Used Books: The Royalty Controversy

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By Mandy Webster

Discount books. We all love to get a deal, especially on a good read. Some of the best deals can be found at rummage sales, online resellers like eBay and Half.com and in used bookstores. Chains like Half Price Books purchase used books for next to nothing and resell them at a price that is usually quite affordable to the general public.

However, many authors are unhappy with the fact that they earn no royalties from the re-sale of their books. To some, this is the Napster Limewire of the book world.

As with any controversy, there are two sides to this debate. Personally, I can understand the concerns of individuals on both sides. As a writer, I can understand why authors will wish to be properly compensated for their work. But a writer’s work is art. Unless, of course, they work in the corporate world, where they are paid by the hour and have no rights to the work produced while on the clock.