Do Personal Opinions Of Authors, Etc Dissuade You From Purchases?
- Thread starter GQuail
- Start date
As written in the poll, and as explained in the opening post, I can't say I've ever heard much of a personal opinion from an author or company. The closest was after the mass lay-offs over at WotC and a few of the departed burned their bridges behind them. But I wouldn't consider that personal opinion as much as it is simple frustration.
My opinion of a company may affect my decision, but the personal opinion of some author affecting whether I will buy his or her game supplement? It hasn't happened yet.
A better question for me would have been whether the opinions of other Board members (these Boards or others) affect my purchase decisions. (If someone makes such a poll, I will vote in it).
My opinion of a company may affect my decision, but the personal opinion of some author affecting whether I will buy his or her game supplement? It hasn't happened yet.
A better question for me would have been whether the opinions of other Board members (these Boards or others) affect my purchase decisions. (If someone makes such a poll, I will vote in it).
diaglo
Adventurer
http://www.circvsmaximvs.com/showthread.php?t=4173Seeker95 said:
Bront
The man with the probe
There books have authors? I thought the RPG fairy waved his magic wand and they appeared on bookshelves?
Edit: BTW, No offense to the fine and wonderful RPG authors who do spend their time and effort to get us good and wonderful products. (Please don't hurt me)
Edit: BTW, No offense to the fine and wonderful RPG authors who do spend their time and effort to get us good and wonderful products. (Please don't hurt me)
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Tsillanabor
First Post
If you're asking whether someone's political views or whatever affect my purchases-no. If they engaged in triskaidekapyronecrobeastiality or baby sacrifice rituals I might not buy their product.
WayneLigon
Adventurer
Other - Yes, but not always.
It depends on the author and the degree of his or her transgression, vs the coolness of the product. I almost never pay attention to the real-life antics of authors. For the most part, I don't want to know, because while I know that authors are people like any other I also don't want to find out something that ruins the experience for me.
Victor Salva, for instance, is a convicted sex offender. Yet I've enjoyed the three movies of his I've seen very much indeed. Orson Scott Card's personal opinions make me very angry but his Alvin Maker books are some of the best-written fiction of that genre I've ever read. Just as an example, Salva has paid for his crime while Card continues to make his assertations. It's a difficult choice to support him financially while disagreeing with his personal opinions; since finding out about his predilictions, I've not purchased anything of his, but then again he hasn't produced anything I've particularly been interested in so I would not have made those purchases in any case. If he did, then I'd find out what choice I was willing to make.
A personal opinion can disuade me from making sales but it depends on what that personal opinion is and if it touches any of my hot buttons, as can behavior that is not becoming a professional. Personal attacks, airing dirty laundry in public, and other things can cause me to reconsider purchasing something by a particular author or company. Then again, I hardly ever even look at the credits for a product at all. There are only a handful of names I'll react positively to, and give additional consideration to purchasing a product just because X was involved in it. Monte Cook, Mike Mearls, Skip Williams and three or four others all come to mind in that regard.
It depends on the author and the degree of his or her transgression, vs the coolness of the product. I almost never pay attention to the real-life antics of authors. For the most part, I don't want to know, because while I know that authors are people like any other I also don't want to find out something that ruins the experience for me.
Victor Salva, for instance, is a convicted sex offender. Yet I've enjoyed the three movies of his I've seen very much indeed. Orson Scott Card's personal opinions make me very angry but his Alvin Maker books are some of the best-written fiction of that genre I've ever read. Just as an example, Salva has paid for his crime while Card continues to make his assertations. It's a difficult choice to support him financially while disagreeing with his personal opinions; since finding out about his predilictions, I've not purchased anything of his, but then again he hasn't produced anything I've particularly been interested in so I would not have made those purchases in any case. If he did, then I'd find out what choice I was willing to make.
A personal opinion can disuade me from making sales but it depends on what that personal opinion is and if it touches any of my hot buttons, as can behavior that is not becoming a professional. Personal attacks, airing dirty laundry in public, and other things can cause me to reconsider purchasing something by a particular author or company. Then again, I hardly ever even look at the credits for a product at all. There are only a handful of names I'll react positively to, and give additional consideration to purchasing a product just because X was involved in it. Monte Cook, Mike Mearls, Skip Williams and three or four others all come to mind in that regard.
frankthedm
First Post
Bront said:
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
Comment witheld Yes, I have chosen not to buy the books of those who's beliefs i disagreed with.
I do go back on this on a book i might enjoy when a retailer cuts a price down to 25% to 30% of the cover price. At that point I feel the money is letting the store cut it's losses, rather than encouraging the store to re-order the book. This is how i obtained most of the White Wolf books i had been interested in years previously.
I hope others feel the same way.Tsillanabor said:
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shaylon
First Post
offtopic Wayne can you elaborate or point me to Orson's opinions that you are talking about? /offtopic
Yes, an authors opinions do affect my purchase but only in severe cases. Wayne's description of the sex offender is a good example. If the author was rude to me in any forum, be it is cyberspace, at a book signing, etc, I am done with them.
This applies to other arenas of life as well. For example when Dave Wannstedt wsa the coach of the Bears I met him outside of Cleveland stadium for a preseason MNF game. He was extremely rude and I will never support him in any way, and I make certain to tell every fan I meet of his of the situation. Tom Cruise, I am done supporting him even though I loved his movies. Not because of Scientology, but because of how he acts about it. And also because I once thought I was destined to be with Katie Holmes, but that is another story for another time.
So yes, act like a fool and it may cost you my money!
-Shay
Yes, an authors opinions do affect my purchase but only in severe cases. Wayne's description of the sex offender is a good example. If the author was rude to me in any forum, be it is cyberspace, at a book signing, etc, I am done with them.
This applies to other arenas of life as well. For example when Dave Wannstedt wsa the coach of the Bears I met him outside of Cleveland stadium for a preseason MNF game. He was extremely rude and I will never support him in any way, and I make certain to tell every fan I meet of his of the situation. Tom Cruise, I am done supporting him even though I loved his movies. Not because of Scientology, but because of how he acts about it. And also because I once thought I was destined to be with Katie Holmes, but that is another story for another time.
So yes, act like a fool and it may cost you my money!
-Shay
pogre
Legend
Politics and other life issues do not come into the decision, but if they are rude - that's enough to make me not buy their products.
By far it works the other way. A number of designers have made every effort to accomodate fans and I have bought things I would not have otherwise because of their positive presence.
By far it works the other way. A number of designers have made every effort to accomodate fans and I have bought things I would not have otherwise because of their positive presence.
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