Free E-Books: Why Pay For Anything?

A quick share about a series The Fussy Librarian is running.

They ask the question, “Why pay for ebooks?”

One answer is, “Because the writers are people too.”

Check it out by clicking here and see what I mean.  It’s a very nice idea they have here, and it helps illustrate the rant below.

This also comes on the heels of me discovering that some Russian-based pirate site has stolen some of my work, which has been downloaded over 2000 times!  That’s 2000 times that people have preferred to pay a pirate for a subscription of ill-gotten material rather than the writer who made it!  I probably haven’t sold 2000 books total over the last three years.  I pay for cover art and editing services to make my work the best it can be, and 2000 people read it, enjoyed it (as evidenced by the 96 positive comments), and happily paid some Russian mobster for that entertainment over me, the humble author who invested time, money, and soul into the work.

PIRACY IS NOT A VICTIMLESS CRIME, PEOPLE.

I am not a wealthy conglomerate that can get by without the money.  Eventually cyber-readers are going to realize that by supporting thieves instead of writers, they make us less able to write more material.  If I need to work 50+ hours a week to support my family and pay my bills, I have less time to write more books for you to enjoy.

Next time, consider making your own cup of coffee at home, and redirect that four bucks toward paying an artist for the week of entertainment you’re going to get from their book.

(This blog is a repost from my “old blog,” thus the “classic” tag.)

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One thought on “Free E-Books: Why Pay For Anything?

  1. I think that’s part of why I’m still a solid advocate of physical copies. Of course there are those who rationalize things by telling themselves that people would not have paid for those copies anyway, at least the work is out there, and some who have pirated them may end up buying them down the line, but it’s still frustrating to see those numbers.

    Liked by 1 person

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