Ryan Field
PS....you have to admit that it's nice that we can commicate this way. Even though we disagree one some things, I'm glad I got to know you.
Ryan
Ryan
21 August 2010 03:23
Ryan Field
Hi Margus...
I'm glad you replied to me. First, I have been thinking about you a lot, and I took down my post and your comments on my blog because I started getting so many e-mails from other authors I didn't want them contacting you or bothering you with hate mail. I don't think that's fair to you. I appreciated your comments and I appreciate you talking the time to send me these in-depth messages about your feelings. Actually, I admire it. You're a nice guy...even if you do download free books :))
There are only certain things I can say in public about this topic, because this is such a hot topic and I'm not very political. If I say the wrong thing, the authors come after me. If I say the wrong thing, the readers come after me. If I say the wrong thing, the publisher comes afer me. So I usually just keep my mouth closed :))
I honestly do not know how much is costs to publish an e-book. I don't get involved with that, the publisher does. I just write. I'm not good with anything else. So I can't answer your question, sorry.
All I can say is I read everything you wrote, and I do understand you and I don't judge. I also think you write in English very well. You're a smart, bright man and your are right about certain things.
Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you a pdf file of a book. I promised I would, and I will. For some reason, I like you. That's why I took down the post and spent a lot of time thinking about you. I don't want anyone sending you nasty letters or hate mail. That wouldn't be right. And I can't tell you how wonderful I think it is that I can communicate with a reader this way who lives all the way on the other side of the world. I am Ukranian, and have family there. But I don't communicate with them like this.
Hope ur feeling better now. It's not fun to be sick this time of year.
And don't forget to send me your e-mail. I'd like to keep in touch with you. I enjoy your insights very much. And anything we say in private will be just between us. My promise.
Feel better,
Ryan
I'm glad you replied to me. First, I have been thinking about you a lot, and I took down my post and your comments on my blog because I started getting so many e-mails from other authors I didn't want them contacting you or bothering you with hate mail. I don't think that's fair to you. I appreciated your comments and I appreciate you talking the time to send me these in-depth messages about your feelings. Actually, I admire it. You're a nice guy...even if you do download free books :))
There are only certain things I can say in public about this topic, because this is such a hot topic and I'm not very political. If I say the wrong thing, the authors come after me. If I say the wrong thing, the readers come after me. If I say the wrong thing, the publisher comes afer me. So I usually just keep my mouth closed :))
I honestly do not know how much is costs to publish an e-book. I don't get involved with that, the publisher does. I just write. I'm not good with anything else. So I can't answer your question, sorry.
All I can say is I read everything you wrote, and I do understand you and I don't judge. I also think you write in English very well. You're a smart, bright man and your are right about certain things.
Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you a pdf file of a book. I promised I would, and I will. For some reason, I like you. That's why I took down the post and spent a lot of time thinking about you. I don't want anyone sending you nasty letters or hate mail. That wouldn't be right. And I can't tell you how wonderful I think it is that I can communicate with a reader this way who lives all the way on the other side of the world. I am Ukranian, and have family there. But I don't communicate with them like this.
Hope ur feeling better now. It's not fun to be sick this time of year.
And don't forget to send me your e-mail. I'd like to keep in touch with you. I enjoy your insights very much. And anything we say in private will be just between us. My promise.
Feel better,
Ryan
21 August 2010 03:18
Margus Meigo
I personally think ALL authors, actors, artists etc should have blogs/pages whit their work and donation button so people who like them can contribute money to them directly. For example i download movie/book from internet, i really like - and i would want to support the author i just go to hes page and send them a money.
In Estonia we have public pank account numbers (to be honest we cant see the reason for bank account nr not to be public) - so if you want you can just take the number, name & send money to them for free or for 20-40c of transaction fee. Money will be there whit in minutes or minimum whit hour. Other part can use it in internet, credit card, bank or in ATM instantly.
