agamisu ([info]agamisu) wrote,
@ 2007-06-15 15:36:00
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What To Do?
It is quite strange discovering all of your novels in BitTorrent download sites worldwide. I know there's very little I can actually do to change or police this. The sites multiply every day. How many people are reading me without buying me?

I suppose I should be flattered that someone has taken the effort to digitise my work and make it publicly available, but, you know, I do wonder in the long run what it means for the struggle and effort I have put in to try to build a career.

I guess, ultimately, I lie back and think of England.

Maybe I can become a household name without doing anything.

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[info]prest0
2007-06-15 03:39 pm UTC (link)
Unfortunately, you're right. There's no putting that genie back in the bottle. You COULD try downloading a set yourself, inserting some social engineering, and releasing it back into the wild. For instance, you could insert a "guilt message" asking readers who enjoy your work to keep food on your table by buying a copy. Or you could sprinkle a series ads throughout the pages. You could direct readers to your website/LJ/whatever to turn them into fans who will at least buy your next work.

Or you could have some ice cream and go see a movie. :)

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Thwap! Silly writer --
[info]alfreda89
2007-06-15 08:05 pm UTC (link)
I guess, ultimately, I lie back and think of England.

Perhaps not the best metaphor, but unfortunately all too true. I know of a writer who becomes physically ill at the thought of stolen words or Fanfic. I am fortunate that I am too small a blip for people to bother pirating the books -- or that my audience would not think of looking for the stories that way.

Still -- we write our hearts out when we can tie together the time to do so, our works promptly remaindered and for sale on Ebay and Amazon used. (And don't the used book links on the new release pages infuriate writers.) I don't think it's at all out of line to post on your web site "A word about piracy..." and make the polite point that you struggle hard to find time and energy to write around a grueling career. Having your work stolen, thus rendering it less valuable as a reprint, is an action that may drive you to private printings for friends only. Or to ending your love affair with the written word.

In fact, I think I need such a link, too. And the time to post it....

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Re: Thwap! Silly writer --
[info]suricattus
2007-06-15 08:22 pm UTC (link)
It has been suggested that what we need is a virus that removes all the vowels from any unauthorized e-dition of anything. Patrons of pirates can still read the file...but by god they're going to have to work for it!



(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: Thwap! Silly writer --
[info]alfreda89
2007-06-15 09:51 pm UTC (link)
It has been suggested that what we need is a virus that removes all the vowels from any unauthorized e-dition of anything.

It would be lovely, until a competing virus went out to molify the pirates. But I like the idea in theory. Or even better -- a running total appears for each person you send the copy to, telling the reader that they have stolen XX amount of income from the writer by their act.

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