Amazon shuts out MacMillan

It isn't just about POD anymore, apparently.

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Ann

Amazon needs to be reined in.

Malcolm

They have become so powerful that only the very powerful dare challenge them.

But this time they seem to be the ones trying to keep the price down, which can't be a bad thing for the consumer.

Agents aren't too happy about it.  There is more to this than meets the eye.  They should be able to sell at whatever price they want.  If MacMillan doesn't want to sell to them at that price, fine.  But to pull their buttons because they suggest a different price?  More to it than that.

I think keeping the price down isn't good for the customer in the long run. Anything that cuts author royalties and publisher income just makes it harder for those of us in the business to survive.

Plus, the low prices devalue books. I just bought a e-book in this weekend's OmniLit sale for $2.99. I feel bad for doing it because I know the author gets a pittance compared to the royalty of the $14.00 paperback.

From my soapbox, the Internet is (apparently) teaching people that books have no value and that everyone is entitled to either get them for free or for pennies on the dollar. As an author, I can't make a living when that attitude persists.

Malcolm

That's a problem that's been increasingly on my mind, Malcom.  You look at iPhone app books--the current "bleeding edge"--and they sell for a dollar.  Not much royalty in that.  The good news MIGHT be that we can create our own books for free and sell on the net and keep the whole gross.  

Another weird factor--here publishing is falling apart... and they've been selling books for twice their fair value.  If they have to live on ten bucks retail instead of twenty five, but keep on doing returns and seven figure advances, where are they going to be?

Some day; just maybe...some day, good writers will break away and become indepentant as actors did. Agents, and Publishers need good writers. They can't sell junk and stay in business.

There are many people who can't read. Many others don't have the time...But they have ears.

It's happening right now.  There are thousands of writers reaching people without going through the maze.

This morning, Amazon gave in!

Malcolm

Very, highly weird.   Even given amazon's propensity for being weird and jitterbug evil, this is really strange.