Lexicon Urthus

Maru Dubshinki · 22 Jul 2005, 10:17 · from 2005-July.txt.gz

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From: marudubshinki at gmail.com (Maru Dubshinki)
Date: Fri Jul 22 10:17:00 2005
Subject: (urth) Lexicon Urthus
In-Reply-To: <18742859.1122051525111.JavaMail.root at wamui-karabash.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
References: <18742859.1122051525111.JavaMail.root at wamui-karabash.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <f5238c305072210051f5abc46 at mail.gmail.com>

Argument time!  Cory Doctorow, who releases his novels in a
multiplicity of formats, many of which are more convenient to read
(such as Palm editions), estimates his sales have at least *tripled*
because of people tasting his novels online and then buying the print
version for perusal. I see no reason why the same principle would not
hold for LU-  would you buy a 30$ reference book sight unseen? With no
verification of the contents besides what a few reviews say? (Err...
That's a hypothetical you, just for the record.)

And as far as the third-party goes... I'm not surprised at all. The
surprise would be if the converse happened.  I mean, didn't LU not
sell out its first printing? Didn't a bunch of unsold copies have to
be auctioned off on Ebay?  That doesn't sound like a potential
blockbuster, or even a modest seller, unfortunately. Too restricted in
its appeal.

~Maru

On 7/22/05, James Wynn <thewynns at earthlink.net> wrote:
> 
> >...one could make an argument that online copies would not
> >cannibalize a print-on-demand edition. At least for me, physical text
> >is superior to bits, and worth paying for.
> 
> One could make that argument, but most people will never get around to
> actually crossing the line and buying a book -- particularly a $30 reference
> book -- if the same information is available for free...despite their best
> intentions. It's just human nature. Still, I'm surprised a third-party
> publisher has not successfully made a paperback offer that was financially
> worth Mantis' while.
> 
> I'm very proud of my particular copy, and I only wish more Gene Wolfe fans
> would visit my house so I could gloat over it.
> 
> J
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