set by Publisher" is a pain in the butt). I think if Authors took a stand as far as the digital format pricing (this is my opinion so respect it) and minimized the overall cost then I could possibly see sales going up. For the most part piracy for eBooks isn't about sticking it to the "Man", that is for the movies and music pirates. It's mostly about being sharing is caring. If authors looked at it positively, it means that people are reading and literacy is rising.

Too many of the self-published or the one's like yourself who come to call us out (but you've done it in a positive light) fail to realize the POSITIVE potential for growth. Be glad that someone is sharing your work but still likewise encourage them to look at the cost (if it's reasonably priced) to try and purchase it. I set my maximum price at 9.99 for most books (in my opinion, again, respect it) this should be the MAXIMUM price for ANY new release that is digitized for eBook purposes that I end up purchasing. Prices should be scaled back as the book ages. Maintaining as lowest price (if from a "Big 6" publishing house) at 6.99. Self-published so also keep their pricing into consideration as well though most seem to sell their book(s) between .99 (sometimes short stories) to 5.99 which is fair for a full length publication. Occasionally, I have splurged and paid 12.99-14.99 for an eBook but still prices are a bit of a reason for the "piracy" label we get.
Sep 13th, 2012, 7:03 pm

Check ALL links before sending me a ReUPLOAD request.
Sep 15th, 2012, 10:47 am
it look likes i am too late but i want to add my 2 bit too.you must be thinking (if you ever read these replies ) that till now you haven't been answered by a real pirate.
Well i am here to answer your question and in real pirate manner too.i have tried to keep it mild but sentiments are sentiments.

Mister Llyod Shepherd First question you asked that if we were to meet in a pub then how would i justify this , i don't need too because in a world where people don't get clean water for drinking, don't get bread to eat, don't have a roof on their head and we are talking in a pub over a drink about justification ??
In India government does not release grain from godowns to poor so that they can be used to make whiskeys.( don't start me on corruption )
In Britain olympics are sponsored by a chemical industry which had not paid compensation to the victims of it's gas lekage.You are talking about piracy it was Britain the biggest pirate of all the time who started it by colonial rules.
In America no one gives a shit about Blacks.
In Australia Asians are targeted.
and we should leave Vietnam , Cambodia , Serbia , Croatia ,Yugoslavia , Poland, and African and middle East dictatorships.

All this was to just establish a single fact that Life is not fair.

It is said that God Didn't Make Men Equal :
In 20th Century Mr. Colt Did
and In 21st Piracy Did

you could have a better start in your life in first world,you could have books you want, you can choose career you want but some are stuck with their miserable lives in third or maybe umpteeth world.
you don't give a shit about them and they certainly should not about you.

There is only a single man born in these two centuries who could have asked for justification and that was Gandhi.
if you want to live expensively , in a royal manner and you don't care about the oppresed and poor of the world then you have no right to ask justification if something wrong is done against you.

I am assuming you have read Don Quixote.For me it told me to live my life in my own way.i am a subject to no one and i do not follow rules of any one imposed on me.I am the God for me and the Devil for me.I exist in a reality of my own making.
I am a real pirate and i want to read the books without paying for them, or to listen music or to watch movies without giving a penny to the creator.i have no morals because today's world is not worthy of my morals.In Your eyes you are hero , in our eyes we are hero.

All in all I will not be ashamed or embarrassed if you meet me and ask for justification because in my eyes you haven't earned the honour to ask for justification.

No one dies Virgin my friend. Life Fucks all So don't complain when it's your number.
Sep 15th, 2012, 10:47 am

Retired.Don't Ask me For Re-ups. Feel Free To Add Mirrors

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We Are Pirates Not Thieves.Thieves Are Found In Parliament.
Sep 15th, 2012, 2:31 pm
jatboylover wrote:I am a real pirate and i want to read the books without paying for them, or to listen music or to watch movies without giving a penny to the creator.i have no morals because today's world is not worthy of my morals.


That is just so wrong.
Sep 15th, 2012, 2:31 pm

If a link is dead and you don't get a reply from me, please refer it to a Mod. Apologies for the inconvenience.
Sep 15th, 2012, 3:58 pm
Beukies wrote:
jatboylover wrote:I am a real pirate and i want to read the books without paying for them, or to listen music or to watch movies without giving a penny to the creator.i have no morals because today's world is not worthy of my morals.


That is just so wrong.

In that quote itself my answer of your accusation lies.
Sep 15th, 2012, 3:58 pm

Retired.Don't Ask me For Re-ups. Feel Free To Add Mirrors

Image
We Are Pirates Not Thieves.Thieves Are Found In Parliament.
Sep 16th, 2012, 4:48 pm
I think that the main problem with this is extremely simple: books are too expensive. In France, a paperback novel of medium length costs around 20 €. And the digital versions are over 13-15 €, which is still way too expensive. I understand that authors work hard (I'm an author myself, so I know what it takes to write a book) and want to be rewarded for their efforts. It's normal. What isn't normal, however, is the huge prices that publishers set to take most of that money in their pocket and pay some miserable percentage to the authors.

