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To e-arc or not to e-arc

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Re: To e-arc or not to e-arc
Post by Weird Harold   » Sat Apr 14, 2018 7:21 pm

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TangoLima wrote:What is the difference between a Baen e-book and an
electronic readers copy ?


The nomenclature?
.
.
.
Answers! I got lots of answers!

(Now if I could just find the right questions.)
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Re: To e-arc or not to e-arc
Post by JohnRoth   » Sat Apr 14, 2018 7:47 pm

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TangoLima wrote:What is the difference between a Baen e-book and an
electronic readers copy ?


Copyediting. The official e-book has fewer errors and inconsistencies than the eARC. The e-book is the same as the eventual dead tree version. The eARC is frequently the author's submission draft, unedited or lightly edited.
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Re: To e-arc or not to e-arc
Post by ldwechsler   » Sat Apr 14, 2018 8:45 pm

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JohnRoth wrote:
TangoLima wrote:What is the difference between a Baen e-book and an
electronic readers copy ?


Copyediting. The official e-book has fewer errors and inconsistencies than the eARC. The e-book is the same as the eventual dead tree version. The eARC is frequently the author's submission draft, unedited or lightly edited.



The key element however is that generally there is not that much difference in terms of over all story. This is particularly true of established authors.

Generally I have not spotted any real differences. I am certain that a few spelling mistakes have been corrected (and occasionally I have found a few, particularly from homonyms, in printed versions. In a recent Flint book, the term "baited breath" was used. It should have been "bated breath," from the abate...which meant someone held their breath) but generally I can't really spot differences. Of course, since I read them months apart...

But with someone like Weber, or Flint, for that matter, I want to read the stories particularly if they are part of a series. I could wait until September to get the ending of the e-book. But I know it now from the eArc.
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Re: To e-arc or not to e-arc
Post by pappilon   » Tue Apr 17, 2018 4:37 am

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Quite frankly with the e-arc out 6 weeks before publication, I wouldn't waste my very limited discretionary income on an e-arc. With UH coming out 6 months before release (2 Oct.) I had to recalculate my priorities.

I did run across my ancient nook, never did find the charger.

Hate hate HATE ereaders, ebooks email
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The imagination has to be trained into foresight and empathy.
Ursula K. LeGuinn

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Re: To e-arc or not to e-arc
Post by Theemile   » Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:04 pm

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JohnRoth wrote:
TangoLima wrote:What is the difference between a Baen e-book and an
electronic readers copy ?


Copyediting. The official e-book has fewer errors and inconsistencies than the eARC. The e-book is the same as the eventual dead tree version. The eARC is frequently the author's submission draft, unedited or lightly edited.



For the most part this is true, but in several cases there have been big changes - notably At all Costs, which had a couple revisions, including several new chapters and especially changes to the big, final scene (for-ex Hermes bouys were loaded in cells of the missile pods).

Shadow of Saganami also had a big rewrite after the oopsie (the entire book was posted for 12 hours, not just the planned snippet).

In a couple cases there were some inserts to tie in better with the next novel that was being written.

However, the rule is pretty much the later the book is turned in, the fewer the changes between the earc and the final.
******
RFC said "refitting a Beowulfan SD to Manticoran standards would be just as difficult as refitting a standard SLN SD to those standards. In other words, it would be cheaper and faster to build new ships."
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Re: To e-arc or not to e-arc
Post by cthia   » Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:17 pm

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JohnRoth wrote:
TangoLima wrote:What is the difference between a Baen e-book and an
electronic readers copy ?


Copyediting. The official e-book has fewer errors and inconsistencies than the eARC. The e-book is the same as the eventual dead tree version. The eARC is frequently the author's submission draft, unedited or lightly edited.
Theemile wrote:For the most part this is true, but in several cases there have been big changes - notably At all Costs, which had a couple revisions, including several new chapters and especially changes to the big, final scene (for-ex Hermes bouys were loaded in cells of the missile pods).

Shadow of Saganami also had a big rewrite after the oopsie (the entire book was posted for 12 hours, not just the planned snippet).

In a couple cases there were some inserts to tie in better with the next novel that was being written.

However, the rule is pretty much the later the book is turned in, the fewer the changes between the earc and the final.


In light of these possible serious discrepancies, changes, and possible alterations cited, my question becomes even more poignant... "How can anyone read anything before the final hardback? Why don't you all view the digital copies as...

***SPOILERS OF THE MOST INTENSIVE KIND*** :?:

After doing so, how can wielding the book, fresh off the press, retain any excitement for you?

Oh well. Humanity is such a varied ingredient. I suppose that explains why some people like (yuck) coffee and some like urinated water, err beer. And some even like both.

To each his own. Reading digital copies first is like pissing in your coffee and drinking it. Efficient, yet, unappealing to the most refined tastes. LOL

:shrug:

Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense
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Re: To e-arc or not to e-arc
Post by cthia   » Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:28 pm

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Digital copies are more like one great big spoilt spoiler.

Instead of sitting out in the sun too long, it didn't sit quite long enough?

A great author's works are as delectable as wine.

Serve no prose before its time.

Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense
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Re: To e-arc or not to e-arc
Post by ldwechsler   » Tue Apr 17, 2018 4:26 pm

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cthia wrote:Digital copies are more like one great big spoilt spoiler.

Instead of sitting out in the sun too long, it didn't sit quite long enough?

A great author's works are as delectable as wine.

Serve no prose before its time.



I disagree. For most of the eArcs, the differences are barely noticeable. We tend to move right by spelling errors, etc.

But I want the stories. It's the plot that excites me. I love the Flint backbone books that move the story along more than the ones that tend to dawdle around. I mean, I liked the India book a real lot but wished instead it had been about what was going on in Eastern Europe that affected our main heroes.

With Weber, I find the plot fascinating but, let's face it, the fist half of Shadow of Victory was about a lot of planets we will never hear from again. They do not show up in Uncompromising Honor.

Yes, Indiana Graham is in there and Harahap. But they could have been given a chapter or two each in UH and that would have been fine.
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Re: To e-arc or not to e-arc
Post by Peregrinator   » Wed Apr 18, 2018 12:09 pm

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Do authors get greater than normal royalties from the e-arcs? I mean greater in absolute terms than relative (same % of the price).

Peronsally I've bought every e-arc since A Rising Thunder inclusive. I don't begrudge any of that cost since I had gotten everything up to and including Mission of Honor for free.
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Re: To e-arc or not to e-arc
Post by kzt   » Wed Apr 18, 2018 12:51 pm

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I think they do. But if nothing else, if you buy the book twice...
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