Comments on: The Book-Thief’s Heartbeat http://blog.philipcasey.com/the-book-thiefs-heartbeat/ Philip Casey’s news, views, musings Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:46:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Philip http://blog.philipcasey.com/the-book-thiefs-heartbeat/comment-page-1/#comment-37706 Philip Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:30:19 +0000 http://blog.philipcasey.com/?p=567#comment-37706 David, I didn't realise you'd published so many novels. (for interested readers, David's Audible page is at http://url.ie/4hug) Yes, the moral argument I certainly get. In fact it's the only one that is unequivocal, as far as I can see. Every other argument has too many digital ifs buts and ands. David, I didn’t realise you’d published so many novels. (for interested readers, David’s Audible page is at http://url.ie/4hug)

Yes, the moral argument I certainly get. In fact it’s the only one that is unequivocal, as far as I can see. Every other argument has too many digital ifs buts and ands.

]]> By: David Hewson http://blog.philipcasey.com/the-book-thiefs-heartbeat/comment-page-1/#comment-37705 David Hewson Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:36:18 +0000 http://blog.philipcasey.com/?p=567#comment-37705 Well I know they say 'I wouldn't buy the book so what am I stealing' but frankly I don't believe them. They can't all be stealing something they'd never have bought. Given that they can get the audio even for next to nothing on Audible it's not a lot to ask. Also I just have a moral issue with people who take things that don't belong to them. Well I know they say ‘I wouldn’t buy the book so what am I stealing’ but frankly I don’t believe them. They can’t all be stealing something they’d never have bought. Given that they can get the audio even for next to nothing on Audible it’s not a lot to ask.
Also I just have a moral issue with people who take things that don’t belong to them.

]]> By: Philip http://blog.philipcasey.com/the-book-thiefs-heartbeat/comment-page-1/#comment-37704 Philip Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:46:01 +0000 http://blog.philipcasey.com/?p=567#comment-37704 Thank you for commenting so graciously, David. When you put it like that, I agree with everything you say. The only thing that niggles me is the point about depriving the author (and in your case the production team behind your audio) of revenue. If these people won't buy a book, or audio in the first place, how does that deprive one of revenue? I only ask because I'm pedantic by nature, I'm afraid. Thank you for commenting so graciously, David.
When you put it like that, I agree with everything you say. The only thing that niggles me is the point about depriving the author (and in your case the production team behind your audio) of revenue. If these people won’t buy a book, or audio in the first place, how does that deprive one of revenue?
I only ask because I’m pedantic by nature, I’m afraid.

]]> By: David Hewson http://blog.philipcasey.com/the-book-thiefs-heartbeat/comment-page-1/#comment-37703 David Hewson Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:20:27 +0000 http://blog.philipcasey.com/?p=567#comment-37703 Thanks for the comments, Philip, and thanks for buying the book. I'm not against sharing between people who know each other. But I think that's a very different thing from people cracking commercial material and putting it on the torrents for anyone in the world to steal as they wish. Coelho and Doctorow are very vocal on this subject but really they're in a unique position. The idea that what works for them will work for everyone else doesn't stand up to much scrutiny. Lots of struggling writers who deserve bigger royalty cheques are going to find themselves deprived of the income they deserve because someone, somewhere has ripped off their work on a torrent and helped others steal it. I can't see any justification for that. It's also worth pointing out that some of the most serious piracy of my work, and that of many other authors, is of the audio editions - audio books some 18-20 hours in length which are now available in their entirety out there. That doesn't just cheat me out of income, but also the production team behind it and Saul Reichlin, the very talented actor, who voices my books. We'll never stop the thieves but I do think it's worthwhile explaining to the public that widespread book theft will impact the very people who write the books they are consuming, and that one day good authors will just think 'sod it' and do something else. As I said in the article, my current paperback costs £4.69 on Amazon, half what it cost when that book first appeared in 2001. Anyone who thinks it's not worth paying that kind of money for an author's work really can't be very fond of books at all. Cheers David Thanks for the comments, Philip, and thanks for buying the book. I’m not against sharing between people who know each other. But I think that’s a very different thing from people cracking commercial material and putting it on the torrents for anyone in the world to steal as they wish.
Coelho and Doctorow are very vocal on this subject but really they’re in a unique position. The idea that what works for them will work for everyone else doesn’t stand up to much scrutiny. Lots of struggling writers who deserve bigger royalty cheques are going to find themselves deprived of the income they deserve because someone, somewhere has ripped off their work on a torrent and helped others steal it. I can’t see any justification for that.
It’s also worth pointing out that some of the most serious piracy of my work, and that of many other authors, is of the audio editions – audio books some 18-20 hours in length which are now available in their entirety out there. That doesn’t just cheat me out of income, but also the production team behind it and Saul Reichlin, the very talented actor, who voices my books. We’ll never stop the thieves but I do think it’s worthwhile explaining to the public that widespread book theft will impact the very people who write the books they are consuming, and that one day good authors will just think ‘sod it’ and do something else.
As I said in the article, my current paperback costs £4.69 on Amazon, half what it cost when that book first appeared in 2001. Anyone who thinks it’s not worth paying that kind of money for an author’s work really can’t be very fond of books at all.
Cheers
David

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