tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post3901564517099311782..comments2024-03-24T16:50:00.727-05:00Comments on Maria Zannini blogspot: Terrible, Mean, Rotten and One Good ThingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-36950077406018866092011-11-10T13:39:58.296-06:002011-11-10T13:39:58.296-06:00Live Out Loud: I know there were sales on B&N ...Live Out Loud: I know there were sales on B&N because the people who bought them volunteered their receipts as evidence.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-942684135914964122011-11-10T13:35:09.354-06:002011-11-10T13:35:09.354-06:00I just read someone likening pirating a book with ...I just read someone likening pirating a book with stealing from a store. If someone stole an item from a store, the police are called and the person is arrested. Yet piracy is all but ignored. Why? `Cause it's hard to find? <br /><br />Well, first off, I think attitudes like Mr. Gaiman's don't help the situation. He's saying it's okay. That attitude sneaks into otherwise honest people's brains - you tell an honest person something is okay and they'll have no little voice saying anything else.<br /><br />Piracy is just not taken seriously.<br /><br />And what about B&N? How do you know they aren't paying you for books bought? I always found them trustworthy and good. What should I be aware of - please tell me!!<br /><br />I'll check out the article on that website about branding. Every bit helps.<br /><br />I hope this 'icky' stuff gets all straightened out. Don't give up on good people, though, or the passion of writing, itself. (The minute you turn something you love into a business - BAM! You will regret it at some point. Maybe more than once, if I'm anything to go by.)Jennifer Oberthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14008884547045029128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-3163967676269081592011-11-07T06:02:20.193-06:002011-11-07T06:02:20.193-06:00Sondrae: You hit upon a great attack idea--albeit ...Sondrae: You hit upon a great attack idea--albeit time consuming.<br /><br />Much like killing someone you know, it's hard to steal from someone if you know their first name.<br /><br />It's the anonymous nature of these robberies that makes it so attractive to them.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-1942757762840591252011-11-06T15:33:16.034-06:002011-11-06T15:33:16.034-06:00Last month, tired of being ignored by bit torrent ...Last month, tired of being ignored by bit torrent sites and the like, I joined a bunch of them and sent messages to the individuals posting the downloads. I hoped that by pleading my case to the people responsible and explaining the issue, I would get a better response. One person was nice enough to comply. The others ignored me. Before I'd done this, I'd believed the problem was people not understanding what they were doing was wrong. I'm not sure what to believe anymore, but I agree that piracy a big problem.Sondrae Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02990517502363224333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-86027678979711330662011-11-06T05:53:34.887-06:002011-11-06T05:53:34.887-06:00Hi Kaz: We're smart people. You'd think we...Hi Kaz: We're smart people. You'd think we'd be able to come up with a Jack-in-the-box where if someone downloaded an illegal copy of our books their computers would freeze for 30 minutes.<br /><br />--I could think of worse scenarios but scaring them for half an hour seemed the less traumatizing. :)<br /><br />Or maybe illegal downloads only get half the book. The other half has to be downloaded from the original vendor.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-39713986265198962382011-11-06T05:00:36.067-06:002011-11-06T05:00:36.067-06:00M was too discreet to say so, but she was talking ...M was too discreet to say so, but she was talking about me with the downloads. Krista, I didn't put DRM on my books. I priced a 90K novel at $3.99. I put it on Smashwords in as many formats as the day is long. And I still counted around 1,400 downloads from various pirate sites before I became too depressed and gave up.<br /><br /><br /><br />I know that not all pirate downloads equate to possible sales. In fact, that's the only piece of good news I can find in this. But I have tried doing the right thing by the reader and it's still apparently not enough. All I can do is soldier on. I'm not jacking up prices. I'm not adding DRM. But the knee-jerk reaction to do so is difficult to subdue.Kaz Augustinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01839835518368442832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-60846565143219439552011-11-05T12:32:17.722-05:002011-11-05T12:32:17.722-05:00Hi Cate! That blog rocked. Good for her.
