Rat Girl Studios

mugsandpugs1-deactivated2019010 asked: Sometimes I feel guilty because all of my books come from the library. Even books I really love, like yours. I just read so fast and so much that buying books isn't a good financial choice. Do authors receive any benefit from library readers?

professorerudite:

aeliad:

seananmcguire:

Oh my gosh, honey*, no.  No no no.  Please, please don’t feel guilty for using the library, or for going to the used book store, or for borrowing from a friend.  All these things are built into the literary ecosystem, and publishers have had literally centuries to get used to them.

Do authors receive any benefit from library readers?  Absolutely.  We receive readers.  Maybe you will never personally buy a book in your life.  But.  You have friends who will.  You can leave reviews on places like Amazon and Goodreads.  You can make sure the world knows which books you enjoyed, and that our publishers know that you want to see more.

Libraries pay for the books they loan out.  With physical books, they pay for an object, which will stay in circulation for X number of loans before it gets purged due to wear and tear.  With electronic books, they pay for a license, which allows the book to be loaned a certain number of times before it needs to be licensed again.  Yes, this means a single sale can represent dozens of patrons, but there is still, at the root, a sale.

Piracy is a problem because there is no root sale; because the e-book “license” doesn’t exist and hence never expires, meaning our publishers have no way of measuring a book’s popularity; because it’s outside the feedback loop.  But the loop is large, and meant to accommodate those of us who can’t buy alongside those of us who can.  I promise.

(*We do not know each other and I am not trying to offend: this is just where my speech patterns go when I am worried I have hurt someone accidentally.  If you dislike “honey” from a parasocial acquaintance, please substitute the respectful term of your choice.  I suggest “High Inquisitor Sugarbat.”)

As someone who has worked in a library, and not someone who ever worked in publishing, this is part  of why libraries don’t want you reshelving books, too. They log patron interactions with books. It helps them know what’s popular, which in turn helps them decide what to buy, etc. 

It’s all tracked. It’s all valuable. All of it ultimately ends up helping authors even if it’s not as direct as purchasing a book.

So when you pull a book off the shelf, even if you’re totally sure you know where it goes, put it on a reshelving cart anyway. And when you love a book by an author? Definitely talk to you branch librarian about it. They can help you out, which can end up helping out the author you like, too. 

Local libraries are wonderful things. I love mine so much. It got me through times when I was too broke to afford books, when I desperately needed books as ways to escape. My library is still a useful resource, if not as desperately needed, and I love using Link+ to get books that my branch doesn’t have.

If anyone wanted to know, libraries are the Holy Grail. Support your local library by donations if you can afford it and patronage regardless of financial situation.

Kaz and Inej from Six of Crows by @lbardugo

More procreate sketches

One color sketches in procreate

Use the coupon code CLOTHES25 for 25% off all apparel in my redbubble shop! 

https://www.redbubble.com/people/ratgirlstudios/shop/

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you’ve a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;

I’m a textbook Ravenclaw (Librarian with a BFA in Fine Art Drawing) and very proud of it.  

Side note: I went with the movieverse for colors and house crest, because lets be honest, it should be represented by a raven and not an eagle. Also the bronze and blue color scheme is ugly, so I’ll keep the gray.

You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil

Som recent sketches. I’m still trying to get the hang of using Procreate

Updated version of Nina after some critiques

Another Riverdale sketch