Contentment is a rare feeling among writers. We spend weeks scouring our drafts for the slightest grammatical error, plot-hole or avoidable cliché, and a satisfactory piece of work is often the result of years of patient re-drafting. That this appreciation should spread to the wider community is the goal of most writers, who envisage their work earning smiles of approval from agents, publishers and eventually readers.
Sometimes, however, appreciation works in a less tasteful way. American author Ruth Ann Nordin has recently had three books pirated and advertised for sale on the usually reliable Amazon.com. Following complaint two of these books were promptly removed, but incredibly, ‘The Path to Christmas’, crudely re-titled ‘the-path-to-christmas.pdf’, is still for sale on the website.
The thought of having one’s publishable ideas stolen is, to be blunt, awful. Not only is it damaging to income, it is a slap in the face to the immense amount of work and pride that the author has put into his/her product.
The rise of web-based self-publishing and e-books has made such piracy considerably easier, but the internet (specifically social media) can be equally useful in combating it:
Sometimes, however, appreciation works in a less tasteful way. American author Ruth Ann Nordin has recently had three books pirated and advertised for sale on the usually reliable Amazon.com. Following complaint two of these books were promptly removed, but incredibly, ‘The Path to Christmas’, crudely re-titled ‘the-path-to-christmas.pdf’, is still for sale on the website.
The thought of having one’s publishable ideas stolen is, to be blunt, awful. Not only is it damaging to income, it is a slap in the face to the immense amount of work and pride that the author has put into his/her product.
The rise of web-based self-publishing and e-books has made such piracy considerably easier, but the internet (specifically social media) can be equally useful in combating it:
- Twitter is currently the site of a protest in support of Mrs Nordin:
Tweet your support using the hashtag: #AmazonPiracy
- Alternatively, leave a review labelling the copy on Amazon a pirate - Amazon
