Sandscript

Most writers may hope, but do not expect to be properly remunerated for their hard work or to make a living out of it. The explosion of e-books and Kindle self publishing, with books selling far more cheaply than paper books on the shelves of a bookshop, has increased the fear that authors are giving away their work.
But the truth is, most of us read most books for free. First it was the birth of public libraries, one of the great achievements of civilisation!
Years ago it was book clubs who made such offers as 'your first five books for fifty pence each' to seduce us into joining. We regularly joined, left and rejoined, gaining a library of colourful and useful family reference books and new novels.
Then charity shops became the Mecca for book lovers, most of us do not have room for all the paperback novels we have read and are happy to pass them on for a good cause.
Word of mouth is an excellent way to hear about books, but also usually means a good book being passed around friends.
Finally, when an avid reader dies they leave a house full of books; how many of us have doubled our book collection by inheritance?
I have shelves of books acquired and waiting to be read. Since joining goodreads I have enjoyed reviewing every book I finish; not only is it a good way to keep a record of personal reading, it is a way of appreciating the authors whose readers surely number far more than their buyers.