We have this donation option more and more popular here and i think paypal donation is also really popular in US. So.. i cant see the problem - if one likes the book & author, he is not so boor then he mostlikely will send money, if not - well, if you add all the numbers together it will still be more sales because all the extra people who would not noticed the book before or who would have been afraid to buy big in the bag .
I think one of the greatest statements are from Red Nex music group:
http://www.rednexmusic.com/info/RednexLovePirateBay_2010-01-07.pdf -its true, i think its a bit marketing .. but they do use reality for that. I know, i am not also fan of red nex but i do admire their statement, read it if you have time. To survive we need to go along whit time/progress, as everything gos only faster and faster now. Again, see this music thing as relation to your book publishing. This what was acceptable 10 years ago will be laughable whit in few years. Some arias progress faster, some slower. Books i think will stay longer here then DVD's and CD's - and pirates will help whit that also as they advertise books in internet dark corners to people who would most likely not go to amazon to google new books daily.
If i would be you, i would go to ALL pages where someone is pirating your book ,and add direct pdf link from YOUR website under this download, but the book will also have some extras maybe that pirated version does not have. Also in the end of book: "if you liked it, you can donate here to support author...." etc.
Make post attractive. The link himself even does not need to be easily findable from your web-page (donate button needs thought)- only for pirates. Soon there will be maybe only your book direct links... and all "pirated" copy's are YOUR original's.
To fight AGAINST pirates is almost as stupid idea as War on Drugs - it cant be win with these means. It's impossible, period. Every big pirate site that is closed down - at least 20 will replace it whit in days, whit in months 5-6 stronger ones will stay alive that have in the end combined more content then original site. Then comes site that indexes all these sites and you have again site that is even bigger and whit more content then original one.
Pirates/hackers work for free mostly, so for them to spend 20+ h in day to get back on you will be NO problem, some of them are extremely fanatic. Let them work for you , turn the tables... many of them again then see this as "not so cool activism" and stop pirating all together.
one question also.. how much cost to publish book, how much you spend for the marketing? Other expenses, how much? Just wanna know :)
-----
And to the last, topic that no man should touch. God
I try to make it short.
We are to self important to think that someone as great as God (that is something that our small minds cant copperhead anyway) will care for our personal problems and issues and takes time to bunish one by one these poor humans who did one and other mistake... one does not reward, it does not punish - God is not imho so unintelligent to deal whit so small unimportant issues.
EVEN if it is true in some level then just a thought that IF i do good THEN i get good, IF i do bad, then i get bad back later - this is one of the greatest ignorance and silly thoughts, this person who thinks like that is not SO much better then the one who does bad and does not care what he gets for return. The thing is that one must do good a way that he does not want to get rewarded for that, a way that he is not thinking "this will be good thing for me later on in heaven (or something like that)" - as that means you basically in the end, do it to feed your own benefit/good/well-being/peace of mind. I cant find this person good who is not stealing or raping as its not allowed by law or by religion, i cant find this person good who is doing good, not drinking or other things liek that as its religion tells it will be bad for him later on. The point is that do not put your hope on this, that someone will get punished (by God or by anyone) - this is not right, invest your hope instead in to all these people who buy your books, like it, and love it. Think how to write better books to THEM who support you. There always be some lechers... IF there is a laws in universe that they get a punished that is not OUR thing to talk/think about, it will happen anyway one or other way, whatever is the outcome. It just makes us more bad people if we comfort our-self with toughs "God will get him for that". Who are WE to think what one is doing or how one sees it? Maybe someones "bad" act is butterfly effect that makes a lot of good 30 years later. We are not authority, and if our job is to be authority(police, etc) then we should keep it in our work description - not interpret what God should or will do. Imho we should just try to make best of our-self as we want it, help others as WE want it, and if something bad happens - not feel bitter or the thoughts "someone will get him for that... but i am totally not feeling any angrines towards him/her as i am so good and tolerant..."
ooh.. i just noticed that me and my fever has produced so long and probably in big part not so interesting reading.. but i hope there was some help for you from my letter.
