This past month has been like a “Greatest Hits” of bad takes and worse behavior in the online world of reading and writing. A common theme is people misappropriating and weaponizing the language of legitimate issues to justify misbehavior, which is not only tacky and obnoxious, it minimizes those issues and undermines the language needed to discuss them.
Tiktok influencers have once again encouraged readers to take advantage of loopholes in Amazon that allow readers to return e-books or audiobooks after they’ve read them in their entirety, the equivalent of cleaning your plate, but wanting your meal taken off the bill. It’s a double whammy for authors (and voice actors depending on contract) who not only lose a sale but incur a penalty. Supposedly Amazon is closing loopholes, but I’ve seen conflicting reports. Someone claimed that readers who engage in this practice are not the problem, and aren’t responsible for paying the people whose work they consume – “the system creates them”. That ol’ gem.
Enables? Yes.
Creates? Spare me.
As I pointed out, we aren’t talking about people born into systemic poverty. Amazon is responsible for the loopholes, but people who exploit them are responsible for their own actions. People make similar excuses for piracy. In this case, the consequences for authors on Kindle Unlimited are even worse (which is part of why my e-books aren’t available that way). Amazon may withhold their earnings and remove their audiobooks despite Amazon’s failure to secure their work. Obviously, Amazon monopolizing the industry is a big part of the problem, but that doesn’t excuse the behavior of thieves and pirates. The only victims in this situation are the writers and voice actors.
One of my goals is releasing audiobooks. My peers have experienced many challenges having audiobooks produced so I’ve been leaning toward investing in equipment to produce my own. After all, I also act, teach, and parent so I’m pretty experienced with reading aloud. However, issues like monopolies and piracy give me pause.
Writing is already cost-prohibitive before you factor in theft and piracy. The median income is $2,000. Most of us have day jobs. The less we make writing, the less we can afford to write, the less books to read. People who turn their nose up at borrowing from online and physical libraries as an alternative to theft and piracy (some blaming wait times) don’t seem to get there will be less to read – and longer wait times – if writing becomes unsustainable.
Buying books is also cost-prohibitive so consumers are risk-averse. One stigma about indie publishing is a lack of editing. Even in traditional publishing, the occasional typo makes it to print, but a book should never be so riddled with errors it impairs readability. Unfortunately, some authors are also guilty of virtue signaling to excuse bad choices. They consider editing gatekeeping, and even have the audacity to ask “but what about poor people? Shouldn’t they be heard?”
Of course, but they’re worried about their next meal or keeping a roof over their head, not trying to convince people to buy unedited books. Readers and writers need to stop hiding behind people with even less financial security, and be more respectful of each other’s time and money.
Some writers have made similar arguments to defend using generative AI instead of paying artists or photographers. If an author uses AI “art”, I question the integrity of their writing. For awhile I was seeing Facebook ads of books with obvious AI covers. The writing raised my hackles. I suspected many of the comments came from bots. Even if such writers are innocent of using generative AI in their actual writing, why contribute to a problem that hurts artists and writers alike?
My books are currently published through Duskbound Books. They go through a developmental editor, a copy editor, and a proofreader. After my books go to print, I joke that typos are none of my business (fortunately the typo gremlin usually just takes a space from one place and moves it someplace else on rare occasion.) I invest in professional photography. My publisher designs and formats the books. And if I’m lucky, people read and even enjoy them – whether they purchase a copy, borrow from the library, or find one of the freebies I leave in a library in the woods or little free library.
I haven’t even tackled review scams, reader spaces, and disappointing literary icons so I’ll save that for a follow-up post. In the meantime, do your best work and pay others for their work.
