Welcome to Writers Talkback. If you are a new user, your account will have to be approved manually to prevent spam. Please bear with us in the meantime

piracy -a blessing or a curse?

edited August 2015 in Writing
I have just discovered that my first novel, Lane's End,which was only ever published as a paperback , is being offered on line as a pdf. I guess this is a form of piracy and someone owes me as they have infringed my copyright. However, I can't help being a little flattered and hope anyone downloading it will want to read the rest of the trilogy, Un-Stable Lane and The Third Lane, and the next book, Never Run Away which is a legitimate ebook.For more information they only have to see my website www.juliecround.com, where they can also follow my blog.
Tagged:

Comments

  • Usually these sites don't contain your novel, just a virus for anyone who tries to download. More likely to put someone off forever, i'm afraid.
  • Even if it were being pirated, it is not good.
  • It's never good. But those who opt to try and cheat authors from their income by downloading a cheap PDF version will be rewarded by either having their payment method cloned or receiving a nasty virus. Perhaps even both.
  • I read they don't bother scanning it - which takes ages. There's never a novel at the end of it. Possibly just a cover and a little present.

    I have however had artwork taken down from a site by sending them a notice, it went immediately, and you can also find out who the site is run by and report them to Google who will remove them.
  • Yes it's flattering - in the same way that if someone broke into your home, nicked your computer and smashed everything up, you should take that as a compliment on having such a nice place.

    The people who download (or try to download) the books are no better. People who steal books aren't going to buy the others, but they might blame you for any virus they get and try to get revenge online.
  • Just in case I wasn't clear - I don't think book piracy, or any other kind of copyright theft, is a good thing.
  • It amazes me how people find piracy so acceptable these days.

    It's no different to walking into a bookshop, taking a book and walking out with it.
  • It is a little bit different.
  • In what way?
  • 'Customers' won't realise it's a scam. They will just see it as a cheaper option.
  • I'm not so sure about that. I think most people are aware that books, even ebooks, are generally charged for and that if they're given away the author won't be getting anything.

    There might be a few people who stumble across the site thinking they've found a special offer or promotion, but whenever I've seen links on Facebook, twitter etc the comments make it clear the people passing on the links know that these are illegal downloads. Sometimes it's 'justified' by the 'fact' authors are already rich enough. Other times it's made out to be a noble act, as though charging for books is a form of oppression.

  • I think it's a bit like someone down the pub offering you half price blocks of cheese. He wouldn't say he'd nicked them, but I think most people would realise there was a chance the cheese wasn't really his to sell.
  • edited August 2015
    Sadly it's like those people who fall for internet scams, they don't genuinely know, and they buy or get given an e-reader being told there's lots of free books they can get, and they don't realise that not all of them are legitimate.

    There's a big difference when you knowingly get pirated e-books.
  • Poor Goldstick! The responses to her post must have left her feeling deflated.
  • Sorry. Goldstick. I didn't mean to have a go at you - you're the victim not the villian here.
  • Yes, you are the victim, Goldstick.
  • In what way?
    Book piracy is more like walking into an art shop, taking a picture of a painting and printing it out to put on your wall...rather than nicking the painting.

    Still a twonk for doing it, but it's not removing the painting from the shop.

    It's not like someone broke into your home, nicked your computer and smashed everything up to be flattering, it's like someone took pictures of your house and stole every single design idea, started dressing up like you, and renamed their husband to suit your fella's name. Again, not the right thing to do and I'm certainly not defending it, but it is not comparable to breaking and entering and smashing a computer.

    Cloning my dog and living with the clone is not the same as stealing my dog. I wouldnt be very happy about it, but...
  • I disagree. A book is the sum of its words. The words have been stolen.

    Actually, they haven't because the words probably won't be there, just a big old virus, but they have done much worse than just copied her style - they have taken her work and associated it with underhand dealings, with creepy people who like to broadcast destruction.