... and bdw - in my life i haven't jet read fully any pirated book that i do not own in paper :)
In Estonia we have public pank account numbers (to be honest we cant see the reason for bank account nr not to be public) - so if you want you can just take the number, name & send money to them for free or for 20-40c of transaction fee. Money will be there whit in minutes or minimum whit hour. Other part can use it in internet, credit card, bank or in ATM instantly.
We have this donation option more and more popular here and i think paypal donation is also really popular in US. So.. i cant see the problem - if one likes the book & author, he is not so boor then he mostlikely will send money, if not - well, if you add all the numbers together it will still be more sales because all the extra people who would not noticed the book before or who would have been afraid to buy big in the bag .
I think one of the greatest statements are from Red Nex music group:
http://www.rednexmusic.com/info/RednexLovePirateBay_2010-01-07.pdf -its true, i think its a bit marketing .. but they do use reality for that. I know, i am not also fan of red nex but i do admire their statement, read it if you have time. To survive we need to go along whit time/progress, as everything gos only faster and faster now. Again, see this music thing as relation to your book publishing. This what was acceptable 10 years ago will be laughable whit in few years. Some arias progress faster, some slower. Books i think will stay longer here then DVD's and CD's - and pirates will help whit that also as they advertise books in internet dark corners to people who would most likely not go to amazon to google new books daily.
If i would be you, i would go to ALL pages where someone is pirating your book ,and add direct pdf link from YOUR website under this download, but the book will also have some extras maybe that pirated version does not have. Also in the end of book: "if you liked it, you can donate here to support author...." etc.
Make post attractive. The link himself even does not need to be easily findable from your web-page (donate button needs thought)- only for pirates. Soon there will be maybe only your book direct links... and all "pirated" copy's are YOUR original's.
To fight AGAINST pirates is almost as stupid idea as War on Drugs - it cant be win with these means. It's impossible, period. Every big pirate site that is closed down - at least 20 will replace it whit in days, whit in months 5-6 stronger ones will stay alive that have in the end combined more content then original site. Then comes site that indexes all these sites and you have again site that is even bigger and whit more content then original one.
Pirates/hackers work for free mostly, so for them to spend 20+ h in day to get back on you will be NO problem, some of them are extremely fanatic. Let them work for you , turn the tables... many of them again then see this as "not so cool activism" and stop pirating all together.
one question also.. how much cost to publish book, how much you spend for the marketing? Other expenses, how much? Just wanna know :)
-----
And to the last, topic that no man should touch. God
I try to make it short.
We are to self important to think that someone as great as God (that is something that our small minds cant copperhead anyway) will care for our personal problems and issues and takes time to bunish one by one these poor humans who did one and other mistake... one does not reward, it does not punish - God is not imho so unintelligent to deal whit so small unimportant issues.
EVEN if it is true in some level then just a thought that IF i do good THEN i get good, IF i do bad, then i get bad back later - this is one of the greatest ignorance and silly thoughts, this person who thinks like that is not SO much better then the one who does bad and does not care what he gets for return. The thing is that one must do good a way that he does not want to get rewarded for that, a way that he is not thinking "this will be good thing for me later on in heaven (or something like that)" - as that means you basically in the end, do it to feed your own benefit/good/well-being/peace of mind. I cant find this person good who is not stealing or raping as its not allowed by law or by religion, i cant find this person good who is doing good, not drinking or other things liek that as its religion tells it will be bad for him later on. The point is that do not put your hope on this, that someone will get punished (by God or by anyone) - this is not right, invest your hope instead in to all these people who buy your books, like it, and love it. Think how to write better books to THEM who support you. There always be some lechers... IF there is a laws in universe that they get a punished that is not OUR thing to talk/think about, it will happen anyway one or other way, whatever is the outcome. It just makes us more bad people if we comfort our-self with toughs "God will get him for that". Who are WE to think what one is doing or how one sees it? Maybe someones "bad" act is butterfly effect that makes a lot of good 30 years later. We are not authority, and if our job is to be authority(police, etc) then we should keep it in our work description - not interpret what God should or will do. Imho we should just try to make best of our-self as we want it, help others as WE want it, and if something bad happens - not feel bitter or the thoughts "someone will get him for that... but i am totally not feeling any angrines towards him/her as i am so good and tolerant..."
