Comments on: Filedbyauthor: Q&A with cofounders Peter Clifton and Mike Shatzkin http://www.teleread.com/books/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:33:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sharon Lee http://www.teleread.com/books/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/comment-page-1/#comment-1029867 Sharon Lee Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:18:49 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/30/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/#comment-1029867 I did not have to do *anything* to prove to FiledBy that I was the Sharon Lee who writes the Liaden Universe(R) novels. All I had to do was sign up, pick a password, verify an email address, and "claim" books from a list of pre-packaged titles. "Sharon Lee" isn't exactly an exotic name, and there are a lot of Sharon Lees who are writers. I could easily have "claimed" five or six lists of Sharon Lee titles. (I will say that there was only one book by another Sharon Lee in the pre-packaged lists I "claimed," and an error I assume glitch original in the purchased database from Bowker Global. The author service at FiledBy people removed the book that wasn't mine promptly.) However. I do not, as I said in my initial comments, think that FiledBy is a needed or necessary service *for authors*. In fact, I find the sudden necessity to "claim" my name and my work at a website I had no intention of patronizing to be an imposition, and the existence of an "unclaimed" page to be a vulnerability imposed by an outside agency. I did not have to do *anything* to prove to FiledBy that I was the Sharon Lee who writes the Liaden Universe(R) novels. All I had to do was sign up, pick a password, verify an email address, and “claim” books from a list of pre-packaged titles.

“Sharon Lee” isn’t exactly an exotic name, and there are a lot of Sharon Lees who are writers. I could easily have “claimed” five or six lists of Sharon Lee titles.

(I will say that there was only one book by another Sharon Lee in the pre-packaged lists I “claimed,” and an error I assume glitch original in the purchased database from Bowker Global. The author service at FiledBy people removed the book that wasn’t mine promptly.)

However. I do not, as I said in my initial comments, think that FiledBy is a needed or necessary service *for authors*. In fact, I find the sudden necessity to “claim” my name and my work at a website I had no intention of patronizing to be an imposition, and the existence of an “unclaimed” page to be a vulnerability imposed by an outside agency.

]]> By: Chris Croughton http://www.teleread.com/books/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/comment-page-1/#comment-1029795 Chris Croughton Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:52:12 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/30/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/#comment-1029795 Logan: The 'threat' is not present with either Amazon or the phone book, neither of them say "register your number with us in case someone else grabs it". It may be a problem with wording, I don't think that it was intended that way (I'm not that into conspiracy theories) but it is the way it comes across. I don't think that the site does discourage people from feeding it incorrect information. Look at the problems Wikipedia has had with that, with people impersonating someone 'famous', there are plenty who will do it just for the thrill as well as malicious ones. I do wonder how many of Sharon's visitors to the page only went there because of her blog about it, I know that I did, so she may have given the site as a whole some free publicity... Logan: The ‘threat’ is not present with either Amazon or the phone book, neither of them say “register your number with us in case someone else grabs it”. It may be a problem with wording, I don’t think that it was intended that way (I’m not that into conspiracy theories) but it is the way it comes across.

I don’t think that the site does discourage people from feeding it incorrect information. Look at the problems Wikipedia has had with that, with people impersonating someone ‘famous’, there are plenty who will do it just for the thrill as well as malicious ones.

I do wonder how many of Sharon’s visitors to the page only went there because of her blog about it, I know that I did, so she may have given the site as a whole some free publicity…

]]> By: Logan Kennelly http://www.teleread.com/books/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/comment-page-1/#comment-1029658 Logan Kennelly Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:09:16 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/30/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/#comment-1029658 The fact that the site includes information about existing authors would not seem to encourage impersonators. If anything, it discourages people from impersonating an author site and feeding it incorrect or harmful information. Might as well get mad at Amazon for including information about the author or the telephone book for "squatting" on my telephone number. The funny part is that Sharon Lee has become the most-viewed author on the site. This free site of "vultures" capitalizing on public information has probably resulted in more publicity than anything else she has ever done. Of course, that publicity springs from her outrage, but still... The fact that the site includes information about existing authors would not seem to encourage impersonators. If anything, it discourages people from impersonating an author site and feeding it incorrect or harmful information.

Might as well get mad at Amazon for including information about the author or the telephone book for “squatting” on my telephone number.

The funny part is that Sharon Lee has become the most-viewed author on the site. This free site of “vultures” capitalizing on public information has probably resulted in more publicity than anything else she has ever done. Of course, that publicity springs from her outrage, but still…

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.com/books/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/comment-page-1/#comment-1029558 David Rothman Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:56:13 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/30/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/#comment-1029558 But, Chris, if impersonations happens, authors can complain. Let's see if it's a problem. Furthermore, Filedby is interested in the verification issue. At any rate, without a proactive approach, I don't see how the concept could become reality. Meanwhile I think it'll be great if Filedby can join the dialog with Lee and readers and see if the two sides can work out their differences. Thanks, David But, Chris, if impersonations happens, authors can complain. Let’s see if it’s a problem. Furthermore, Filedby is interested in the verification issue. At any rate, without a proactive approach, I don’t see how the concept could become reality. Meanwhile I think it’ll be great if Filedby can join the dialog with Lee and readers and see if the two sides can work out their differences.

