Authors: What to do about ebook ripped and shared?

[mckitterick]

So I happened to do a search on my book and discovered that the top results no longer link to my website (or Amazon or Powell's or Alibris or whatever) but instead to a wide variety of file-sharing networks.

Is this normal these days? Do I combat it by doing the same, offering my own free download on my website as an "official" way to get it free? Do I contact all the forum managers to remove such posts - or is that a Sisyphean effort? Or do I not try to combat it at all and learn to like it?

Huh!

EDIT: Or should I just take it as a compliment that someone liked it enough to share it? *sigh*

EDIT2: I've decided to fight fire with fire and just give it away electronically!

Thanks for any advice,
Chris

Comments

[the-monkey-king.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this sucks and people oughta know better, but... I've seen a LOT of torrented books and magazines with my name on them. Take down the worst offenders, make your own site the home for this as far as you can, and hope your fans also put down cash for other things.

I'm always amazed that people don't seem to think authors who are paid for their work are likely to make more of it. But the siren call of "free books" is pretty strong.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping my new strategy of giving it away, myself, and asking friends to link to the "official" sites does the trick!