ooh.. i just noticed that me and my fever has produced so long and probably in big part not so interesting reading.. but i hope there was some help for you from my letter.
... and bdw - in my life i haven't jet read fully any pirated book that i do not own in paper :)
20 August 2010 20:16
Margus Meigo
Hello Ryan, thank you for looking me up:)
I wondering from where to start. For starters I think it is really noble idea of you to send free book. I think you also agree that most authors would not be up to this, besides i believe most of them would not want this extra work.And i think you also agree there is many many close minded greedy authors who would not want anyone to read hes work before he gets the money.
But I think you might have still missed one of the main points (or actually not missed but not see the picture a way i see it) - if people LIKE the book, they WILL most likely buy it - and not as pdf or Kindle edition (okey, maybe last one get some fame lately more and more but still..). The ones who do not have money would not buy it anyway, period. It's not like most boor people will run to the book store first thing after they get some money for food. There is some expeditions where for SOME person the pdf edition MIGHT be more comfortable option but it's whit different kind of books - and i assure you, fiction, story's and specially love roman's are NOT the kind of books that one would prefer to read from computer... and i kindof thik its not cool to give a present "book in usb stick".
Books are also like statements and a little bit kind of show offs sometimes. If one likes the books, one wants everyone to see it -putting it to the top of book shelf or leaving to the table so everyone can see it. Or reading it in public places, comfortably, one cant do it with pdf so well. There is no joy in pdf. Once you buy/order the REAL book then its something real in ones hands, its different.
It's even more different then music concert and a recording of a concert (not the best example also maybe) . I think you might agree that if people have an option they prefer real concert over a recording (specially if its bootlegged). But if one sees the concert (real book) then he still might buy a recording of the concert. But i do not think there is many people who have real book and they care so much for pdf of this book.
And if some people have so low taste (to have favorite author books bootlegged) - well, let it be, its their option, there is always people like that - now whit internet it seems there is more of them but actually you just did not see them before. :)
You might also agree that now people less and less buy books they do not like - as there is so much options to find out about the book/author firsthand (like to get it free from internet and see if you like it). We think its "bad" now, but 20 years form now...world would be SO different (not as little different as 20 years ago because the laws of acceleration ). This also means amazon books will get less and less negative reviews as people have more options to find out about book, read some other reviews and skip the book if they feel they most likely will not like it. The options of books will be much bigger as you are not limited with your local libaraly anymore, most books will be digital, way more translations etc. No point to waste time with books i most likely do not like. This is the reason i appreciate negative reviews the most and will always read them first. Of course sometimes it is kind of funny to read flawed negative review - a kind of review where you can see that the person had no idea what kind of book he was starting to read. but all this is besides the point
--------------
But yeah, now lets make sudden turn and lets go to the pirates world. I will not go to deep in to this as this is long topic and my English is not so good. Also i am in bed with 39+c fever that i managed to beat a bit with modern medical help, but still, typing whit one hand... :P
anyway, i have respect for most internet pirates/hackers as i understand a bit their philosophy and will see the real impact what they do vs. if the would not do anything. Of course many of them do not understand the real impact also or what they are part of but this besides the fact.
Te real impact is information freedom and information fast spreading they do. It advances human beings. They are the biggest and strongest forces that actually fight for our all rights in internet (not the ones who work only for criminals,most of blackhats etc).
Thanks to them we have websites like www.wikileaks.com and thousands of others that notify us how we are controlled or how someone is messing around/manipulating whit your life.