Thanks,
David

]]> By: Chris Meadows http://www.teleread.com/books/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/comment-page-1/#comment-1029551 Chris Meadows Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:38:05 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/30/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/#comment-1029551 Then perhaps it should be opt-in instead of "we made a page to represent you, whether you want to join us or not"? Lee seemed to feel as though there were an implied threat that someone else could impersonate her on the site if she didn't get in and claim her page first. (And the readers who followed up to her post seem to be unanimous in their agreement, and distaste for FiledBy.) Then perhaps it should be opt-in instead of “we made a page to represent you, whether you want to join us or not”? Lee seemed to feel as though there were an implied threat that someone else could impersonate her on the site if she didn’t get in and claim her page first. (And the readers who followed up to her post seem to be unanimous in their agreement, and distaste for FiledBy.)

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.com/books/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/comment-page-1/#comment-1029538 David Rothman Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:22:23 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/30/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/#comment-1029538 I'd side with Michael. Authors could use a lot more "predators" like FiledBy. In a DRM context--different from this one--people have said that the real threat to writers is obscurity. FiledBy's publicity can help, even if people stick to the free version. Not every author has the money or knowledge to do even a basic Web site on his or her own. - David I’d side with Michael. Authors could use a lot more “predators” like FiledBy. In a DRM context–different from this one–people have said that the real threat to writers is obscurity. FiledBy’s publicity can help, even if people stick to the free version. Not every author has the money or knowledge to do even a basic Web site on his or her own. – David

]]> By: Michael Pastore http://www.teleread.com/books/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/comment-page-1/#comment-1029517 Michael Pastore Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:43:26 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/30/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/#comment-1029517 This site is a good deal for authors. There is no risk, and -- with a free Basic level membership -- there is nothing at all to lose. There are many not-so-good ways for authors, hungry for fame and fortune, to be parted with their money. At the other end of the spectrum, there are a handful of good sites, and Filedbyauthor seems to be one of the good ones -- along with Authonomy, also, whose terms of service are 100% author friendly. If you want to get me more enthusiastic about the site, then give the "Basic" level authors more control over their pages. One of my book pages says that the book has 204 pages, but it actually has 320 pages: and there's no way for me to correct this error. (It is correct in Bowker's ISBN database: Filedbyauthor must have used an earlier version of this database.) If you would like my passionate endorsement, then scrap the "levels" of membership, and give all authors an equal footing. What the publishing industry needs most is the growth of Independent publishers and individual authors who self-publish -- not more of the same corporate publishing of formula fiction. Give everyone an equal chance and you will be more than entrepreneurs, you will be visionaries and heroes. ... It seems to me that you could do well enough by collecting referral fees from links on purchased books. Thanks very much for the space on your site, and good luck with it. Michael Pastore 50 Benefits of Ebooks This site is a good deal for authors. There is no risk, and — with a free Basic level membership — there is nothing at all to lose.

There are many not-so-good ways for authors, hungry for fame and fortune, to be parted with their money. At the other end of the spectrum, there are a handful of good sites, and Filedbyauthor seems to be one of the good ones — along with Authonomy, also, whose terms of service are 100% author friendly.

If you want to get me more enthusiastic about the site, then give the “Basic” level authors more control over their pages. One of my book pages says that the book has 204 pages, but it actually has 320 pages: and there’s no way for me to correct this error. (It is correct in Bowker’s ISBN database: Filedbyauthor must have used an earlier version of this database.)

If you would like my passionate endorsement, then scrap the “levels” of membership, and give all authors an equal footing. What the publishing industry needs most is the growth of Independent publishers and individual authors who self-publish — not more of the same corporate publishing of formula fiction. Give everyone an equal chance and you will be more than entrepreneurs, you will be visionaries and heroes. … It seems to me that you could do well enough by collecting referral fees from links on purchased books.

Thanks very much for the space on your site, and good luck with it.

Michael Pastore
50 Benefits of Ebooks

]]> By: Chris Meadows http://www.teleread.com/books/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/comment-page-1/#comment-1029443 Chris Meadows Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:12:31 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/30/filedbyauthor-qa-with-cofounders-peter-clifton-and-mike-shatzkin/#comment-1029443 There's at least one author who finds FiledByAuthor highly annoying. Sharon Lee doesn't like the imposition of a page being created for her without her being consulted. She <a href="http://rolanni.livejournal.com/411725.html" rel="nofollow">says</a>, <blockquote>I love this. Like it would <i>never occur</i> to an author to have a professional website, the easiest and least expensive kind of PR that there is in this Age that We Live In. And, of course, you-an-author need to "claim" your page on their site, to make sure that it's not claimed by somebody who isn't you, and oh! I'm just <i>really aggravated</i> by the whole thing.</blockquote>Follow-up discussion under that entry characterizes FiledByAuthor as akin to "cybersquatting" or "blackmail." I wonder what the FBA people would say to that? There’s at least one author who finds FiledByAuthor highly annoying. Sharon Lee doesn’t like the imposition of a page being created for her without her being consulted. She says,

I love this. Like it would never occur to an author to have a professional website, the easiest and least expensive kind of PR that there is in this Age that We Live In. And, of course, you-an-author need to “claim” your page on their site, to make sure that it’s not claimed by somebody who isn’t you, and oh! I’m just really aggravated by the whole thing.

Follow-up discussion under that entry characterizes FiledByAuthor as akin to “cybersquatting” or “blackmail.” I wonder what the FBA people would say to that?

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