How do you feel about book sharing?

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twnkltoz

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Recently I was googling my book and found an old thread on a discussion board I belong to but rarely post on. The thread was from June of last year, and it was started by a lady I know who bought my book. She was taking sign-ups to pass the book around and let everyone read it. The last time she posted, she had seven people signed up and was encouraging more.

I realize there are such things as libraries, and that people often loan books to friends, but somehow this really stuck in my craw. Thoughts?
 

Haggis

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I dunno. But it seems to me that people can do what they want to with what they bought. Another thing is that you might just find new fans through her sharing that book. Write another one and maybe you'll find a few new buyers as a result of her passing it on.
 

Smish

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The more people who read your book and like it, the better. They'll be more likely to spread the word that the book is worth reading, and may decide to purchase their own copies. And they'll be more likely to purchase future books by the author.

Those are my thoughts, anyway.
 

megan_d

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I think book sharing is a good thing. Each one of those people who borrowed your book might not have been willing to pay money to read it, but were willing to give it a try for free. If they liked it it's likely that they'd be willing to pay actual money for other books by you.

In the short term it might hurt you, but I think the long term benefits are worth it.
 

fourlittlebees

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I'm always all for it. There's a misconception that sharing means lost sales, in all forms of media. I've bought more books and music from people loaning me things or playing things for me than I'd have ever discovered on my own.
 

twnkltoz

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Thanks for your insights...interesting. I think what bothered me most was not her loaning it out--heck, I loan and borrow books all the time. However, it's usually one or two people at most. This was an organized effort to get as many people to read it for free as possible, which seemed just a bit much to me.
 

fourlittlebees

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Thanks for your insights...interesting. I think what bothered me most was not her loaning it out--heck, I loan and borrow books all the time. However, it's usually one or two people at most. This was an organized effort to get as many people to read it for free as possible, which seemed just a bit much to me.

That's actually nothing, and you are looking at it from a glass-half-empty viewpoint. She was trying to get your book exposed to as many people as she could because she wanted them to read it. :)

I was really active on BookCrossing for a while, and there'd often be book circles that would number over 100. Think about how long library waiting lists are for new titles like bestsellers: often several hundred, and those are people who already know they want to read it! If people love the book, they buy it. If they don't, they've still been exposed to something they might not have known about otherwise. These aren't people who were going to buy the book anyway. These are people who probably wouldn't read the book otherwise.
 

Amadan

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Have you ever heard of PaperBackSwap or BookMooch?

Authors really need to consider long-term effects.

Let's say 100 people read your book for free, and we make the (silly) assumption that this represents 99 lost sales.

Now let's assume you're going to publish more books in the future, for years.

Suppose only half of those readers likes your book enough to want to read more of your books. So ~50 people.

If we assume that those 50 people will buy an average of 1 of your books every 5 years, you "break even" in 10 years.

This is a conservative estimate -- if you actually make fans out of some of them, and you put out more than 1 book every 5 years, you'll probably get a lot more sales than that. (I'm averaging, so this assumes that some will continue borrowing your books rather than buying new ones.)

It also doesn't factor in how many new readers they will recruit for you, on average.

These numbers are all off the top of my head, but I think it's pretty clear that you only lose financially if you don't publish any more books, or if most of the people who read your book don't like it.
 

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You should be so picky! Those of us in the comics/graphic novels industry, for example, have widespread Internet piracy to contend with. Next to that, a good ol' fashion book swap or book circle seems harmless enough. I'm with everyone else: take it in stride, try to think of it as a positive. And if it just seems overly negative to you... well, why not go proactive and start posting about your concerns on the message boards where this book swapping takes place? I'm sure they're not a rough crowd -- I'm sure they'll at least lend you half an ear.
 
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Amadan

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You should be so picky! Those of us in the comics/graphic novels industry, for example, have widespread Internet piracy to contend with. Next to that, a good ol' fashion book swap or book circle seems harmless enough. I'm with everyone else: take it in stride, try to think of it as a positive. And if it just seems overly negative to you... well, why not go proactive and start posting about your concerns on the message boards where this book swapping takes place? I'm sure they're not a rough crowd -- I'm sure they'll at least lend you half an ear.

I wouldn't advise that. No matter how nice you try to be about it, you're likely to get labeled as "That crazy author who tried to tell people to stop sharing her books."
 

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I'm fine with book sharing.

In fact, I've donated copies of my books to sites that share books, and libraries.

There were times in my life where I hungered--I don't have a better word--for books by particular authors and I really couldn't afford them.

Often the books would never appear in one of the libraries I patronized, or it would be a year or more.

I realize no one is ever going to feel that way about one of my books, but still, I remember what it was like.

