What the Book Pirates say...

As an avid book lover and a book blogger I am aware of and stand against Book Piracy. I know how it can affect many in the publishing industry - but not everyone do. Kristi's post - Pirates Suck - over at The Story Siren is a great step into launching awareness of this crime. It also propelled me to engage in an online conversation with several anonymous book pirates and hear what they have to say. Below I have listed their major arguments for book piracy - and my take. I'd love to hear what you say and help me put some sense into these Book Pirates!

1. Sharing E-books are just like sharing printed books. So why call us book pirates? If I can let a friend borrow a book, why can't I let a friend have a copy of my e-book?

Because you do not have the right to do so. The copyright page in every e-book explicitly states that the e-book copy should in no way be reproduced. That means passing your copy to one or more people is illegal. There are reasons behind this, just as there are reasons behind the law that forbids motorists to run a red light. If book piracy is not a moral wrong, at the very least it is a legal wrong. So, just as one should not run a red light, you should not be reproducing your e-books online or otherwise.

2. I'm just passing my e-book it to one person anyway, so what's the harm?

While spreading your love for books is encouraged, scanning a book and sending it to a friend is not. It's illegal, and the difference is this: your printed copy is limited to those whom you have lent it to. No one else can have the copy you paid for apart from the person who actually has it. There's one copy. On the contrary, if you pass an e-book to a friend, what guarantee do you have of your friend not passing it on to someone else? And that someone else to somebody else? Worse, each in the chain will have a copy of said e-book, without paying for it. There is a whole list of harm.

3. We're saving trees.

BS. Ever heard of ethical publishing? More and more ppublishers are now working towards printing using recycled papers and/or papers made from sustainable sources. And while E-books may be the more environmentally friendly way of reading, you can buy one legally. E-books can now be widely purchased from legitimate sites. Kindle Store, Book Depository and Kobo are just a few examples. So why download illegally if you can save trees the same way by purchasing e-books legally?

4. Authors are rich. They don't need more money.

Wrong. If you think all authors are like JK Rowling and have unlimited bank accounts, you are so ridiculously wrong. For debut authors and independent authors who are just starting in the writing/publishing industry, each book sold makes a difference. Writing is a profession, and like any profession they earn from what they do. What authors earn for each book you buy is part of their income. So with each illegal download, you are usurping their income. Need I mention you're usurping the publishers' profits (and hence, the employees' incomes) too? Shame!

5. The best things in life are free.

That may be, but in this case it's not. Will stealing from a clothes shop be excused for this reason too? I don't think so. Remember that each book you illegally download is in the expense of someone else - there is no such thing as free lunch!

6. The book cannot be found anywhere in my country, so I have no choice but to download them online.

If you must read it, try to buy it through Book Depository - they are likely to have the book you want as they sell US books on the site. They also offer free deliveries worldwide, so it's worth checking if your country is on the list. Alternatively, you can purchase an e-book through legitimate stores such as Amazon's Kindle Store. I myself purchase e-books from Kindle Store when the book I pine for is only sold in the US. It's also a cheaper option. Now if you really cannot find the book you want, it will not hurt to contact the author and ask if and when a publisher is going to release the book in your country.

7. I cannot afford to buy books all the time. Even paperback books are expensive. What do you expect me to do?

If you cannot afford to buy the clothes you want, will you resort to stealing them too? Of course not everyone has the means to buy books all the time. Books, even at a discounted price, may still be expensive. These are some of what you can do:

• Borrow. Either from a friend, or from your local library. Libraries are there for a reason, so use them. All you have to do is sign up and voila, you can borrow books for free! So long as you return the book in good condition or renew your book loan by the return date, you will not be charged.

• Trade books: Sites such as Read it Swap it, Books Smooch and Book Hopper are great sites to visit if you're looking for ways to get your hands on new books and save money at the same time. If you're not particularly attached to your books, why not trade them for books you are yet to read? Rather than buy a brand new copy, you can get one for the cost of a postage and afterwards, swap it for another book!

• Rent books: Books Swim and Books Free are useful sites which allow you to rent rather than buy books. It's cheaper too!

• Check out Charity Shops: Second-hand books are everywhere! I buy quite a lot of secondhand books - they may not be brand-spanking new, but they are just as good! You can even buy used books from Amazon if that's what you prefer. Charity shops are a great alternative.  They sell at very discounted prices (around 80% off) and give all proceeds to charity! 

• Post your book reviews online and earn! Websites such as Ciao and Dooyoo gives you points for every review you post on the site. With enough points, you can then convert them to money off vouchers and/or cash!

8. If I like a book I read illegally, I'd buy it anyway. No harm done.

Except what you're doing is illegal. If you want to have a feel of the book, I know Amazon's Kindle Store allows you to download samplers which will help you decide whether or not you would be interested in the book. It's completely legal, and if you're still unconvinced - how about checking the author's website or the publisher's page for a sneak peek? If you like what you've read, more likely than not, the book is worth reading.

9. I'm just one person, so I won't really count. The rest will buy the book legally anyway.

That's what you think. And what a hundred others think. It's a chain reaction - your every download encourages others to do the same and the source to scan more books. By the end of the day, more than a few people has the illegal copy downloaded on their PC/laptops. If you think you won't count, think again.

9. I want the book to reach more people. Since it's not available as e-book, scanning the pages will do the trick!

Are you kidding me? That's not spreading the love of the book. That's damaging the author's chances of selling more copies and of writing more for you. That's e-piracy. That's illegal. I can go on and on, but the point is, it's illegal. Don't do it!

10. I didn't know about book piracy! 

Now you do. A simple online search or a thorough read of the copyright page should do the trick. Remember: ignorance is no excuse, and will definitely not matter to authorities should you be caught.

*

If you stand against book piracy, Tynga has a collection of anti-piracy buttons which you can post on your sidebars, so check it out here. Kristi's posts also has links to other posts you might want to check out.

Feel free to leave your thoughts - book pirates or otherwise! :)