Maybe my response to the email I got this morning, before I got on these boards... although I knew there would a super-duper thread on it! Anyway, maybe my response to the email has more to do with how my relationship with Amazon formed. Back in the day when they were the start up and everyone was like WTF? Ordering books online I was ordering all the weird/fringe/outlier books that my beloved bookstores WOULD NOT stock!!!!! For this reason, I have always LOVED and appreciated Amazon. That was back in the late 90s so it's been a long relationship. Honestly, I was late to the self-publishing, Kindle revolution... much to my chagrin, but I was one of those: You will pry my print books from my dead fingers:D Obviously, much different story today!
Anywho, I never suspected the email wasn't legit. I'd also never try to tell you I'm not gullible. But I kind of love Amazon so I have no qualms, as a reader first, and author second, supporting them. No they are not coddling along my writing career. But on my last release, which I confess hasn't rocked with sales, I did sell two books in Canada and one in the UK in the first twelve hours, I know for many dismal numbers, but for me thrilling. I'm selling books all over the world! Yes, Amazon puts the onus of advertising, getting the word out on me, but come on... is it just my business degree that allows me to grasp the structure they've provided me to utilize to the best of my talents and abilities. Uhm... I don't see anyone else doing that. I also had a B&N card for many years. Gosh, talk about sending the indie authors to the basement, I was so disappointed with B&N when I began to publish. I'd even bought an original Nook as my first ereader. What a bummer. I've always kind of been Apple averse until my husband dragged me kicking and screaming into the Mac world. Now I'm kind of okay with it all.
But Amazon has been the one bookseller on the planet who has never let me down when I was trying to find that book that I could not find anywhere else. That's the root of my loyalty as a reader. So I wrote the damn letter!
And then I was appalled when I re-read it again, after I sent it, and found a couple of typos! GAH!!!!!
Dear Michael,
I write this email with the utmost respect for stories and the written word. I am disappointed in the stance Hachette has taken in the ebook pricing despute. Because of the low fixed expenses of producing an ebook, it seems unreasonable to insist on charging prices that are in line with print editions. I also disagree with that the boom in self-published titles will destroy the quality of literature. As an avid reader, I stopped reading for many years because the fiction books being traditionally published were not to my taste. It has been the creativity, risk-taking, and freshness of the indie author that has got me reading at least two books a week again… on my ereader. These days I read a pretty good mix of indie and traditionally published books. Why not just take on the challenge of the new reading environment and embrace the opportunity to publish better more exciting books? That would seem like it would be much more productive than attacking Amazon, which, correct me if I’m wrong has not banned Hachette’s books from their distribution site.
I sympathize with the difficulties the sea change of ereaders and indie authors have caused traditional publishing concerns, but you might win more readers if you took a proactive stance, i.e. publish better books at better prices.
As an indie author, I don’t sell a ton of books at this point. However, I am grateful for the opportunity to publish and to connect with the readers that I have. I also don’t have the opportunity to offer my books for pre-order. I feel like my stories are of high quality. However, I do not have the opportunity to go to many conferences and meet agents, etc. to go the traditional route. The point being that the arguments you are making in your fight against Amazon might appeal to a swathe of the literary community, but are quite off-putting to the broader community of readers, as is your stance that ebooks must be priced higher.
Best,
Heidi GarrettThen I came straight to the boards and was like wow! Should I have been more suspect? Well, whatever, if that's truly the guy's email address, I guess him or one of his minions will get it!
