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What are advantages of publishing DRM-protected books for an author?

Clearly some authors think that there are advantages of using DRM since they publish DRM-protected books, when they have an option of forgoing DRM.

Please note that I'm looking for hard data, not opinions.

"DRM reduces piracy" is an opinion. "Switching from non-DRM to DRM raised sales by 30% for author XYZ" is a fact. "A survey of XYZ large sample of users confirmed that only 10% won't buy DRM-protected books, whereas a study ABC showed that there are more than 10% books obtained without paying" is a fact.

"DRM reduces your reading audience" is an opinion. "Combined sales of non-DRM sales points are 120% more than DRM-supporting ones" is a fact.

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  • Side note: This is limited to authors, NOT publishers. If you have relevant advantages that pertain to entire publisher and not to individual author, please buzz me in comments and I will create publisher-centric question as well.
    – DVK
    Dec 29, 2013 at 14:05
  • Related: ebooks.stackexchange.com/questions/456/…
    – DVK
    Dec 29, 2013 at 14:06
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    Whether something is advantageous or disadvantageous is highly subjective and a matter of opinion.
    – Chad
    Dec 30, 2013 at 18:11
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    Well there really isn't any facts. There are a lot of opinion based reasons for why authors choose DRM. There are facts that NOT using DRM helps the author but none for how it helps the author if you do use DRM (other than piracy matters)
    – aman207
    Dec 31, 2013 at 3:38
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    Similar question on Writers.SE: writers.stackexchange.com/questions/3458/…
    – palacsint
    Dec 31, 2013 at 8:54

2 Answers 2

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Answering the opposite question, Tor books switched from DRM to non-DRM, and they commented (no figures available) that they saw

no discernible increase in piracy on any of our titles

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/04/tor-books-uk-drm-free-one-year-later

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-2

No advantages at all.

DRM don't block piracy but can increase it.

Customers who buy DRM protected books can have (and they have) problems with many e-readers and app.

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    -1 This is an opinion. You need to reference sources. Please read the examples in the question that describe the difference between a fact and an opinion.
    – James Jenkins
    Dec 30, 2013 at 11:42

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