Dragaera

Map and RPGs

Tue Jun 4 21:25:33 PDT 2002

Okay, still getting used to this email list; I responded to a previous email
directly to Mr. Brust, not the list.

I gather by 'jobbers and wholesalers' you're referring to small bookstores
and their ilk?  I can understand why this upsets people, but I don't
understand how this would affect paperback sales. Is it the case that the
larger chains are pushing the top-ten authors (Clancy, King, etc...) and not
stocking the lesser known authors? Or is it that their increased buying
power is forcing publishers to sell their wares at a lower price?

Thanks!

-Scott

> At 11:45 PM 6/4/2002 -0400, Beldarrin at aol.com wrote:
> >
> >
> >~ Steph (who, by the way, is also waiting for "Issola" to come out in
> >paperback,
>
> It is taking Tor a *long* time to bring out the paperback.  This is
because
> the hardcover has been selling extraordinarily well, and they aren't
stupid.
>
> To be honest, I have mixed feelings about this.  I like the idea of the
> books being available as cheaply as possible as quickly as possible.  I'm
> all for libraries and used book stores.
>
> On the other hand, paperback sales (for everyone, not just me) have been
> catastrophic since the jobbers and wholesalers have all bought been
> up.  Writers a lot better than I am have had to get day jobs.  The only
> reason I have been able to continue writing full time is because, for some
> reason (I think Tor has something to do with it), my hardcover sales took
> off just about the same time as the paperback market collapsed.
>
> So, as I say, I have mixed feelings.  I really hate the idea of having to
> get a day job, but I'm not entirely happy with asking people to pay
> hardcover prices.
>
> So my tentative conclusion is: I'll write them, and let Tor worry about
> selling them, and let the readers do as they think best.
>
> Anyway, those are my thoughts on the paperback delay, in case anyone is
> interested.
>
>
>