In today's words, people don't have money. It's that simple. Most of the time, they don't have money to buy quality food stuff, let alone books. And I don't speak of some extremely poor countries. You don't need to go farther than my street in Paris' suburb to meet people that don't have money to pay for books or movies or whatever. And it makes me furious, because culture shouldn't be reserved to the rich and powerful.

Then, there is another issue concerning file sharing. I don't think that it touches that many people. Some people still don't have computers in their houses (yes, I assure you, I've met them personally). Others don't have stable internet connection to surf for hours and download stuff. Others despise e-books as a variety and would never read them, legally purchased or downloaded. Finally, there are some that wouldn't know how to unrar or unzip a file and what do to with it after that. I know people who can't manage Word, let alone torrents and other means of downloading.

Bottom line, the piracy issue needs to be fought by decreasing prices. If I can spend 20 € on a book from time to time, I certainly can't afford to buy as many books as I want to read.
Sep 16th, 2012, 4:48 pm
Sep 16th, 2012, 4:54 pm
Plaything wrote:culture shouldn't be reserved to the rich and powerful.

That is the Knockout Punch man. 8)
Sep 16th, 2012, 4:54 pm

Retired.Don't Ask me For Re-ups. Feel Free To Add Mirrors

Image
We Are Pirates Not Thieves.Thieves Are Found In Parliament.
Jan 26th, 2013, 11:37 pm
Wow. The writer's haughty mindset is revealed in this disquieting quote from his original post:

"...creators like me are going to find it harder and harder to justify spending time making new stuff for people like you to read."

"People like you" include library members, book swappers, and book collectors with far too many books on their shelves than time to read. I fall into all three categories. I also download way more books than I will read in my lifetime, even if I were to retire from work today. I will add that I am also a "creator" (of a different medium) whose work is sitting on several file sharing servers, and that fact doesn't bother me a bit (or byte?) because if my work gives someone a few minutes of joy, the world is a better place. Thus, I believe the wide dissemination of information and art does not "damage the culture," as the author oddly writes in his Guardian piece, but instead benefits it

Writers write so their brilliance can be appreciated by readers, much as actors act for the attention they receive on screen and stage. Writing for public consumption is inherently a narcissistic act. The slighted author of the original post will continue writing (hopefully with the aid of a good copy editor), despite his childish threats to take all his toys and go home. He exposed his reason here.
Jan 26th, 2013, 11:37 pm
Jan 28th, 2013, 6:46 pm
I'm an independent author and the emotional side of this piracy issue for people like me are this:

We pull our own legs out to get that book written, re-written (at least 20 times), beta-read, again re-written, edited, cover-designed, formatted, and finally published. Then we may or may not do some marketing, depending on our budget left overs after the editing etc.
Then we throw our books VERY cheap onto the market and nervously wait for the first person to buy. Then the second, third, and so on. Its really cool to watch and gives us satisfaction. Maybe we wrote something good?, we think. Maybe we can earn a little money on the side? Or even - dream come true - be a self-employed writer?
Then we get the Google Alert - the book that had cost us so much sweat and suffering is available for f--cking FREE?

There, Indie Author Freakout GALORE!

On the other side (once one had a cold shower and a bottle of whiskey and the brain commences functionality) there is this most important marketing tool we have NO INFLUENCE on whatsoever: Word-of-mouth.
I always tell myself that A LOT of mouths are needed to push a book into the bestseller lists.
As an indie author I don't have the marketing power large publishing houses have. I also have absolutele NO control over piracy.

A lot of Indies give their books away for free through Amazon's KDP Select and every single one who had LOTS of free downloads sees a surge in sales afterwards.

Piracy of music, films and eBooks is huge, independent and uncontrollable. It doesn't help to mope about it. Rather try to take it easy and provide them with your newest editions and ask them kindly to spread the word and write reviews on Amazon.

Although I don't necessarily need the publicity for my book, I still uploaded the newest version here after I have found an outdated (not yet regurgitated by my professional copy-editor) version a few days ago. Why? Because I know piracy exists, even if I'd hopp around screaming. At least you guys get the best version I have and spread the word without thinking how many typos are in there :-p
Jan 28th, 2013, 6:46 pm

http://anneliewendeberg.com
Feb 3rd, 2013, 3:58 pm
@Annelie - Hear! Hear!! You are my new hero! (heroine?) :lol:
Feb 3rd, 2013, 3:58 pm

If a link is dead and you don't get a reply from me, please refer it to a Mod. Apologies for the inconvenience.
Feb 3rd, 2013, 8:49 pm
heroine
Annelie is female
Last time I checked at least
I better go check again
:-)
Feb 3rd, 2013, 8:49 pm

http://anneliewendeberg.com
Feb 13th, 2013, 1:03 am
It's my first visit here today, looking for a book for my son. After a week or two, if I cannot find it and really want it, I may buy it.

