Autographed Copies Poll

[rolanni]

As some of you may know (we didn't, until it was pointed out to us by an Alert Reader), Baen has decided to release two editions of some top-line 2012 books: A regular, unsigned copy at The Usual Price Point ($22 - $24); and a limited-to-1000-copy signed edition for $30. These editions would be released simultaneously and be available equally through all vendors, including Amazon.com and BN. This would effect books by David Weber, John Ringo, Larry Correia, and Lee-and-Miller.

I'm curious how readers might feel about the price difference between the signed and unsigned editions. When we were signing hardcover preorders for Meisha Merlin, back in the day, there was no extra charge for our signatures, so personally I'm rather. . .non-plussed by this new scheme. I do know that Very Special Editions -- such as slip-cased editions, or illustrated editions -- command higher prices, and rightly so, but it just seems. . .wrong to charge people for ink.

So! What do you think?


[Poll #1793777]

Comments

[grassrose.livejournal.com]

I don't see the publisher as doing much extra to provide the signed editions. I'd pay a few dollars extra, and as others point out, HAVE paid a few dollars extra in shipping and by pre-ordering and paying full retail, to get signed copies of your books. With the chapbooks, I've not paid more; I just had to be careful to get my order in on time.

Bottom line, if a signed book costs more, I'd want ALL of the extra money to go to the author(s). Much as I like Baen for their DRM-free format and extra bennies in the hardcovers, I don't think THEY should be paid for YOUR extra work.

I'm gradually moving my library to my e-reader as well, but there will always be space on my shelves for my favorite writers :o)

[6-penny.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a very cynical gimmick. And probable aimed at granny, or Aunt Tilly who is desperately looking for something special to give for Christmas and thinks that a mass produced signature will make it so.
The cynic in me suspects that the greater percentage of the price increase will be split between the publisher and Amazon, with a penny or two for the author.
As Lee and Miller are two people would the price markup be $10?

[gingerwood.livejournal.com]

For me I think it's a little more complicated. I'll go for the signed copy if it's a special pre-order, or It'll be an excuse to make a special trip to uncle hugos rather than picking it up at B&N. But if everything else was equal and I was presented with a signed and unsigned copy at the time of purchase and the signed copy was more? I just don't see paying extra just for that. It may not be strictly rational, but that seems to be the way I operate.

[brock-tn.livejournal.com]

In theory, a signed copy of a work is more valuable upon resale than an unsigned copy. Viewing prices for signed books at a site which can distinguish between the two, (like Bookfinder.com,) would seem to support the theory.

That having been said, I don't buy books as investments. I buy them because I want to read them. For authors I care about, having a signed copy makes owning the book a little more meaningful to me, and in those cases I would not object to paying a little extra for the signatures. Of course, at present I'm well able to afford paying a little extra. When I was an impecunious student, hardcover books were an unaffordable luxury, and paying extra for an autographed copy would have been unthinkable.

In this case, I am presuming that Baen will pass on a portion of the price increases to the authors. If they were not going to do so, I would be very much against this scheme. As I've said elsewhere, increasing the amount of money that authors get from their writing seems to encourage them to write more. I'm in favor of that.

[caoilfhionn.livejournal.com]

For additional money, I would expect to get a book unique in more than having an author's name hand-written in it. Even the inclusion of something like a separate, limited-edition image would do it, depending on the book. But not just the same book in the same covers for a higher price.

I don't make an effort to collect signatures, but I enjoy getting them for a few special books. It's meaningful more for the memory of standing in line with other fans and chatting briefly with the makers of work that I enjoy. I've picked up signed editions because they were the only ones available, and I felt a bit cheated that I didn't get to enjoy the pilgrimage.

However, I picked "maybe" here because I can see a few cases in which I might fork out the extra. If it were an author I loved but expected never to see in person, I might take it. If I felt it was going to benefit the author significantly, or if it was a fundraiser for charity, I might take it. If it was somehow the only way to get hold of the book RIGHT NOW, I might take it. But in most cases I would do my own autograph-hunting.

[badgermirlacca.livejournal.com]

If it's just a matter of a signature in a book, then no, I don't think it's reasonable to ask for more money--not unless you're also going to start charging fans for signing books, period, and if you do that, I suspect both your signings and your fandom will suffer.

Why should I pay more for a signed copy of a book when I can get an unsigned copy and then go to a signing and not only get the signature but "meet" the author (okay, at least SEE the author signing the book) as well? Makes no sense to me.

Signed copies

[rexrambo.livejournal.com]

Charging for signed copies is OK if the author(s) get a majority of the extra revenue. 5-6 dollars seems reasonable to me.

