World, Writing, Wealth discussion
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Is Writing Being Devalued by Giveaways and Cheap Ebooks?
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According to all sources I read, there are thousands of self-published authors offering tens of thousands of books/ebooks on the market each year, many for free or at very low prices. It is impossible to lump all these self-published authors into one or a few categories while judging their worth or intentions without doing a gross injustice to many of them.
There is also the point that some authors don't write to make money. Some, like me, write simply because they love to write but wish to make others be entertained by their work. Can it be said that these writers are devaluating the work of other writers? Not really, since their purpose for writing is different. It is like comparing the work of, say, a professional house builder, with that of someone who builds houses as charity work, to house poor people. Should the charity work builders stop building houses just because it somehow 'undercuts' the building market for the professional builder?
There is also the point that some authors don't write to make money. Some, like me, write simply because they love to write but wish to make others be entertained by their work. Can it be said that these writers are devaluating the work of other writers? Not really, since their purpose for writing is different. It is like comparing the work of, say, a professional house builder, with that of someone who builds houses as charity work, to house poor people. Should the charity work builders stop building houses just because it somehow 'undercuts' the building market for the professional builder?
You could probably say that writing has been devalued by free content everywhere as the result of the digital age: blogs, social media, etc. Many people will no longer pay for newspaper or magazine subscriptions when they can get basically all the same content for free online. Ebooks, which do not have the overhead of physical print books, can be downloaded by the masses without (necessarily) additional expense to the author or publisher. Authors can use this to their advantage.
Probably not devalued as such. Because, in my view, reading like oxygen should be made available to readers easily and free if possible. Come to think of it, at the end of the day it is the publishers and stores like amazon who make the real money, not authors mostly, unless they are like JK Rowlings. Authors are just happy to be able to contribute.
Michel wrote: "According to all sources I read, there are thousands of self-published authors offering tens of thousands of books/ebooks on the market each year, many for free or at very low prices. It is impossi..."Possible one of the most cogent and effectively put arguments I've seen in this group.
Well said Michel, kudos.
Bring it on I say - everyone is free to contribute what they can. The market environment is what it is - I would rather work to navigate through it to my personal goals then complain about it.
Marie Silk wrote: "You could probably say that writing has been devalued by free content everywhere as the result of the digital age: blogs, social media, etc. Many people will no longer pay for newspaper or magazine..."Marie highlights the broader factors - free content is pervasive across various information domains.
Thoughts?
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...
https://www.janefriedman.com/giving-a...