編譯╱林克鴻
用文字建構一個屬於自己的表演舞台,這就是成為一名作家的醍醐味。不過就像愛情不能沒有麵包一樣,版稅就如同作家們的薪水,決定了他們的生計。
在日本,一般對於傳統版稅的認知是10%,當出版社印製1000本售價為1000日圓的書籍時,作家可以獲得10萬日圓的版稅。
然而現實是殘酷的,10%在業界屬於人氣作家的待遇,一般作家最低會只有4%(資料來源)左右,以初版多為2,000~3,000本來計算,倘若花了一年完成一本作品,最後可能只有8至12萬日圓收入,連一般上班族半個月的薪水都不到,無怪乎作家總是給人三餐不繼的刻板印象。
電子書問世後,隨著出版成本的降低,出版社除了在售價上降低兩成左右回饋消費者外,作家們的版稅是否也能撥雲見日呢?
答案是否定的。即使是大出版社,電子書的版稅最高也只有15%,加上電子書售價較低,相乘後僅僅只有12%左右,因此日本的確有許作家對於出版社的電子書版稅系統,深感不滿。
出版社態度保守 不敢躁進
撇開出版社希望賺更多錢的因素,日本大企業行事作風往往比較保守,出版社亦是如此,面對電子書的衝擊,至今仍不願做較大改變,因此日本電子書普及率也一直遠低於歐美市場。
再來,一旦大幅提升電子書的版稅,必定會促使作家們傾向電子書,這對目前已經不景氣的書店、製版廠等相關產業而言無疑是雪上加霜,考量到出版產業整體生態的平衡性,也讓大出版社不敢貿然躁進。
無論出版社的理由為何,對作家們而言,麵包仍舊是最現實的問題,相對於人氣作家的名利雙收,許多一般作家往往面對日不敷出的窘境,如今,隨著電子書而帶來自助出版新方向,反而指出了另一條希望大道。
亞馬遜挾自助出版叩關
以亞馬遜(Amazon)為首的大型網路販售平台,其電子書的出版對象不僅限於出版社,還開放讓作家們以個人的身份出版,為出版業界掀起了革命,日本市場也沒有例外。
至於令人關心的版稅方面,以亞馬遜為例,基本的版稅就有高達35%,若是符合他們規定的條件,甚至可以提高到70%!70%與12%,兩者已是天壤之別。另外,還有Agora Books(アゴラブックス)也提出了50%版稅的條件。對新人作家而言,不僅版稅本身就讓人心動不已,也無須受制於出版社,儼然成為新趨勢。
不過若是新人作家持續往亞馬遜靠攏,出版社日後的生計勢必會面臨衝擊,無怪乎日本出版社,也對亞馬遜的來勢洶洶深感憂心。
雖然自助出版有著迷人的魅力,但對新人作家來說仍有其困難性。最大的問題當然是市場知名度,有別於大出版社既有的銷售網和市場知名度,新人作家如何在茫茫電子書海中嶄露頭角,這是一大挑戰。
因此部份作家雖然對大出版社的電子書版稅感到不滿,但仍會將部份作品提供給出版社,藉此打開知名度的同時,將另一部份的作品以自助出版的方式販售,追求更優渥的版稅收入。未來自助出版是否會進一步擴大在日本書市的影響力,出版社又將如何應對,後續仍值得持續關注。
Photo from Flick CC by Sjoerd Lammers street photography
資料來源:
- 電子書籍と紙の本、印税はどっちが多いの?
- 電子書籍と印税
- 紙の本と電子書籍のどちらで出版?
- 紙の本と電子書籍、印税はどのくらい違う?
- 電子書籍化で印税はどうなる 講談社「15%」に安すぎの声
- 電子書籍、セルフパブリッシングに興味はありますか?
日本的e-book readers歷史近30年
然而竟然落後美國近3-4年 真是不可思議的科技失敗史
Sony to fight back with Internet-compatible e-book readersBY SHOHEI MAKIUCHI STAFF WRITER
2011/10/01
Sony Corp.'s new Reader device will come with Internet connections. (The Asahi Shimbun)
Sony Corp. said Sept. 29 it will introduce new versions of its e-book reader with Internet connections to overcome a tiresome weakness of the current-generation model.
At present, users of Sony's Reader have to first buy electronic books on a personal computer linked to the Internet and then transmit the content to the device via cable.
New models will come with wireless LAN and cellphone connections. Users will be able to directly access the online e-book store from the handheld device.
Fujio Noguchi, a senior Sony official, said the company will focus on the dedicated e-book reader.
But devices designed only for reading electronic books are facing tough competition from more versatile tablet computers, such as Apple Inc.'s iPad.
Domestic shipments of dedicated e-book readers are expected to total 300,000 units in fiscal 2011, compared with 2.3 million tablet computers, according to market researcher ICT Research & Consulting Inc.
The new Reader with wireless LAN connections will hit stores on Oct. 20 with a retail price of about 20,000 yen ($260), and the model with both wireless LAN and cellphone connections will go on sale on Nov. 25 for about 26,000 yen.
At present, users of Sony's Reader have to first buy electronic books on a personal computer linked to the Internet and then transmit the content to the device via cable.
New models will come with wireless LAN and cellphone connections. Users will be able to directly access the online e-book store from the handheld device.
Fujio Noguchi, a senior Sony official, said the company will focus on the dedicated e-book reader.
But devices designed only for reading electronic books are facing tough competition from more versatile tablet computers, such as Apple Inc.'s iPad.
Domestic shipments of dedicated e-book readers are expected to total 300,000 units in fiscal 2011, compared with 2.3 million tablet computers, according to market researcher ICT Research & Consulting Inc.
The new Reader with wireless LAN connections will hit stores on Oct. 20 with a retail price of about 20,000 yen ($260), and the model with both wireless LAN and cellphone connections will go on sale on Nov. 25 for about 26,000 yen.