Comments on: Google Notebook, Amazon’s Move and Taxes http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/02/google-notebook-amazons-move-and-taxes/ About the craft and business of genre fiction Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:54:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Calvin http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/02/google-notebook-amazons-move-and-taxes/#comment-70988 Fri, 09 May 2008 21:37:45 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/02/google-notebook-amazons-move-and-taxes/#comment-70988 So Amazon is playing the 600 pound gorilla strategy. Microsft played it too. Enter Google. Amazon's nemesis is out there somewhere. And they'll come out of "left field" so fast Amazon won't know what hit them. So Amazon is playing the 600 pound gorilla strategy. Microsft played it too. Enter Google.

Amazon’s nemesis is out there somewhere. And they’ll come out of “left field” so fast Amazon won’t know what hit them.

]]> by: Eric http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/02/google-notebook-amazons-move-and-taxes/#comment-66548 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:30:14 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/02/google-notebook-amazons-move-and-taxes/#comment-66548 If you're worried, all the more reason to true self-publish. And by that I mean, look up a printer yourself and get a cover designed, and maintain a closet, garage, basement, etc. full of your printed copies. I've always been convinced that's the better route than POD. You control your own quality, inventory, etc. Independence comes from control of the marketing and distribution of your work -- if you're not a rock star who has publisher people running around doing everything for you, then you're taking on the brunt of the work anyway, right? Take control of your destiny. Or don't, and leave that 85% cut to the publisher. POD has always seemed like the half-solution. If you’re worried, all the more reason to true self-publish. And by that I mean, look up a printer yourself and get a cover designed, and maintain a closet, garage, basement, etc. full of your printed copies.

I’ve always been convinced that’s the better route than POD. You control your own quality, inventory, etc. Independence comes from control of the marketing and distribution of your work — if you’re not a rock star who has publisher people running around doing everything for you, then you’re taking on the brunt of the work anyway, right?

Take control of your destiny. Or don’t, and leave that 85% cut to the publisher. POD has always seemed like the half-solution.

]]> by: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/02/google-notebook-amazons-move-and-taxes/#comment-66350 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:08:25 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/02/google-notebook-amazons-move-and-taxes/#comment-66350 I agree with you, Stace, about the environmental aspects of this. However, from the little I know about this issue--and it still little--the author will suffer by receiving less money for his/her novel. That's what I've heard, and that's why it may be a potentially bad scenario for the author. I agree with you, Stace, about the environmental aspects of this. However, from the little I know about this issue–and it still little–the author will suffer by receiving less money for his/her novel. That’s what I’ve heard, and that’s why it may be a potentially bad scenario for the author.

]]> by: Stace http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/02/google-notebook-amazons-move-and-taxes/#comment-66349 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:04:11 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/02/google-notebook-amazons-move-and-taxes/#comment-66349 It seems to me that calling this speculation a "worse case scenario" is rather backward looking. I would say that it's a hallmark, rather, of the incipient changes in the way publishing will work in the future. The Internet and POD have already caused significant ripples in the way books are marketed and sold, and we can expect a lot more as technology (and readers' acceptance of technology) evolves. I don't know what's coming, but it's extremist to say it's "worse" just because it's different. Curtis seems to be speaking for an establishment that is afraid (not unjustly) that its power is on the verge of being undercut. And, personally, I think eliminating all those pre-printed volumes is a good-for-the earth change that should be encouraged -- no more unsold and stripped mass market paperbacks lying around in garbage bins, for example. It seems to me that calling this speculation a “worse case scenario” is rather backward looking. I would say that it’s a hallmark, rather, of the incipient changes in the way publishing will work in the future. The Internet and POD have already caused significant ripples in the way books are marketed and sold, and we can expect a lot more as technology (and readers’ acceptance of technology) evolves. I don’t know what’s coming, but it’s extremist to say it’s “worse” just because it’s different. Curtis seems to be speaking for an establishment that is afraid (not unjustly) that its power is on the verge of being undercut.

And, personally, I think eliminating all those pre-printed volumes is a good-for-the earth change that should be encouraged — no more unsold and stripped mass market paperbacks lying around in garbage bins, for example.

]]> by: Mike Harmon http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/02/google-notebook-amazons-move-and-taxes/#comment-66348 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:01:20 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/04/02/google-notebook-amazons-move-and-taxes/#comment-66348 I came across your blog on Technorati. Nice site layout. I will stop by and read more soon. Mike Harmon I came across your blog on Technorati. Nice site layout. I will stop by and read more soon.

Mike Harmon

]]>