Fearing Amazon
- Apr
- 15
- 2012
- Posted by Tammy Ditmore
- Posted in Publishing
My family loves books, and we probably own enough of them to start a small library. Because we rarely go more than a few weeks without making a book purchase, Amazon.com has been bookmarked on our computer browsers for years, and we have long enjoyed the special discounts and easy access we find there.
But as eDitmore Editorial Services has taken me deeper into the publishing world, I am becoming more aware of Amazon’s “dark side” and of the questions and controversy surrounding its pricing schemes for both print and electronic books.
This past week, the Justice Department publicly accused Apple and several publishers of conspiring to fix prices on electronic books. Ironically, any such agreement was most likely made in an attempt to combat Amazon’s market domination and questionable pricing practices. Apparently what Amazon is doing has crossed no legal lines, even though its practices of continually demanding bigger and bigger discounts from suppliers are striking fear into the world of publishers, writers—and editors.
I don’t begin to understand Amazon’s actions or motives enough to try to explain or expound upon them. But David Streitfeld does a great job at providing an overview in this New York Times article.
And who can resist his opening, “Plenty of people are upset at Amazon these days, but it took a small publishing company whose best-known volume is a toilet-training tome to give the mighty Internet store the boot.”
Check it out for a well-written overview of a complex situation.
Search
Blog Categories
Contact
Testimonials
I wanted to take a moment and thank you for your wonderful work. I marvel at your eye for detail and your ability to make a written text so much better.
Tammy Ditmore’s timely, thorough, detailed and accurate proofreading made my book print ready. She delivers high quality work on schedule and is a pleasure to work with.
She worked with me chapter-by-chapter over the course of nearly a year to hone my writing through attention to style, organization, and mechanics. Her close reading and keen eye have been invaluable during my revision process. I learned important guidelines about preparing my manuscript for its final review through this pleasant experience of working with her.
I highly recommend Tammy Ditmore to you. She has edited three of my books in the past two years. Each time, I have been impressed with her professionalism, and pleased with her ability to provide a polished text.
Tammy Ditmore was the consummate professional. She was very humble in dealing with me and tailored her editing style to fit my specific needs. She was prompt and punctual with deadlines and was very open to communicating with me. I would hire her again in a heartbeat.”
Personally, I feel the editing process is the most important aspect of writing–it can be a nightmare if the editor and the writer are not on the same page. … Tammy knows what she is doing, she is easy to work with, and she delivers on time.
This book has been a major effort for me over the past 15 years—both emotionally and in time commitment. Your feedback helped me give it structure. Your insightful questions encouraged me to go deeper in my understanding and intentions, which provided enhanced clarity. Your recommendations provided a professional perspective that I needed towards getting it published. Thank you so much! When entertaining any future writing projects, you will be the first person I contact.
Tammy is just amazing. Before my book made it over to Tammy, I had used two editors — one a well-known author in NYC. I was unhappy with the editing, and basically Tammy was my last try before I just set my book to the side. Not only did she totally understand my “voice,” but she reconstructed, added, and melded in ways I would have never considered. Use her, trust her. She’s the best!
Tammy’s approach to editing was like telling a story to someone who listens very well and offers suggestions only when something is confusing or grammatically incorrect (or embarrassing).
I had a book manuscript that had a thorough edit by a copy editor, but there were many changes made and I wanted another set of eyes to look at it carefully. So I hired Tammy Ditmore to do a “final” proofread and flag anything that she found awkward, confusing or ill-fitting. That is a difficult job—to look both for errors and to comment, but that is what I needed. Tammy took it on and did a great job. Tammy also understands a schedule and finished the work on time—even ahead of time. Thank … Read more