I’ve been watching with some fascination how
quickly opinions can turn against popular authors that display a different way
of thinking.
It’s shameful, really.
There’s a popular discussion board that I used to
read and engage with. I won’t name the board, but I’m sure that most authors
and a lot of readers will be able to guess its name.
When Amazon introduced the changes to Kindle Unlimited,
I was against it at first. My reasoning was that nothing Amazon could do would
make KU palatable for me. I’ve already blogged about what led me to my business decision, and why I’ve put
all of my work again exclusive to Amazon.
But, there’s the other camp.
I’m talking about the camp that totally shifted
their writing plans to the point that short stories were all that they wrote.
They counted on Kindle Unlimited’s first setup of paying out $1.33 or more for any borrow, no matter the length. They
based their business, and earnings, on a system of borrows rather than a system of sales.
Now, since Amazon has changed the game with a pay-per-page
payout, which nobody should find
unfair, they’re crying the blues because they can’t get more for a borrow than
the sale price of the short story itself!
I write both short stories and novels. The last
short story that I have published was in June of 2014, a full month before
Amazon started Kindle Unlimited, so there’s no way anyone can say that my short
stories were intended to “game the system”. As a matter of fact, I only had any of my work in KU for only one three
month period during what is now called KU1. I didn’t like the payout – I got
more for a short story than I felt that I deserved, and I didn’t earn enough
for my novels. I pulled out, and went wide.
For any of my work, short or long, I would rather
sell a copy than have someone borrow it. But, if they can’t afford to buy it, I
still want the reader to have access to it…and if a lending library like KU is
the way to get that story to readers, that’s great! The per-page payout now is
a nice, fair bonus…and those that
want to buy the story can still do so!
Hugh Howey made some comments about how much
fairer this new system is to every author, and I agreed with him. He also made
some comments about some authors “flapping their wings” in panic over the
changes. He was harshly and unfairly criticized for suggesting that it might be
a bit early for a panic over pages read. He also commented that authors that
write long stories would now be much more fairly treated in KU2, and that short
writers might consider writing longer works. I agreed with this as well.
You know why I agreed?
I write both. And a page read is a page read. If
someone reads one of my short stories in KU, I love it. If they read one of my
novels, I love that, too. I’m recompensed no matter which one of my stories,
novels, or boxed sets get read. I get the same amount per page no matter what!
I’m upset over people being so vehement and
intolerant of other authors’ business choices. It seems as if all the people
that have opted out of KU2 have chosen to shout down those that have chosen to
go in.
Remember that discussion board that I mentioned? I’ve
stopped actively posting there. I still lurk, and read comments, but I don’t
think I need the negativity.
Another private group that I participated in
suddenly tried to bring in negative comments about Hugh Howey, and KU2 in
general. I “unjoined” that community.
I’ve had enough, quite frankly. Choose to
participate in Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited, or choose not to participate. YOUR
decision is yours alone. I have no say-so in where your work is distributed,
nor do I want a say-so. It’s your
business, and your books…not mine.
By the same token, I demand that you respect my choices. I’m doing what I feel is
best for my business, and my books.
And it’s time for a little mutual respect for
other authors and their choices…without being insulting.
You, as an author, are always welcome to disagree
with me, and I may disagree with you. But there’s no reason that disagreement
must make a villain out of either of us.
As for you fans, please…
Keep reading!
T. M. Bilderback (But you can call me Michael)
Visit my website: www.tmbilderback.com
Follow me on Twitter: @mrtmbilderback
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