Also known as…. how pirating/filesharing sites cost readers in general.

more animals

Today I had plans to get some work done on a Hunter novella I’m planning on submitting to EC-that was my morning task.

My afternoon task won’t change-I’m working on my third book in my current Berkley contract and putting together a proposal for three more books. Deadlined type of stuff, which takes priority and can’t wait.

Plans fell apart and instead of spending a few hours working on a new ebook for EC, I spent several hours–yes, hours, not a few minutes, but half of my morning, dealing with a few sites that have my pirated work loaded onto them. I watch the sites on a regular basis. On a regular basis, I have to take time away from writing to deal with these sites.

Which means I’m taking time away from writing more ebooks. As I said, the stuff for Berkley is already contracted, under deadline, it doesn’t wait. I’m not using family time to deal with piracy, either. Being a mom is priority #1.

So where do I have to sacrifice to deal with this? By not working on an ebook. Which means…it takes longer to get one written, which means…I don’t write as many. I don’t put out as many books.

This is beyond frustrating for me. I realize it’s not exactly fair to those who don’t fileshare/pirate.

But I have little choice. I have to protect my work-there’s no question of not doing that. Not for me. If I don’t stand up for my rights as a writer, nobody will. So I have to do this.

I have to meet my deadlines, because if I don’t, I won’t have as good a chance at getting more contracts. I do need the income I get from writing ebooks still…

Or rather, I need some supplementary income-however, it’s becoming glaringly clear that I don’t have to get that supplementary income from writing. Especially when it’s becoming less and less worth it on a financial level, considering the time I put into my books.

I’m a trained professional. I’m in a career where there is high demand. Sadly, something I’m considering more and more is to stop writing ebooks altogether and pick up a part time job in nursing. Working parttime, I can still meet my deadlines for Berkley, and since nurses tend to have a lot of flexible options when it comes to shift work, I can pick up a few shifts that won’t cut into weekends too much.

However, if I decide to go that route, that means I may end up not writing any more books for ebook publication. I’m done with staying up until 2 or 3 in the morning to try and get a book done, yet get up to go into work @ six. If I go back to work part time, my writing time is going to devoted to my books that I sell to NYC.

Most of the people reading this probably understand/respect the fact that I have a right to protect my work. I have the right to benefit from those works-it is my job. But I know some people think that writers do it just to have their work read and the gratification/benefits should come regardless of how people read the work. These people are wrong.

For a writer, the gratification comes from knowing that you’re able to put your talents to use in a way that lets you provide for your family.

My writing is my income. My income is what lets me provide for my family. Knowing that I’m doing that is my gratification. Doesn’t mean I don’t love writing books that people enjoy reading. But the ultimate gratification comes from when I can give my kids more than I had as a child. It comes from knowing that I’ll be able to provide for them, care for them, give them all the little extras I wish I’d had as a child.

That’s my gratification. If I’m not able to do that, then busting my tail keeping up a steady stream of ebooks as well as my NY releases isn’t rewarding. It’s demoralizing. It’s depressing. If I don’t find the benefits in writing for multiple houses and writing my tail off, well, then I’ll stop the ebooks, get a part time job and focus more on the NY releases.

Yes, I know those get pirated, but I also know their legal departments are more capable of handling these messes, quicker and more thorough. I also know I make better money writing for NY and as I get more established, that will only improve. My stability with NY is becoming more and more solid with every passing month. My stability with my ebook pubs decreases…more and more every each month.

Whether people read my books or not, if they like reading, then they are affected by filesharing and pirating. Many authors try to be vigilant and protect their work-which means…they take time away from writing. Which means…fewer books. I’m a reader, too. I know what I want is MORE books from my faves, not fewer.

So yes, filesharing and pirating hurts readers, too.

Man, talk about a depressing way to start the day.