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| Image by bookdragon from Pixabay |
The eBook came with printing permissions, so I uploaded it to Office Works, set up how I wanted it printing and binding, paid the cost, and waited for an email to tell me when it was printed and ready to pick up, which came through the next day.
Easy.
A few weeks later, I had another PDF eBook I wanted to print, so I set it up on the Office Works website again.
The next day I received a call from a woman who said she was a manager at my local Office Works store, and she said my eBook couldn’t be printed because it was copyrighted to the Author.
I explained that the eBook had permission for printing, and I asked her if she’d looked at the permissions of the eBook.She said it didn’t matter what the permissions were, they couldn’t print it.
It was clear that she had no idea about copyright or printing permissions.
I tried to explain it to her, but she insisted that because of copyright, only I could print it, not them, but if I came to the store and printed it, they would put a cover on it and bind it for me.
So, I said, “So you’re saying that the only difference between you printing it and me printing it, is who pushes the start button on the printer?”
She was silent for a few seconds, then said, “Yes. That’s exactly what copyright means.”
I said, “How do you know? You’re not a copyright expert. You’re a shop assistant.”
With that, she hung up. I contacted Office Works online and asked for a refund.
I no longer use them for my large-volume printing needs. It seemed ridiculous that one person at the company, who clearly knew nothing about copyright, could dictate who pushes the start button on the printing machine.
The whole conversation with her, plus my time spent setting up the print job, getting a refund, and getting it printed elsewhere, was a waste of my time. I usually protect my time because, as a writer, it’s extremely important to me. My wasted time with Office Works could have been spent writing a chapter of a book or a few online articles.
Which is why I prefer working alone.
Many people feel that being a writer is like subjecting yourself to a life of solitary confinement.
But I disagree.
Being a writer does mean spending a lot of time alone, and spending hours every day speaking to no-one, but that’s the way I prefer it.
Being a writer is my mission in life, which is why I’m always happy to go home and work on my writing mission.
And I don’t have to let others into my writing time.
Except when I have to deal with ignorant staff at Office Works.
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