From dalton@concentric.net Wed Sep 13 02:01:22 2000 Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan Subject: Re: Likelihood of Prologue being posted? From: Leigh D. Butler Date: 13 Sep 2000 07:01:22 GMT Piggybacking, because I have Erikson killfiled and from what I've seen he ain't coming out any time soon. Nevertheless, I'm pissed enough to have my say. > Mark Erikson wrote: > > [Steal This Electronically Disseminated Prologue] > > >What I'm saying is that this sort of marketing job should be > >discouraged, and if we're going to hurt anyone, S&S are the ones who are > >least likely to be injurred badly, since they're loaded. You fuckwit. You obviously fail to comprehend who, ultimately, you're actually going to end up hurting with this little scheme - and it's not the publisher. It's the author. Oh, really, you say? What twaddle. How is pirating the prologue going to hurt Robert Jordan? After all, the man is rolling in the dough, right? Why would he give a shit if someone - or even a lot of someones - weaseled out of paying a lousy 5 bucks for a prologue, right? Just what's your problem? My problem, I reply, is once dickless morons like you start down that road, there's no reason to think it'll stop at just stealing from Robert Jordan, who as a "name" author can call all the shots, get paid up front, and prevent himself from being screwed by little twits like you. Unfortunately you seem to have missed the fact that this is not the case for the vast majority of authors out there. Allow me to present a little anecdote for your education. Let's suppose that electronic publishing becomes the biggest thing since sliced bread. And let's say that I write a book. I've worked hard on this book. I really like my book. I think it's a damn good book. I think it has something to say to the world, and as I'm one step shy of being dirt fucking poor, I also have some hope that my book might make me some money while it's saying something to the world. And let's say that, as it happens, I'm absolutely right about how good my book is. But of course, it's damn hard to get published as a first time author regardless of how good your material is. I've been shopping the thing around for months, and not one bite. I'm thoroughly tired of eating Ramen by now, but I keep plugging away because really, all I need is a chance. Then, out of the blue, my ship comes in. I get contacted by a major publishing company - let's call them Peter & Buster - and they tell me they want to publish my book. Oh, frabjous day, sez I. I do a little dance around my two-room apartment and splurge on dinner at Applebee's to celebrate. I sez to myself, Self, I sez, you've had your last bowl of Ramen. And not only that, the folks at P&B tell me, but your book is going to be published electronically. Millions of people will have instant access to your book! It's the future of fiction, they say. Don't worry, you'll get your royalties. And me and my ten-year-old-car-driving, second-hand-clothes-wearing, living-in-a-demilitarized-zone self, utterly thrilled to be published at all, are hardly in a position to object, now are we? So my book gets put out there in its little corner of the electronic universe. Look at how proud I am. Even if only a few people read it, I think, that's still _mine_, it's still out there, and I'm getting paid for it! Now say one fine bright day some kid - let's call him, oh, I don't know, Erik - let's say one day Erik jumps on IRC under his screenname "SkidMark" and hears from his friend KEWLd00d2534 all about this FABULOUS online novel by some American chick, yeah, she's just a chick, but dude, it was just the BOMB!1!!11!1!!! Ya gotta download it, it don't cost no more than a regaler novil! Erik, of course, speeds off to www.Peter&Buster.com lickety split. But just as he's about to put in his order to download, he suddenly pauses and thinks to himself, Hey. I don't have to pay for this novel. Wouldn't it be GREAT to cheat a big ol' fatcat Merkin multimillion dollar corporation like P&B, and get a free book out of it to boot? And for that matter, why should all my 200,000 pals on IRC be left out of the fun? Here's what I'll do - I'll pirate a copy and email it to everyone I know! Then they'll email it to everyone THEY know, and THEY'LL email it to everyone THEY know, and post it on their websites, and...and...by George, we'll break the whole thing down! Take THAT, heartless corporate snakes! I'll learn ya - thinking you could make a profit offa ME!!! Damn, I'm fucking brilliant, thinks Erik. He happily pops a zit and bends himself to the noble task of freeing us all from The Man. Meanwhile, of course, as Erik and Co. are slapping themselves on their metaphorical and badly-spelled backs for cheating the vast conglomerate machine taking over the world, I'm buying some more noodle squares avec vaguely chicken-tasting powder at the grocery, wondering why my royalty checks have gone from scant to nonexistent and Peter & Buster won't return my phone calls. So, as both a member of the entertainment industry in general and as a hopefully-to-be-published-one-day author in particular, may I extend my earnest wish that you and your arrogant attempts to morally justify the theft of others' work would just piss the bloody fuck off. -- Leigh Butler dalton@concentric.net ************************************** "Now, was that civilized? No, clearly not. Fun, but not civilized."