You're telling me! I used to come across articles by Dr. Clark; never imagined she was an Isekai fan, lol.
@data4doc
Doc, hah, what a place to run into you. I mean, I wouldn't begrudge you the enjoyment of Isekai or involvement with creatives, far from it. I'm just a little surprised is all, I actually got my hopes up that you'd be making like...I dunno a science oriented novel or comic but then you busted out of here so fast. I think it's nice that you wanted to support a creator, and you're well within your rights to like or dislike the price of something but, most of the people here aren't industry pros or on a beat, they're regular people who do what they love from their homes IF they get the chance in-between being told that art and writing aren't viable careers (that they must always be hobbies) and their work/school.
Doc, the folks here are good folks. If you don't like the pricing model I get it but, understand they're trying to eke out their living just as you already have, and Tapas is in a constant state of re-inventing. Like others have stated, it behaves more like a subscription service. Tapas may be more expensive than the Amazon alternative you found, yet it offers the artists and novelists those prices serve, some real scratch. Creatives who, if trying to get their foot in the door via the traditional industry, could be passed over in favor of what's tried-and-true.
These people are reaching for their dreams in a way that was unavailable to you back in the days of your proving grounds. As I won't begrudge you for disliking the price, don't begrudge them (and by extension: Tapas for providing the service) for using what's available to get their work out there and get paid for it. You've already stated in your previous post, that you were disgruntled by being underpaid:
So you put the tools of your trade to work for you by way of getting free food or movie tickets whenever you can barter your skills for them:
Why is it bad that these creatives took an option to solve those same problems (being underpaid and using their skills to their best effect), with what Tapas had to offer? Yes, it is more expensive for the person who buys the service, and if you don't like the service you definitely shouldn't purchase it (and by the gods no one should force you to do so). However, this pricing model in so far as we've been made aware by Tapas, is set up to facilitate the creatives in question by giving them more of what they need to get by, so they can continue to make the works that we love to read and they love to make.
Yes, the price here is fifty-dollars. Depending on your budget that can be a lot, but as you've already shown there are other places to gain said works for less that are readily available on Amazon and not being hidden. If there are those that decide to pay more via Tapas, even with Amazon as an option, as a way to show love and support the authors and artists that they enjoy in a more personal way, then what's wrong with that? Others have already shown how the pricing breaks down and works out so I won't go into all that. Even though you dislike the price consider the underpaid authors the service, in so far as I'm aware currently, helps. Authors who would've really struggled to get a footing in the industry considering how bottle-necked the process actually is with regards to published works.
(For anybody who may not know: Effectively an agent receives hundreds of queries, has to pick a handful, said agent also has a particular taste and uses that as a barometer for those they pick. Everyone else ends up in a slush-pile, skill be damned.) I rather like that I can come here to Tapas and read/support those who would otherwise be shuttered into a waste-bin somewhere because a single agent in the traditional scene has only so many open spaces and so much time to devote. You are well within your right to dislike the price and to find an alternative; everybody looks for deals and there's nothing wrong with that.
Just know that Tapas isn't part of the industry in the facet you've served and that things are different here. I wish you all the best in finding and supporting the work you enjoy in the way that is best for you and I hope you can empathize with the creatives here, who don't pay for cable, bike to work, and have to pay their bills and budget their outings as well.
Best of luck out there, Dr. Clark.