No, writing for money is fine. The big fat "intro to whatever" books that are 1200 pages are a problem and that is precisely because the authors are paid by the page. $20/page for the low end. Higher for more reputable tech authors. It's as laughable as paying programmers per line, but that's what they do.
>> The big fat "intro to whatever" books that are 1200 pages are a problem...
Why are they a problem? Is someone forcing you to buy them?
It's my impression that authors sign contracts with publishers that set the price, rather than some open-ended deal that sees a publisher agree to pay a fixed price per page. (What's a "page", anyway?) A publisher could not control its costs if it allowed writers to determine what it paid for manuscripts.
Frankly, it's my impression that all those huge books exis
The problem is that quite often a smaller book is more readable and informative than a larger book. Publishers who emphasize quanity over quality probably have sound business reasons, but this simultaneously does a disservice the craft of writing and the pastime of reading.
If you think a book is too long, don't read it. On the other hand, I might think it's just about right, and wonder why you bought that puny little thing you're reading. You and I don't have any right to decide for others what is worth reading or not.
It is nice to know you're worried about "the craft of writing and the pastime of reading". but I'm pretty certain those aren't uppermost in the minds of commercial authors and publishers. Nor in mine. We're talking computer books he
Why Are These People So Naive? (Score:3, Insightful)
Geez, how did some people become so naive? Just figuring out that professional authors write for money? And you're offended by it?
Re:Why Are These People So Naive? (Score:1)
Re:Why Are These People So Naive? (Score:2)
Why are they a problem? Is someone forcing you to buy them?
It's my impression that authors sign contracts with publishers that set the price, rather than some open-ended deal that sees a publisher agree to pay a fixed price per page. (What's a "page", anyway?) A publisher could not control its costs if it allowed writers to determine what it paid for manuscripts.
Frankly, it's my impression that all those huge books exis
Re:Why Are These People So Naive? (Score:1)
Re:Why Are These People So Naive? (Score:2)
If you think a book is too long, don't read it. On the other hand, I might think it's just about right, and wonder why you bought that puny little thing you're reading. You and I don't have any right to decide for others what is worth reading or not.
It is nice to know you're worried about "the craft of writing and the pastime of reading". but I'm pretty certain those aren't uppermost in the minds of commercial authors and publishers. Nor in mine. We're talking computer books he