Jon Evans wants to release award-winning novel for free

[Alexander Turcic]

Thanks to the anonymous tipster who pointed us to a fascinating editorial by Canadian novelist Jon Evans, appearing in the September edition of the Walrus magazine. It starts with:

A few years ago, my first novel was published. It did pretty well, won an award, was translated and sold around the world; the movie rights were even optioned. Now I want to put it online - no charge, no hook, no catch. My motivation is simple: greed.

Mr. Evans goes on by explaining why publishers have been so slow to commit to the digital medium, how the Sony Reader marks the beginning of a new era for e-books, and why the author's middleman, the publishing industry, might be already past the tipping point.

Btw, it was Mr. Evan's debut novel, Dark Places, which won the Arthur Ellis Award in 2005.

Link to the full editorial: here

[13xforever]

Well, maybe he want to give it away. But not ATM, though.

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by 13xforever

Well, maybe he want to give it away. But not ATM, though.

True, good catch! It's quite possible that his publisher says no.

Title updated

[Lemurion]

He wants to give it away and the publisher has the rights. Pity he can't get Eric Flints numbers from "Mother of Demons" and throw them in their faces. First book in the Free Library,and it had an increase in paper sales from the giveaway.

Experiment shows it works.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

The editorial has some nice insights about the publishing industry. He's clearly in the "I can't read on an LCD screen" camp, so his reader comments sort of shut out people who can read e-books fine without e-ink.

But his observations about consumers willingly paying for content they can get for free is important: Paying consumers are the only way to keep the industry afloat, barring the possibility of authors (or publishers) switching to a government- or advertiser-supported model (like television).