    If the words are there they have done both, taken her work (which can be sold as a PDf just as easily as in book form) and sullied it.
  • I quite often Google my books and there are 'free' copies of every one from multiple sources... except as you say, they're not really copies but 'orrible viruses. No idea why they do this.
  • Wow! Thanks folk, that really started a conversation. I'm glad I didn't take the advice to download it to see if it was from a disc or copied from the pages. It seems it could have been just a scam to get a credit card number.
    I was proud of that book because it was accepted as an audio book as well as being in print but I have very few copies left and can't afford to print any more. I was hoping a publisher would want to put all three of the trilogy in one hardback but it hasn't happened. My greatest delight is when I see how many folk have taken it out of the library.
  • People borrowing it from the library definitely is a good thing.
  • Goldstick, do your books have an ISBN? If they do, have you registered them for PLR?
  • Hi Carol, Yes, they do have an ISBN but I understood they have to be in a number of main libraries throughout the country before I got any PLR and as I only donated them to libraries in Sussex and no library has ever bought a copy I don't think I am eligible. That's the drawback with being the author and the publisher.
    While I'm writing - the new romance should be out this summer!
  • It doesn't matter that it's not in a lot of libraries Goldstick. When Sussex libraries get into the list of libraries being used, you might qualify. It might be ages before you get anything, but REGISTER THEM.
  • I thought I wouldn't get anything, but registered anyway in a fit of optimism.. They then changed the libraries which they use to collect the data to include my local one, so I'm getting a small payment this year.
  • That's the point, every year they change a portion of the libraries used, so you could go for ages not getting anything, then a library with your book in it, is in the list and your loans will benefit you.

  • Book piracy is more like walking into an art shop, taking a picture of a painting and printing it out to put on your wall...rather than nicking the painting.
    As I understand it, taking a photo of a painting would be considered the creation of a new artwork. If you buy a postcard of the Mona Lisa in The Louvre's giftshop, the copyright notice on the back would be assigned to whoever took the photo, not Leonardo Da Vinci.
    It amazes me how people find piracy so acceptable these days.
    It's no different to walking into a bookshop, taking a book and walking out with it.
    Book piracy is more like somebody going into a shop, taking your book from the shelf and reading it from cover to cover, before putting it back and walking away. Technically the book is still there, but the cheeky swine has got all the benefit without providing a fair reward for the author, the publisher, the retailer, the distributor, and everybody else involved in putting the book together.
  • My sister does it and she gave me free books once but I won't do it now. I have seen the twilight books available on microsoft store too but I couldn't report it as my laptop is playing up.
    I watch a lot of movies and tv online so there's probably not much difference but the only reason I do that is my local cinema is very expensive and my boyfriend and I rarely have time to go. And some shows aren't available over here or take forever to come on.
    I just feel that if I had a book published I'd not like it if people had it for free so I won't download anymore illegal free books. Though I do find that a lot of books and ebooks can be pricey in some shops and a lot cheaper in other shops and feel that consumers don't get a good deal. I suppose the writers don't either.
    I'm happy to support writers and buy their books but I also like a good deal. We live in a greedy society and also a society where everyone wants something for nothing, I'm happy to pay my due. If you can't afford to buy then borrow from the library.. if you can.

  • Book piracy is more like walking into an art shop, taking a picture of a painting and printing it out to put on your wall...rather than nicking the painting.
    As I understand it, taking a photo of a painting would be considered the creation of a new artwork. If you buy a postcard of the Mona Lisa in The Louvre's giftshop, the copyright notice on the back would be assigned to whoever took the photo, not Leonardo Da Vinci.

    Actually, this is not the case. You can't take a photo of an artwork that is in copyright, and if you do with permission then some of the money must go to the painter.

    A picture book writer some years ago did a picture book with famous painting in the background changed into the characters of his book. The galleries where the paintings were held and the copyright holders of the paintings involved stopped the book from being published because they demanded such high fees and/or didn't give permission.

  • I can understand the copyright holders having a say in it, but what claim do the galleries have? They may own the painting itself (or have it on loan, etc), but they don't own the idea expressed in the work. Or are they just expected to try to protect the work on behalf of the artist? I just don't see why galleries should get any payment for other people's work - whether the original artist or the photographer.
  • Happy to come back and see where this discussion leads but must thank the folk who encouraged me to register for PLR. Will do.
  • Coincidentally, after lurking about this discussion, I came across a couple of interesting articles/web site regarding counterfeiting eBooks and battling piracy:

    http://johndopp.com/writers/kindle-counterfeiting-a-growing-threat-to-authors/

    https://blasty.co/ (this tool removes illegal copies from Google searches and damages their ranking)
  • That's useful, CC.
Sign In or Register to comment.