A deal has been reached between Icelandic authors and publishers that will begin the sale of e-books in Iceland.
While the literary community around the world has been evolving towards a greater proliferation of e-books, issues regarding copyright and royalties have had to change form. In Iceland, which boasts a vibrant and lengthy literary tradition, the case is no different.
Yesterday, a deal was reached between the Writer’s Union of Iceland and the Icelandic Publishers Association which will now open the market for e-books in Iceland.
Writers in Iceland normally receive a 23% royalty for the sale of each printed book. With the e-book deal, this royalty will be between 25% and 30%. Aðalsteinn Ásberg Sigurðsson, who led the negotiations committee, said that while initially it was believed that writers could get a much higher percentage on e-books, the use of anti-piracy software for each book puts considerable costs on publishers.
It is expected that two or three e-books will be released for the Christmas book-buying season, and then the market will be officially opened after the new year.
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