Two concerns

[slweippert.livejournal.com]

It truly depends on price. Sometimes I can barely afford the book, period. Tacking on extra for a signature may put it out of my reach.
My other concern is how much of that signature charge is going to the author? If it's not all going to him/her I don't want to pay it. The publisher makes money off the sale and distribution, the author should make money off their signature.

[benbenberi.livejournal.com]

Since I generally buy fiction exclusively in ebook form these days, any dead-tree edition I buy is paying extra, and rare. I'm not a "collector," so there's no value to me in paying even more for a signature, and I wouldn't do it.

Autographed Copies

[edgreenberg.livejournal.com]

I always buy Miller/Lee books in hardback when they become available. I do that with very few authors, specifically those where I feel that they have brought so much reading pleasure into my life that I can't in good conscience just take them out of the library and return them. You guys are in the company of Anne McCaffrey and Robert Heinlein, in my view, and I can't think of any others. Since Anne M, stopped writing in Pernspace, and Robert H departed this world, Miller/Lee are the only authors that get this rigorous treatment from me. It should also be noted that I live in an RV, and buy VERY FEW books on paper at all. I can't. If I didn't limit the weight, "the ship would never again lift."

That said, I read the books for the content, and I buy them in response to a comment that Richard Bach once made, in Biplane, in which he stated that having somebody buy his book was like somebody coming up to him and buying him an ice cream cone, just for him.

I don't collect autographs, and I'm afraid that I won't be willing to spend extra cash to buy an autographed copy.

I buy the books to thank you for writing them, and I will continue to do this, since I expect you will continue to entertain me and warm my heart, but that's about it.

All the best,

Ed

Signed Editions

[(Anonymous)]

Times are tough and I expect that looking at various ways to earn more revenue for themselves and their authors is not A BAD THING. Toni seems like a tough lady but not a venal one.

I do not need a signed edition to read your books. I treasure your words, not your signatures.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

If they shared the extra money with the writers, maybe. But they are gonna spend it all on freight to get the signing accomplished, or on a separate binding run to tip in the signed leaves.

Bet?

[craig trader (from livejournal.com)]

I think it's perfectly legitimate for someone to charge more for a signed copy of a book than an unsigned copy -- the signature is seen as value added by most people. Of course different people will have their own ideas as to how much they are willing to pay for a signed copy, above and beyond an unsigned copy. In my case, that number would be ... zero. I'm buying the book to read it, not put it on a shelf (or worse, wrap it in plastic) and wait for the author to die to make it valuable.

Poll

[claire774.livejournal.com]

I left a comment which said basically that since I'm not a collector I probably wouldn't pay extra for a book advertised to be special because it's signed. I buy books read them. Mostly used copies. Except for special authors like Lee and Miller. Someone else said something similar. My post seems to have disappeared. Let's try again.
C.

Paying Extra for Signed Books

[wmazzanti.livejournal.com]

I have no problem paying extra for a signed book. I own several and have payed anywhere form $o.oo extra to over $350.00 extra for signed books. Granted the higher cost ones had extra things that came with them and were limited editions. My favorite book is a copy of "Flight of the Intruder" first edition that I picked up at the local used book store for a dollar and then got signed by the author a month later at a book fair. Since the book in question seems to be a limited edition of 1,000 copies, then I think that the extra cost is worth it.

If the extra goes to the authors...

[andyfunk.org (from livejournal.com)]

If signed copies are made available, and the added cost goes to the authors, then sure -- it's a great way for fans to support their favorite authors. If the publisher takes a *small* cut from the added cost, just to cover their costs, fine, but I object to the idea of a publisher making signed copies a way for them (the publisher) to make more money.

And the idea of a limited number of signed, first editions is kind of cool -- sort of like a graphic artist making available a limited number of "numbered" and signed prints. But if this is what a publisher is doing, are they prohibiting the author(s) from signing "regular" fist editions that readers bring to them at cons or elsewhere? If they don't, the value of the limited edition can become diluted, but if they do, they are likely to alienate both their authors and readers.

On the other hand, if the publisher is acknowledging that readers often like to have signed copies, but few readers can make it to cons where the authors will be available to sign, so they are trying to offer something nice to the readers, *and* they have the authors' agreement in advance, well, then it's a good bordering on great idea -- but again, as long as the authors are significantly sharing in any profit from the extra cost.

Gimmick?

[psw456.livejournal.com]

I don't collect signed copies; yes, I have a few for which I did not pay any extra. As others have commented most of my book purchases are now e-ink. I make an exception for Lee&Miller and have acquired paper copies as well. I was happy to support Uncle Hugo (and authors) by buying Ghost Ship signed. That said, IMO a premium from the publisher isn't one I'm willing to pay.

[eseme]

I understand that making a pre-signed copy of a book takes more work on the publisher's end: mailing pages to the authors, then to the binders. SO paying extra makes sense to me.