And maybe if they can read my work-related book for free, then they can afford to buy a book they love.
 

blacbird

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I dunno. But it seems to me that people can do what they want to with what they bought.

This, exactly. I routinely lend books to friends I think might like them. And vice-versa. If I do like the book lent to me, I commonly purchase my own copy, or others by the same author.I got into the voluminous mysteries of Rex Stout and John D. MacDonald, and the SF of Philip K. Dick by exactly this method. And wound up ultimately purchasing dozens of volumes from these authors as a consequence.

SHARE YER BOOKS.
 

Isabelle

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I definitely agree that book sharing is a good thing :) Like fourlittlebees, I've been pretty involved in BookCrossing in the past and I think it's great to encourage people to read - it's so much easier to pick up a book you might otherwise have ignored if it comes with high recommendations. Plus, I find that when I read a good book that someone's lent me, I end up buying it in the future anyway, if not for myself then as a gift for someone else.
 
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maestrowork

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I'm happy when my readers share my book with their friends and loved ones. I look at it simply: those people would never have bought my book in the first place. I'm flattered that the first readers (who actually paid for it) liked it enough to recommend and lend it to their loved ones. Now, would I have preferred them to recommend their loved ones to BUY the book? Sure. That would have been nice. But I understand it's not an option for many people, plus there's already a copy available -- as long as they don't pirate it (piracy is a whole different issue, which I strongly oppose. Some people would argue, what's the difference? But let's not go there now). I just think it's neat that someone liked it enough to lend it to someone else -- or else they would have tossed it in the bin or forget about it.

Plus any readers are good for business. If they like your books, you have just got a fan and it's more likely they would read your next one. Even if they continue to read for free (libraries and what not), they may in turn recommend someone else to read your books... all of those people would never have bought your book in the first place. And if some of them would eventually buy your books, you've just got a customer you never would have. So in the long run, you still win.
 
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Hi Twink,

I also replied on your post on the other forum [where you know me as Reprobate].

Like I said, if people share your book, it enlarges your audience, so it's a good thing. People who borrow books might buy your book for their own collection or rave about your book to others. And what you need to consider is enlarging readership - the money follows later.
 

megan_d

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Didn't Neil Gaiman experience a jump in sales when he gave American God's away for free for a month?
 

strictlytopsecret

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The "all publicity is good publicity" maxim seems to apply here.

~STS~
 

Sagana

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Didn't Neil Gaiman experience a jump in sales when he gave American God's away for free for a month?
Yep. And I've often said to my husband 'remember that book about ____? I need to reread and can't find it.' And have him say that's because we got it from the library or borrowed it, and so send him to buy a copy immediately. This might be several years later (library when we had less money, buying now). If it's a good book, chances are we'll buy it at some point.

And that's the thing about the ereader that worries me. I read wherever I go - traveling, breaks, lunch etc. And now that I do most of that on the ereader, I get much less 'what're you reading' and opening conversations that way, because people can't see the book cover. And I can't loan it to them if they do ask. It can be nice for me (less interruptions) but generates less interest that way. Which is a shame.
 

PinkAmy

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I think sharing is great. Who's to say people sharing would have gone out and bought the book? I've read lots of books because I got them for free from a friend. Most I wouldn't have purchased on my own.
 

mccardey

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As a reader, I love book sharing - it's how I find the authors I'd never have met any other way. As an author, it means that people who liked one book have increased my potential readership for the next. I think it's great.
 

firedrake

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My old boss, for all his faults, was always bringing me bags full of books, stuff I would've never normally picked up in a book shop or in the library. I can't even remember how many new books I bought as a result of him introducing me to new authors.

Likewise, I've loaned books to my Dad in the past and he's gone out and bought just about every other book of a particular author.

So, no, if I'm ever published in print, I'd have no problem with my book being passed around.
 

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I bought my first Jennie Crusie second hand in a charity shop. I now have seven or eight of her books, all bought new. A lot of my introductions to new authors have come through second hand books, and I tend to buy a lot from the same author if I find one I like.
 

LydiaNetzer

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You haven't lost anything -- those people would not have bought your book. Chances are they won't read it by borrowing it either -- either the lending circle will break down or they'll pass the book on without having had time to read it, or whatever.

What about getting your book, your story, your ideas, into the hands of new readers? Is that a completely insignificant accomplishment? What do you write books for anyway?
 

Abras

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I wouldn't advise that. No matter how nice you try to be about it, you're likely to get labeled as "That crazy author who tried to tell people to stop sharing her books."
Yes, and if you don't like the way things are going in the world, it's best just to do nothing. Don't want people to think you're "that crazy who person who wants Peace on Earth, or some such nonsense..."
 
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