For more separation to take place, we also need standards and the right connections so small publishers and independent authors can still have their offerings distributed widely with minimal effort.

It’s already happening to a great extent today in ways beyond the ePub format standard. I’m grateful to Draft to Digital, PublishDrive and others for facilitating my nonAmazon digital distribution. I wish libraries counted more in marketing and could go out of their way to run buying links to local bookstores, not just national chains, for paper and even electronic purchases. Maybe it’s time for libraries, D2D and similar outfits to get together. D2D’s production interface for publishers is amazing, and PublishDrive has made good progress. Same for Findaway’s site for audiobook originators.

Meanwhile I’m having Ingram also print and distribute my thriller in paperback (and also hardback) even though the interface and production speed could be much better. The novel is available one way or another through OverDrive (digital library versions), B&N, Apple, Kobo, Google, Walmart, Scribd (digital rental) and other places inside and outside the U.S.

I guess you get the idea. I couldn’t agree with you more about the need for Amazon alternatives, and I’m trying to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. You didn’t mention the issue of content costs for libraries, but for what it’s worth, I’m personally charging them no more than consumers for copies of the book in any format. I can’t control OverDrive and others I sell to through distributors. But I’d hope my book would still be much much cheaper than otherwise.

Finally–yes, thanks for buying the book! Enjoy!

David

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I can assure you I did not buy your books from Amazon, and I appreciate your supporting a more healthy market.

You wouldn’t have to worry as much about anti-trust if we eliminated all of this “vertical integration” nonsense. Separating the sellers and producers benefited everyone for hundreds of years, and there’s no reason it couldn’t work in the digital space.

“Be the better company”, not “they can’t leave”.

But I hope you are right and that this helps lead to a world where buying a book means reading it however and whenever you want.

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Thanks, Logan, for your take on DRM and monopoly. I really wish anti-trusters would ban Amazon from giving writers strong incentives to publish exclusively with that company. I’m distributing my new thriller all over the place. The result is that I’m missing out on certain promotional opportunities on Amazon. David

PS Despite my concerns over Amazon’s monopoly position, I do think its latest ePub approach may unwittingly hurt DRM.

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As long as one player remains dominant, DRM is likely to stick around.

We finally made progress on music when Amazon used it as a feature to compete with Apple.

We see some progress for audiobooks with the (presumptive ) #2 also being a large player (in that space) using DRM-free as a selling point.

Amazon’s share of the eBook market is so dominant and anti-competitive that I often find titles published _only_ in the one market.

Thank you for publishing tips to help recognize this garbage. Other than standouts like Martha Wells, most are happy to hide the lock-in aspect of our purchases from us.

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