Royalties & copyright (WAS: Lot 49)

[Kevin Troy]

Authors don't _directly_ receive royalties from sales of used copies.
But they _indirectly_ get a royalty from them, b/c the cover price on
the original copy (which is the basis for the royalty) is higher in a
market where books can be re-sold than it would be in a market where
books couldn't be resold.  Or in other words, part of the price the
original purchaser pays is for the ability to re-sell the book -- both
for the IP right to do so, but also for a durable product (acid-free
paper, a binding that won't fall apart, etc.) -- and a portion of that
"markup" is passed on to the author in royalties.

So don't feel too bad for all the authors out there when you buy or
sell a used book.

Incidentally, on the subject of copyright, here's a funny coincidence:
http://www.amazon.com/Inherent-Vice-Histories-Videotape-Copyright/dp/0822343762/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251424873&sr=1-2

Considering that this "other IV" came out only in June, I'm trying to
imagine the conversations the author must have had w/ his editors @
Duke UP when he heard about P's IV....


****ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOLLOWS****
From: Dave Monroe <against.the.dave at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: The Crying of Lot 49

Me, I'm always happy to find something online when I need a quick
citation, am not up to typing entire paragraphs, and so on, but I do
tend to have/get hardcopies of most eveything I post from here, so ...

.. though keep in mind, it's not as if anyone's getting royalties from
used copies ...