Does it ...Hi Cate! That blog rocked. Good for her.<br /><br />Does it sometimes feel to you like we're pounding our heads against the wall?<br /><br />I'm not asking for a free ride, just an even break.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-64732593947874395772011-11-05T07:51:33.618-05:002011-11-05T07:51:33.618-05:00Oh don't even get me started on illegal downlo...Oh don't even get me started on illegal downloading (pirates is too romanticized a term, they deserve to be called much worse!). Most know they have us by the short hairs, and arguing does little good (I've tried, and was basically laughed at).<br />That's why I love this author for what she's doing: http://istealbooksfromhardworkingauthors.blogspot.com/<br />Unfortunately it takes so much time to track down all these illegal sites, it leaves no time for writing. So I don't. Like you, I'm trying to educate readers on how terribly it impacts us to share even one book.<br />And yes, unfortunately, unscrupulous publishers exist too. I've been lucky so far, but I know other authors who haven't. And it astounds me, that anyone would go into business to suck the life blood from another.<br />Sadly, some self-publishing sites also "fail to pay" (Lulu, for one).<br />*sigh* Think I'll join you for that Bailey's Krista!Cate Mastershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01371792447604980848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-13679006624942308332011-11-05T06:49:01.605-05:002011-11-05T06:49:01.605-05:00Madeleine: I've had some friends and coworkers...Madeleine: I've had some friends and coworkers who gripe about everything around them, but fail to see that they're just as bad as the people they criticize.<br /><br />I say if it isn't hurting you, just chill. The world isn't here to entertain you 24/7.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-18971594410336594882011-11-05T06:38:41.950-05:002011-11-05T06:38:41.950-05:00Og bless you Maria I can understand your upset and...Og bless you Maria I can understand your upset and your anger. I do hope things change for the better for you soon. <br /><br />Your comment about ignoring boring blogs made me smile :O))))<br />Congrats on being given the Harequin/Carina Shout outAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-10894337961740168442011-11-04T16:07:37.265-05:002011-11-04T16:07:37.265-05:00Jennifer: The sad part is, that's only one sit...Jennifer: The sad part is, that's only one site. <br /><br />***<br />Reece: Hiya, Reece. Glad you stopped by.<br /><br />Ref: Promo<br />I hate to break it to you, but no matter what route you take to publication, the onus of promo is always going to be on you--even in traditional publishing. That's just the way it is now.<br /><br />There are a few people who get the glam treatment, but those are few and far between.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-6196271242758339432011-11-04T15:41:50.802-05:002011-11-04T15:41:50.802-05:00Hi Maria! Thanks for commenting on my blog! I alwa...Hi Maria! Thanks for commenting on my blog! I always like hearing from new people.<br /><br />I'm really excited to read the article you mentioned here. I'm still on the fence about which publishing route to follow, and my biggest apprehension about self-publishing is promotion/branding/advertising. I hope this might have some tips.<br /><br />Also, I'm a new follower.Reecehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16610242701129500313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-65945278128220307002011-11-04T13:47:56.229-05:002011-11-04T13:47:56.229-05:00974 times? Oh my gosh that makes me SICK for your ...974 times? Oh my gosh that makes me SICK for your friend. That's a lot of money lost. :( <br />HATE PIRATES!!<br /><br />Hey, that's awesome about ROmanceU!! That's a VERY good thing.Jennifer Shirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16970585847385511795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-16842856102729204682011-11-03T21:09:39.480-05:002011-11-03T21:09:39.480-05:00Susan: It truly feels like you've been violate...Susan: It truly feels like you've been violated.<br /><br />Denise: I keep hoping B&N will pony up with a response. No news makes them look irresponsible.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-89614116031427583892011-11-03T20:02:05.612-05:002011-11-03T20:02:05.612-05:00Hi Maria. This is a sad story of loss. Nasty news ...Hi Maria. This is a sad story of loss. Nasty news of B&N. Congrats on your mention on Romance University.<br /><br />DeniseDenise Covey https://www.blogger.com/profile/07106490051555233439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-71442774459833538412011-11-03T19:58:25.359-05:002011-11-03T19:58:25.359-05:00I didn't get pirated until my third book came ...I didn't get pirated until my third book came up and I saw an immediate drop in my sales. I feel so helpless against piracy. <br />Shame on B&N.Susan Gourley/Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02669793865290876168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-87852424883403754512011-11-03T19:28:41.655-05:002011-11-03T19:28:41.655-05:00Sarah: Just think. You'll be dealing with this...Sarah: Just think. You'll be dealing with this soon enough.<br /><br /><br />Jenny: Ref: Gee, Harlequin sure is slow. I knew you were the person to watch for branding and marketing savvy ages ago. :)<br /><br />LOL. You get the prize for the nicest thing anyone has said to me all day. Thanks.