tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14401984.post5867776559308042575..comments2024-03-09T12:39:14.950-08:00Comments on Sharing with Writers and Readers: Time Magazine Gets Amazon Right--And WrongCarolyn Howard-Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041591136206289558noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14401984.post-77197813687277562852009-07-17T19:32:31.967-07:002009-07-17T19:32:31.967-07:00One must wonder if our author blogs will one day b...One must wonder if our author blogs will one day be placed in an amazon book with no royalties given to the authors... considering they own whatever is listed on the author's site. Until now it was never a threat... maybe never will be, yet if they get into publishing my blog will be no more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14401984.post-34621580201059433922009-07-13T17:26:56.877-07:002009-07-13T17:26:56.877-07:00I have to agree with the other comments. Amazon is...I have to agree with the other comments. Amazon is not helping authors this way. They are helping themselves with one more way to use them. Indies beware. If they really cared about authors, why would they make them all switch to Amazon-owned book publishing services in exchange for their "help" or else take an even deeper cut with their rip-off affiliate program? I'd rather not sell a book than to let Amazon make $14 off of it while I make $0.50. Honestly. I'm selling them better myself, anyway, through my blogs and lists and personal contacts. If I sell from my site and offer the same price and free shipping, I make lots more per book. If it gets too much for me to handle, I'll hire someone who will charge much, much less than Amazon does to do the mailing.LK Hunsakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10706929624587891992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14401984.post-36879627722937202462009-07-13T05:24:54.728-07:002009-07-13T05:24:54.728-07:00Sorry, I'm of the mind that Amazon is becoming...Sorry, I'm of the mind that Amazon is becoming the evil empire. Reminds me of WalMart's slow takeover. They have a lot of control now and it's rather frightening. And I promise, when/if I ever purchase an E-Book reader, it will NOT be a Kindle.<br /><br />L. Diane Wolfe<br />www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com<br />www.spunkonastick.net <br />www.thecircleoffriends.netL. Diane Wolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06425864276166334896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14401984.post-67845081818252018432009-07-12T21:52:55.990-07:002009-07-12T21:52:55.990-07:00P. A. I've been around enough writers to know ...P. A. I've been around enough writers to know I'd get some pretty violent disagreement on this one. The thing is, Amazon can't be ignored. And here are some things they do for writers (though all benefit them, too! They ARE in business after all.)<br />1. Review opportunities<br />2. Blogging opportunities (though they seem to have recently disappeared)<br />3. Free opportunties to have one's book on Kindle.<br />4. Participation on features like Listmanias and other features that allow authors to talk about books.<br /><br />They do demand quite a huge profit margin but they also bring books to the reading public at bargain prices. We can't have one without the other. I would rather have my book read and make 10 cents on it (and exageration) than read less and make the 85 cents I make on my the royalties my novel rakes in from a traditional royalty kind of setup.<br /><br />Guess nothing is ever perfect. I sure don't advise my clients to ignore (or intentionally annoy Amazon). If one wants to sell a lot of books, one needs to get along with them.Carolyn Howard-Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15041591136206289558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14401984.post-89487504670234355702009-07-12T15:28:50.723-07:002009-07-12T15:28:50.723-07:00I have to disagree that Amazon treats authors well...I have to disagree that Amazon treats authors well. Personally I think Amazon has jerked authors around from day one. It has used its considerable, and growing, muscle, to bully authors, to force them to use their services exclusively and sought to punish them when they didn't. They make themselves impossible to dialog with when a concern is raised and they make no effort to do anything except make money for themselves. If an author makes some at the same time, then that's okay, but that's not their goal. And if Amazon indeed ever reaches the point where they control the publishing world, then look out authors. You think your royalites are a joke now, wait until Amazon starts demanding even higher cuts.Pat Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08824114343214016153noreply@blogger.com