Are eBooks Bad for Authors?
I read a post about the rise of eBooks and the potential fall of authors as an outcome. One of the premises of the article was that eBooks will bring about the downfall of writers forced to accept subpar wages in exchange for their work. I found this premise interesting and mulled it over. First, I know many authors don't have access to some of the information I have access to. I also don't know what are the arrangements for eBook payments in traditional publishing; but here is why I don't agree. The rise of eBooks has been driven by increased demand. In a capitalistic society, increased demand means increased prices. Just look at the average cost of an eBook just two years ago. The average eBook cost perhaps $3.99 on the high side. Now the average eBook on Amazon costs $9.99. When you consider that for every 100 print books sold today 200 eBooks are sold on Amazon, that's a big leap. eBook royalties at 3L Publishing are very high -- although I will not disclose them...