There is something magical about books; they carry the weight of hours, sometimes years, of someone’s life. The all-nighters, the rewrites, the doubts, and the joys. Being an author means pouring your heart out and hoping that someone, somewhere, would care enough to read it. 

So yes, authors need to be supported. They need to be able to earn a living from what they do. However, the conversation about how we support authors has begun to feel off, especially when it comes to piracy.

Lately, I've heard book piracy discussed as if it's some kind of moral shortcoming. You hear individuals making declarations such as, "If you're not paying me, directly or indirectly, don't read my book at all." And I get it. I do. Writing is hard work. Watching your book being pirated can feel like a gut punch.