You see, I am a lifelong reader, as are my children. I used to spend $50 a week on paperback books a week. It was never enough for me, nor was it enough for my two children still at home who are voracious readers. I am a hopeless book junkie. Books rate somewhere after food, air, water and sleep. I do, in fact, feel guilty downloading DRM stripped books. I agree that is free publicity for authors, yes, by downloading a book by the author, and liking it, I often pay for the rest of his/her books. I wish more authors would offer one book free.

I am definitely a paying consumer of books of all types, this is just one way I get books. I own hundreds and hundreds of paperback books. I have joined Amazon Prime, our household owns six kindles of various types, I buy at least 3-4 books a month and DL countless others.
Feb 13th, 2013, 1:03 am

PLEASE! I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO RE-UP BOOKS!!!
Pls request in Request area and report so book can be re-released!
Feb 21st, 2013, 4:24 pm
Well, listen to this little anecdote and see if you can blame me for reading pirated books.
I live in the state of Azad Kashmir, in Pakistan. A week ago, I was visiting a town called Hajira and forgot to take my computer with me. Bored, I decided to go out and hunt down some good reads. I found the most grand-looking bookstore and decided to try my luck there. After some fifteen minutes of browsing bookshelves filled with dictionaries, religious tomes, textbooks and political diatribes, I approached the owner of the bookstore.

"Peace be upon you, sir," I said "Have you got any fiction in the store?"

"Peace be upon you, too," he repeated the traditional Muslim greeting "and I'm afraid I don't understand you. What do you mean by fiction?"

I was appalled. For here was a man surrounded by hundreds of books, wearing a pair of round, scholarly looking spectacles ....and he was confused about the meaning of the word fiction. True, I'd used the word in English but nevertheless, a bookseller should know his trade.
For a long moment, I stood their trying to translate the word effectively into Urdu. But then I thought that if the bloke had no idea about the word fiction, what hope did I have to find something there. So, without a word, I turned and walked briskly out into the sunlight.

Two blocks further, I found another bookstore. Now more careful, I asked the young guy in pure Urdu whether he had any fiction in English. The guy returned with a couple of volumes. The first was called A Selection of Short Stories and One-Act Plays for Students of B.A.. Scanning the contents, I found that It was filled with works of the old masters like Poe, Maupassant and Chekhov. Having read all of the plays and stories, I rejected it. The other book was another anthology of short works and was a bit more modern i.e. circa 1970. It was better, as I'd not read most of the contents. I paid 500 Rupees for the book, thanked the good man and made my exit.


I guess that by now you understand that you can't get a pint of good reading material if you ultracentrifuge all the bookstores in my city and its neighboring ones. So when I get fed up of reading on a screen, I take a trip to the capital and get something good to read.

I agree with the you. I think that the authors can't live on praise only. That they need a more tangible reward than a good online review. I also understand authors like Suzanne Collins won't be affected drastically by a couple of thousand free downloads but some promising newbies like David Estes may get disappointed by the low sales of their books and stop writing altogether. But believe me when I say that if I don't download and read your book for free, I'm never gonna read it. Just because I can't buy it. I also agree with Annelie's point. Blame piracy all you want, but I don't think that it is possible to eradicate piracy and pirates while the internet lives.

You wrote in your article that no uploader contacted you on mobilism. Well, here I am (and FYI, many of the people who approached you above are avid uploaders). You'd ask why, if I'm against piracy, do I upload pirated books? Well firstly, I do the uploading for people like me, those who can't get a book because of one reason or another. And secondly, I guess I'm just akratic (a point demonstrated by the fact that I once had the saying "Video Meliora, Proboque, Deteriora Sequor" as my favorite quotation).

So, I wish you luck in your endeavors but all I can do about my part in online piracy is apologize and take a move on. For me, it is a necessary evil. And I don't have to give an explanation for everyone else.

-Leo

P.S. You sound a bit too condescending, dear sir. I suggest that you don't talk down to us measly pirates just because we happen to be on the wrong side of the court. I understand that you are a "creator" but you aren't the only one in the world. There are much better and ingenious authors out there. So please, stop overrating yourself and other authors. An author is nothing without readers.

P.P.S. @ jatboylover: Mate, you make my cynicism look like outright naiveté. Lighten up! :)
Feb 21st, 2013, 4:24 pm
Feb 22nd, 2013, 5:26 pm
Perfect example of ebooks being overpriced. I saw someone put in a request for this book "The Glimmer Palace" so I went to look at it. Kindle Version is $17.99 (Set By Publisher!) but a used paperback copy can be had for as little as .06 cents!

http://www.amazon.com/The-Glimmer-Palac ... mer+palace

Ok...WTF? That is ridiculous. I agree with the other poster...I think no ebook should cost more than $9.99. I have noticed whenever I see a ridiculously overpriced e-book that Penguin Publishing is usually the publisher. Other publishers seem to cap out at $12.99 for new releases (still too high IMO)
Feb 22nd, 2013, 5:26 pm

PLEASE! I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO RE-UP BOOKS!!!
Pls request in Request area and report so book can be re-released!