No Win for Readers and Writers: Commentary on Amazon v. Hachette

Readers, like writers, have been caught in the middle of a feud over e-book distribution terms and pricing between the Hachette book publishing company and Amazon.com.  On Nov. 13, the two announced they had reached a settlement. But the terms were not disclosed, and there’s been nary a word about its implications for readers and […]

The Many Faces of Self-Publishing

Traditional publishing has become so restrictive that many authors say, “Forget 7 percent royalties and giving up rights to media that haven’t been invented yet! I’ll self-publish.” That can be a great alternative. More accurately, it can be a lot of alternatives, including much higher royalties. But do your homework first, so you’ll know what […]

NWU Supports Librarians’ Objections to Publishers’ E-Book Licensing Terms

The National Writers Union today strongly endorsed the objections to major book publishers’ treatment of e-book licensing terms made public last week in an open letter from the American Library Association. “Readers need to know that the unfair demands of publishers, not writers, are the obstacle to library availability and lending of e-books,” announced NWU […]