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-27651600425596827742011-11-03T18:37:30.099-05:002011-11-03T18:37:30.099-05:00Gee, Harlequin sure is slow. I knew you were the p...Gee, Harlequin sure is slow. I knew you were the person to watch for branding and marketing savvy ages ago. :)<br /><br />On the less positive stuff...isn't there a lot of that going around lately? *sigh* Maybe I should open the chocolate stash that didn't get distributed on Halloween?Jenny Schwartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00320451924849353120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-23936006700815929292011-11-03T18:16:34.987-05:002011-11-03T18:16:34.987-05:00ugh. All this stuff stresses me out. I don't k...ugh. All this stuff stresses me out. I don't know how you handle itSarah Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02795455714801965956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-89923062857083059142011-11-03T18:11:23.651-05:002011-11-03T18:11:23.651-05:00Jackie - don't even get me started on DRM plac...Jackie - don't even get me started on DRM placed on *free* items.<br /><br />Maria - There is a fair bit of discussion in the tech world over how revenue is generated for these pirate sites. There are the blatant thieves who actually sell pirated copies of books (generally these are translations, but I've seen english ones, too). Those are easy to shut down.<br /><br />The file sharing ones are significantly tougher to close because they are just host sites. Those seem to make their money from email harvesting and adware/malware. After all, if you are running a pirate transfer site, do you really care if people get malware for visiting? Probably not.Krista D. Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13735832053631141449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-51001939402722486772011-11-03T16:38:46.153-05:002011-11-03T16:38:46.153-05:00Barbara: My guess is that pirate sites are netting...Barbara: My guess is that pirate sites are netting revenue, harvesting emails, and growing a market. I could be wrong, but I think it's a fair guess they wouldn't do it unless there was something in it for them (or their company).<br /><br />Krista: Education may be our only tool. But first we have to educate other authors.<br /><br />Jackie: I am really ticked off with B&N. I want them so much to succeed, but they're not giving me the warm fuzzy feeling of trust. I hope I'm wrong, but I have a feeling, I'm not.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-9042039576941106842011-11-03T16:16:53.072-05:002011-11-03T16:16:53.072-05:00I am only going to comment on the (1 good thing) c...I am only going to comment on the (1 good thing) congratulations Maria, someone took your work and thought it was worthy of passing on in a positive manner.<br />Now as to the other, my view on stealing in any shape form or fashion is it is illegal, that is not to say that like Krista if I buy something that has DRM on it that I am not going to strip if off so can add the file to my Kindle to read a book that I paid for (including the freebies from B&N that I convert to Mobi files once strip the DRM).<br /><br />However thank goodness you are aware of what is going on early, hope things work out with B&N and surely pray you do not give up and quit because your imagination is too good not to share with the rest of us in story form in published books!Jackiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02181111718630957098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-79627046301230401722011-11-03T15:08:00.420-05:002011-11-03T15:08:00.420-05:00Maria - I like the cap analogy! I've bought th...Maria - I like the cap analogy! I've bought the drugs. I just want to be able to get into them and pop them whenever I have a headache. <br /><br />(ok, that was another bad example...can you give me something that won't lead to this?? ;) )<br /><br />Like I said, if I see a friend being pirated, I definitely report to their publisher. Also, if I'm in the mood, sometimes I also report them to their host site, just an addition kick in the teeth. <br /><br />It's easier for information to be given away now than before. Most people didn't know how to use a BBS (how many of you even know what I'm talking about?), let alone transfer information that way. Today, it just takes a search engine. <br /><br />It's like when I buy a movie and I can't skip through the part that tells me why pirating movies is wrong. It's preaching to the choir. <br /><br />As artists, I think the best we can do is educate people. That's also the flip side of the internet. People can get to know authors. It's harder to steal from someone who you know.Krista D. Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13735832053631141449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-28680715450559003312011-11-03T14:54:30.980-05:002011-11-03T14:54:30.980-05:00I hate thieves of all kinds, and it bugs me when p...I hate thieves of all kinds, and it bugs me when pirates don't count themselves among them. They should take a good look at who they're hurting.Barbara Ann Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01751427987081847906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-39958126771751419682011-11-03T13:54:32.092-05:002011-11-03T13:54:32.092-05:00Krista: My thinking is that stripping DRM is like ...Krista: My thinking is that stripping DRM is like asking the pharmacist to change out the child-proof medicine caps to regular caps so I can open the darn bottle.<br /><br />I don't see it as piracy unless it's done with the intent of redistributing the content to others.<br /><br />I really didn't understand DRM in the beginning. I can see why it's used, though I think it does little to impede true pirates.<br /><br />You are correct in your assumption that my main beef is with those who redistribute content wholesale.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.com