As I'm feeling very under the weather at the moment I plan on this being very short.
I have received notification elsewhere that posting a comment here requires signing into something. As I have the system set to accept comments from anonymous posters I don't see why that's the case, so if someone is still having issues with it, please let me know via comment here, a message on Twitter, or via my e-mail address which I listed in another post. Thanks!
On another note, I've sold more copies of Subject 12 so far this month than I have any other month, and usually several months put together. In fact, other than last month, you could take any two months' sales figures and add them together and you still wouldn't equal the number of copies I've sold this month! Thanks! This is great! Makes me really want to write more and get it out there for you guys and gals, and make no mistake! As soon as I'm feeling better I'm getting back to work, and that's a promise.
Just finished Subject 12... wow, great book. Can't wait to read about Hammer again.
ReplyDeleteI've read Subject 12 twice since I purchased it off Amazon. Loved the characters, world and story line. I constantly search for new books from you until I found this site. Can't wait for the sequel to Subject 12 or more Granger stories!
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Dean
I'm curious if your sales spike could be attributed to the book being pirated. I know it sounds contradictory, but what I've heard other Baen authors, as well as a some other independent ones, the data sales seems to back it up. I've read several thing about sales for books that get put up on the Baen Free Library increasing dramatically. It also seems to be a good way to get your name out there.
ReplyDeleteNow, I'm not condoning piracy or any theft for that matter. It's your book and you should be able to distribute it in any matter you want. Just thought it was something worth thinking about.
That's something I've considered and was instrumental in my decision to just let the piracy go for the moment. Studies have shown that people who download content of any stripe (music and movies in particular, but ebooks qualify) mostly fall into three categories. Those who wouldn't buy no matter what, those who are sampling and wish to support the artist, and those who are looking for a backup copy of something they purchased legally and have rights to. So, basically, it boils down to some people will never pay, some people already bought, and some people pay if they feel the content is worth paying for. No matter how it goes, I can write it off as free publicity, and here's why:
DeleteI, too, read some of the Baen authors' comments about their experiences with both piracy and the Baen Free Library and the CDs loaded with their books that were distributed with certain hardcover novels. All of them have expressed positive results from giving away electronic copies of their books. While the loss in revenue may have been dramatic earlier in the ear, the sales spike seems to be continuing and, if permanent, offers me a reasonable income level considering my current offerings and exposure level.
I apologize if this sounds like I'm just repeating some of what you said (I kind of did), but I wanted to clarify for anyone else who might read this and not understand exactly what we meant.
Another way to look at it is this -- libraries don't hurt book sales, now do they? People go, check out books, and if they're capable of buying a book and find it desirable to do so, they will. It also offers exposure, does it not? Does lending a book to a friend really cost the author a sale? I think not, having been both lender and borrower at various times in my life.
Thanks for the comment! It really is a thought-provoking concept, and one I've spent hours pondering since I first learned of the pirating.
I wanted to comment as well. As someone who loves the Baen free library and has been a frequent user. I will state that I know I wouldn't have started reading either the Vorksogian Saga or the RCN series if I hadn't run across the works in that format. For me the reason I've bought new titles in these series as they came out is that I was able to jump start a series I didn't know if i would like without having to deal with library wait lists or shipping time; and it let me find new authors to follow and try.
DeleteIn fact one of the reasons I like the concept is it gives me a range of books I won"t as easily stumble across anywhere else because if a library doesn't carry a title and its more than 10yrs old its almost impossible to really stumble across it. The same concept goes for the smaller self publishing e-books there is such a mass of titles its hard to pick the trully decent books from the refuse. I know personally the reviews on Amazon are almost worthless and the first chapter sample isn't always enough. One of my determining factors to buy a work is if I can search for a pirate copy. Because if it isn't good enough for someone to try and rip off chances are I'm going to be disappointed.
That's actually how I came across S W Douglas in the first place. I have purchased a copy of both the Grand Granger and Subject 12 but I doubt I would have looked at his works twice if there hadn't been that 3rd party anonymous endorsement with a pirated copy. Its a quick and easy check to see if people like the works and the fact its still around I think shows that people do enjoy the story.
I'm glad to hear about how you came across my works. I've intended to do some low-grade advertising (Project Wonderful) for about a year now but I haven't had the money to do a decent job [i]or[/i] the skills to make a reasonable ad.
DeleteI think I'm going to have to do a blog post semi-redacting my earlier stance vis a vis the piracy issue. Thanks for the support and for giving me more to think about!