---
I can imagine, that you newer have shared mp3's whit you friend (that means committed a crime, stealing, smuggling products that you have no copyright...etc), download it off the internet for free or newer used any pirated software (first, before u buy it). But many do and this boosts the sales for many artists according to most study's that are made. If some makes other kind of study then they always forget to add to the study "how many of these people who pirated would have payed money for these things and how many people thanks for pirate payed money for these things"
there is endless talks in internet about it, just some few random links from google:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GFo2NhVEkEk/S35aepnMJJI/AAAAAAAAHlA/m1IpVLVQj_g/s1600-h/5387.jpg
http://torrentfreak.com/pirates-are-the-music-industrys-most-valuable-customers-100122/
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/One-Mans-Pirate-Is-Another-Mans-Customer-102759
http://www.neowin.net/news/most-internet-pirates-say-they-would-pay-for-content
http://www.news.com.au/technology/download-culture/internet-pirates-say-theyd-pay-for-legal-downloads/story-fn58oolp-1225863187697
http://torrentfreak.com/more-than-25-million-americans-pirate-movies/
- google these sites, read these comments on these pages... google more.. get in to their mind. They make great benefit for you :)
you think books are so much different? No it's i think much better situation for books as REAL book is more important/meaningful for reader then original mp3/cd for most of people who like music.
I my self whit in 4 years period have spend 2000 dollars for music/cd's and i even cant count how much for movies and concerts - and i have downloaded at same time about 500+ GB of music and movies. Whit current copyright mindset i should be arrested as i steal a lot and make great damage for the authors. But i think it's clear that i probably have spend more then average non pirate (or at least compared to most people i know). It's also clear that i would not have payd money for most of the movies i downloaded.
I wondering from where to start. For starters I think it is really noble idea of you to send free book. I think you also agree that most authors would not be up to this, besides i believe most of them would not want this extra work.And i think you also agree there is many many close minded greedy authors who would not want anyone to read hes work before he gets the money.
But I think you might have still missed one of the main points (or actually not missed but not see the picture a way i see it) - if people LIKE the book, they WILL most likely buy it - and not as pdf or Kindle edition (okey, maybe last one get some fame lately more and more but still..). The ones who do not have money would not buy it anyway, period. It's not like most boor people will run to the book store first thing after they get some money for food. There is some expeditions where for SOME person the pdf edition MIGHT be more comfortable option but it's whit different kind of books - and i assure you, fiction, story's and specially love roman's are NOT the kind of books that one would prefer to read from computer... and i kindof thik its not cool to give a present "book in usb stick".
Books are also like statements and a little bit kind of show offs sometimes. If one likes the books, one wants everyone to see it -putting it to the top of book shelf or leaving to the table so everyone can see it. Or reading it in public places, comfortably, one cant do it with pdf so well. There is no joy in pdf. Once you buy/order the REAL book then its something real in ones hands, its different.
It's even more different then music concert and a recording of a concert (not the best example also maybe) . I think you might agree that if people have an option they prefer real concert over a recording (specially if its bootlegged). But if one sees the concert (real book) then he still might buy a recording of the concert. But i do not think there is many people who have real book and they care so much for pdf of this book.
And if some people have so low taste (to have favorite author books bootlegged) - well, let it be, its their option, there is always people like that - now whit internet it seems there is more of them but actually you just did not see them before. :)
You might also agree that now people less and less buy books they do not like - as there is so much options to find out about the book/author firsthand (like to get it free from internet and see if you like it). We think its "bad" now, but 20 years form now...world would be SO different (not as little different as 20 years ago because the laws of acceleration ). This also means amazon books will get less and less negative reviews as people have more options to find out about book, read some other reviews and skip the book if they feel they most likely will not like it. The options of books will be much bigger as you are not limited with your local libaraly anymore, most books will be digital, way more translations etc. No point to waste time with books i most likely do not like. This is the reason i appreciate negative reviews the most and will always read them first. Of course sometimes it is kind of funny to read flawed negative review - a kind of review where you can see that the person had no idea what kind of book he was starting to read. but all this is besides the point
--------------
But yeah, now lets make sudden turn and lets go to the pirates world. I will not go to deep in to this as this is long topic and my English is not so good. Also i am in bed with 39+c fever that i managed to beat a bit with modern medical help, but still, typing whit one hand... :P
anyway, i have respect for most internet pirates/hackers as i understand a bit their philosophy and will see the real impact what they do vs. if the would not do anything. Of course many of them do not understand the real impact also or what they are part of but this besides the fact.
