What's the big deal? Well, it isn't just the publishers who lose out when "pre-owned" copies of new books are bought and sold; the authors, who get the smallest cut of the book sales pie, don't get a crumb!

Customers get ripped off buying "used books" this way as well: postage charges add up because you pay to ship each book separately. Honestly, you can end up paying as much (or more!) for a used book as a new one!

Many of the "used" books, especially romances, offered for sale are actually from publishers "clubs" that subscribers get
weeks before they reach retail shelves? Some "used books" being sold (like on e-bay) are actually special review copies (also called ARCs) sent to reviewers by publishers—and are boldly marked: "Not For Resale!"

Incidentally, since not all publishers send out review copies for all their new titles, many authors who want their books reviewd have to send complimentary copies to reviewers at their own expense. Often the authors have to pay for the books as well as the postage! Ouch!

You may be wondering "So what?" After all, look at the price of books today!
Besides, don't all authors make money hand-over-fist?

The short answer is: No. (The long answer is: No, too.)

But authors do get paid, don't they?
Sort of, but not the way wage and salary earners do.

Most publishers pay royalties only twice a year? Yes, that's twice a year!

Imagine trying to budget for a whole year when the pay checks come six months apart (unless they're late). Or not getting paid at all because the publisher printed so few copies that even if you sold 100%, your book couldn't earn back the advance money you received. Plus, you can never know from one payment period to another how much —or how little—your check will be, because publishers don't like to say how many copies they printed and shipped.

What does this have to do with sales of "pre-owned" books?

First, publishers only pay authors for sales of new books. When copies of currently available titles are sold as "used," the authors don't get a cent.

Talented authors often have to supplement their writing income with other jobs, or quit writing altogether. Many authors who seem to have disappeared haven't been abducted by aliens; they can't make a living by writing.

Second, when book stores return copies of unsold books for credit, the number of returns is charged to authors' earnings.

Third, publishers use the return figures during contract negotiations, or sometimes to cancel an author's contract.

Fourth, book stores use the return figures to determine their orders of future books.

The bottom line is, it's always the authors' bottom lines that take the hits. Yes, we love writing, but we don't want to write for love!

Am I against the sale of used books?
Not at all, if the books are back list titles that are out-of-print, not brand new titles, and not review copies.

A little bit of light goes out in our universe every time poverty forces an author to quit.