some small way I can help them reach that goal But let’s step back and
take a real good look at “free books” and what their purpose is and what has sadly has been the result of this trend.
Overall book sales are drastically down. Why? Because we in the book business have spoiled our readers
into thinking they deserve to get ALL their books for free. And now an even more
sinister practice has come to light. When books are not for free, readers are reading them and then returning them for their full purchase price. I AM FURIOUS!
It takes an awful lot to get this witch's cauldron to boil over but it finally has and so I think it is time to set the record straight.
For far too long the misconception that writers are independently wealthy and can afford to sit for hours writing and editing a manuscript is nothing more than a hobby is BALDERDASH! There is not one of you that will work a
forty hour week and expect no pay for it, but yet, that is what is expected of authors.
be completed. And then because readers rightfully expect nothing less than an
excellent plot line, correct grammar, and no typos, the editing process can take
just as long and in some cases longer. Mind you there is not one good
writer out there that will rely on their own editing skills and so, we must hire
an editor. The key word is hire; we pay to have our works edited. Now let’s just
think about this for a moment…. Oh that’s right authors have bills too, Who’da thunk?
Oh and then there are all those pretty book covers that readers love to be enticed by. News flash: they are not free. We must hire a graphic artist to create them and we must pay for their services.
We also need electricity to light our homes and run our computers. We have rent or mortgage payments due at the beginning of every month. We eat and so we must pay the grocery store or starve. We have children and grandchildren that need clothes, shoes and school supplies. We are no different than any other group of
working people. We just work at home. Some of us have more than one job. We work
from nine to five and then, exhausted, come home and write. Don’t get me wrong, we all love what we do. But authors are not second class citizens; we deserve to receive an honest salary for our labors.
The next time you see a link for a book why not change your way of thinking? Instead of saying,
“Oh, that looks interesting. I’ll just wait for it to go free,” purchase the book, support authors and the arts by sharing the links. And please, leave a review.
I am stepping off my soapbox now. Time for another cup of coffee."