Te real impact is information freedom and information fast spreading they do. It advances human beings. They are the biggest and strongest forces that actually fight for our all rights in internet (not the ones who work only for criminals,most of blackhats etc).
Thanks to them we have websites like www.wikileaks.com and thousands of others that notify us how we are controlled or how someone is messing around/manipulating whit your life.
---
I can imagine, that you newer have shared mp3's whit you friend (that means committed a crime, stealing, smuggling products that you have no copyright...etc), download it off the internet for free or newer used any pirated software (first, before u buy it). But many do and this boosts the sales for many artists according to most study's that are made. If some makes other kind of study then they always forget to add to the study "how many of these people who pirated would have payed money for these things and how many people thanks for pirate payed money for these things"
there is endless talks in internet about it, just some few random links from google:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GFo2NhVEkEk/S35aepnMJJI/AAAAAAAAHlA/m1IpVLVQj_g/s1600-h/5387.jpg
http://torrentfreak.com/pirates-are-the-music-industrys-most-valuable-customers-100122/
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/One-Mans-Pirate-Is-Another-Mans-Customer-102759
http://www.neowin.net/news/most-internet-pirates-say-they-would-pay-for-content
http://www.news.com.au/technology/download-culture/internet-pirates-say-theyd-pay-for-legal-downloads/story-fn58oolp-1225863187697
http://torrentfreak.com/more-than-25-million-americans-pirate-movies/
- google these sites, read these comments on these pages... google more.. get in to their mind. They make great benefit for you :)
you think books are so much different? No it's i think much better situation for books as REAL book is more important/meaningful for reader then original mp3/cd for most of people who like music.
I my self whit in 4 years period have spend 2000 dollars for music/cd's and i even cant count how much for movies and concerts - and i have downloaded at same time about 500+ GB of music and movies. Whit current copyright mindset i should be arrested as i steal a lot and make great damage for the authors. But i think it's clear that i probably have spend more then average non pirate (or at least compared to most people i know). It's also clear that i would not have payd money for most of the movies i downloaded.
20 August 2010 20:16
Ryan Field
Hi Margus,
I read your comment on my blog and thought it was interesting. I'm always interested in this topic and how readers feel about it.
If it will get you to stop pirating books, I'll send you free copies anytime you want. I don't have a problem doing this. Just e-mail me and let me know (my e-mail is on my blog). I don't mind doing this...sending you free books...because it's my decision, not someone else's, to give them for free. But in order to get the free books, you have to agree to stop going to pirate sites and downloading illegal books. And though there's no way I can prove you will stop if I do send you free books, I do believe that God gets everyone back eventually when they don't do the right thing.
Thanks...Ryan Field
I read your comment on my blog and thought it was interesting. I'm always interested in this topic and how readers feel about it.
If it will get you to stop pirating books, I'll send you free copies anytime you want. I don't have a problem doing this. Just e-mail me and let me know (my e-mail is on my blog). I don't mind doing this...sending you free books...because it's my decision, not someone else's, to give them for free. But in order to get the free books, you have to agree to stop going to pirate sites and downloading illegal books. And though there's no way I can prove you will stop if I do send you free books, I do believe that God gets everyone back eventually when they don't do the right thing.
Thanks...Ryan Field
19 August 2010 17:35