There’s a whole subreddit - maybe more - dedicated to book piracy. My opinion
I know how piracy feels as a consumer.
I want it, but can’t afford it. That was my first thought when I was a kid and the first pirated CD flew under my nose.
But as a creator of art, from paintings to books, I don’t support it, and not for the reasons you think.
It’s not about the money.
It’s about the channel. Especially with Indie authors and creators, it’s so easy to get your book for free.
Here are some ways, from what I’ve learned so far:
ARC Campaign
You can find campaign for advanced reader copies, and read for free in exchange of honest reviews on your preferred channel.
Beta read
If you are a beta reader you can read books before anyone else and contribute to their success. It’s not like reading a popular book, I know, but I assume you read because you like it, not because of a trend
Ask
Pride aside, reaching out to me and ask for a free copy, watermarked maybe, would be totally okay. I can’t speak for all of us, but I would be pleased to know someone wants to read my book but can’t afford it. I’d gladly send you an epub.
Local library
You can ask your libraries the book you want. If it’s available widely (e.g. not only on Amazon) the librarians can add it to their catalog.
Second hand
There are second-hand buying options.
Lending
Ask someone you know to lend you their copy.
Platforms like AO3
You don’t find THAT book, but you find a lot of free writing of any genre.
Low prices by default, heavy promotions
Indie authors often have low prices, especially for epub versions, but they will often launch their books at 99p/99c or have long promotional periods. You can follow them for updates.
I can’t think of anything else, but this helps art being spread in a wholesome way that keeps the creator fairly recognised.
I know someone will come for me, but call it sense of righteousness from autism, or being naive, I think piracy doesn’t hurt anyone more than the creator of the art. Even when you think you’re “fighting the system” you’re actually ignoring hours, months, years of work and not only of the artist, but of the cover artist, editors, and all the money invested to make the book perfect for readers.
