Comments on: Get the SCHOOLS to help reduce book piracy—but use a carrot rather than a stick

By: David Rothman

David Rothman — Sat, 16 May 2009 09:02:37 +0000

But, David, who says all younger people want interactivity? Or heavy degrees of it?

There is a difference between exchanging emails with the author and constantly monitoring a Twitter stream. Give the reader a choice.

For years, I myself have been pestering the IDPF to adopt standards for shared annotations. But I’ll not think that every reader wants to use the technology to the fullest and even pay extra for it.

As for “just being a writer,” that remains to be seen–we don’t know how the tech will shake out. I just happen to have been asked that question during an interview, and my answer was, “Hey, I’m many things.” That said, “writer” is my favorite “thing.” Like programming, writing demands time and discipline, and I’d hate the day to come when the true pros went extinct.

What’s more, keep in mind that true interactivity takes time—stealing it from book writing.

“…they’ll expect everything online and electronically available, just like all their other media.”

LOL, I’ve been pushing the idea of e-books for years. Why the devil wouldn’t I want my works online. But again, there’s a difference between basic availability and Twitter streams.

Thanks,
David

By: David S.

David S. — Sat, 16 May 2009 04:32:36 +0000

What “if you doubt that your particular readers will want as high a level of interactivity as the readers of SF books might? You lack the same range of extras to sell beyond the basic text.”?

Then you’ll go broke in the future. Interactivity and “online extras” are the future of all forms of entertainment and information dissemination. Your “particular readers” are getting older and dying, the next generation won’t be like your current readers, they’ll expect everything online and electronically available, just like all their other media.

The days of “just being a writer” are as numbered as the days of music hall entertainers were when the phonograph and radio were invented, as many film actors were when talkies came in. You may not like it, you may not be able to make the transition, but the technology will ensure that’s what the future holds.

In short you’ll either evolve or go extinct, as usual.

By: Dan Lowe

Dan Lowe — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:53:41 +0000

Two things (the same ideas I always seem to post on stories like these):

1.) Go digital. Make the digital versions significantly cheaper than the paper ones. Pirates are going to scan titles anyway. Go digital, reduce printing overhead, and hopefully sell books at more affordable price. (I also say this because I’m actively working on putting my whole library on my tablet laptop so I don’t have to worry about the $100+ to ship my books every time I go from one school/season to another.)

2.) Print on demand. If people want printed textbooks, print them when necessary. Unsold books are unsold books, and jacking up the price to account for unsold copies/meager demand is both economically and environmentally nonsensical. Textbooks aren’t exactly collector’s items at this point.