The comment was, though a bit sweeping, more or less on the mark. Indeed, recalling my life in China, I remembered that many people I know who had published something usually gave free copies. It would be insulting to ask friends to buy one of the books.
This is the same as painters, mostly in Chinese style water color on rice paper, and calligraphers. People would make great efforts to ask accomplished painters and calligraphers to give them something. Considering the execution time in that style is rather short - they practice hours upon hours to perfect a stoke, usually they would oblige, after some deflection. This kind of obligation is very hard not to comply.
In order not to devalue their commercial works, usually they would state explicitly on the painting or calligraphy that the work was given to such and such exalted person and that little statement usually greatly dent the price of this work if it ever reached market.
In the US, I did give something away to great friends but not often. My family members and friends insist on paying me for my labor. I have attended book-signing events when my friends had books published and we buy a copy of the book at full price and have our published friends sign the books. Nowadays, even have a book or two published doesn't improve one's financial standing. It's also our humble way of supporting our friends. 最近我看了一个網上評論說，一旦中國人有書出版，許多朋友和熟人會讨要一個免費書籍。该評論說，在西方，人們承认和尊重作者投入的時間和精力，通常不會讨要求免費書籍。
这个評論，雖然有點太笼统，或多或少击中目標。回顧在中國我的生活，我記得很多人赠送他们出版的書籍，很多人也主动索取。要求朋友購買的他们的書籍是对朋友的侮辱。
畫家也一樣，尤其在中國式的宣紙畫家，和書法家。人們會問下大力氣求有成就的畫家和書法家給他們一些作品。畫家和書法家通常花大量時間练习，以致精湛，但他们实际操作時間则相當短，因而這種義務很難推却。
為了不让他们的商業作品貶值，他们通常會在繪畫或書法上列明，這个作品赠给某位贵人的。如果有人日后想卖它们，这样的語句通常使该作品價格大打折扣。
在美國，我的确给过好朋友一些东西，但很不經常。我的家人和朋友堅持要為我的勞動付出代价。我曾參加我的朋友們的書籍出版的簽售活動，我們以全價買下書，然后请我們的朋友簽名。如今，有一兩本書出版並不能改善作者的財務狀況，這也是我們支持我們的朋友的卑微方式吧。
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