You can make money by simply uploading old books on Amazon

markbot · 03-20-2009, 12:39 PM

For books past the copyright, people can upload the books and format it...add some links, etc...and charge $1. And make oodles of money! Seems like a great business plan. I for one, do not have time to figure out how to upload and correctly format one of those books. In any case, the time it would take to do it would be worth more to me than $1.

So MobileRead should think about about uploading all of its books onto Amazon.

KindleDude · 03-20-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbot

For books past the copyright, people can upload the books and format it...add some links, etc...and charge $1. And make oodles of money! Seems like a great business plan. I for one, do not have time to figure out how to upload and correctly format one of those books. In any case, the time it would take to do it would be worth more to me than $1.

So MobileRead should think about about uploading all of its books onto Amazon.

You'd have to add enough value to it to dissuade people from just downloading the free public domain version of a given work. It would have to have superior formatting compared to the free one, and a linked TOC would be nice as well. Speaking for myself, though, I try not to pay for public domain works (I spend enough on new books!!!), so it would have to be a pretty compelling improvement.

Alisa · 03-20-2009, 02:53 PM

A lot of people just don't know they're available for free. When my cousin first got hers, she was downloading her favorite classics from Amazon because they were so cheap until I told her about places like MobileRead, Feedbooks, etc.

Of course, now Amazon has started putting up a lot of those classics for free so you'd likely only be able to sell more obscure titles. Sounds like a lot of work for little return.

Sporadic · 03-20-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbot

For books past the copyright, people can upload the books and format it...add some links, etc...and charge $1. And make oodles of money! Seems like a great business plan. I for one, do not have time to figure out how to upload and correctly format one of those books. In any case, the time it would take to do it would be worth more to me than $1.

So MobileRead should think about about uploading all of its books onto Amazon.

This would probably work if people weren't already doing this and uploading free versions.

Only public domain stuff I buy is from mobi. They sell giant collections for super cheap with proper TOC w/ links.

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=12375752...3Adigital-text

KindleDude · 03-20-2009, 03:04 PM

If I were an artist (which I'm not), I could see perhaps doing nicely illustrated versions of classic public domain books and selling them for a fee. If I were a scholar in a field (also not) I could see producing a nicely annotated version. I think there are possibilities out there, but I think it would take substantial effort to put out a worthwhile product. People who are simply putting their name to free works and trying to get money will be found out by the marketplace, I believe.

desertgrandma · 03-20-2009, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbot

For books past the copyright, people can upload the books and format it...add some links, etc...and charge $1. And make oodles of money! Seems like a great business plan. I for one, do not have time to figure out how to upload and correctly format one of those books. In any case, the time it would take to do it would be worth more to me than $1.

So MobileRead should think about about uploading all of its books onto Amazon.

Why on earth would MobileRead try to make money on public domain books?

To me, this goes against everything we stand for..take advantage of people who are not aware the books available for free from numerous sites.

Baaad idea.

S.Canton · 03-20-2009, 05:59 PM

I think people would be surprised how many books are available in the public domain. There are quite a few places with large collections, which sure beats getting them off Amazon, even if they are quite inexpensive.

Patricia · 03-20-2009, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbot

For books past the copyright, people can upload the books and format it...add some links, etc...and charge $1. And make oodles of money! Seems like a great business plan. I for one, do not have time to figure out how to upload and correctly format one of those books. In any case, the time it would take to do it would be worth more to me than $1.

So MobileRead should think about about uploading all of its books onto Amazon.

I have converted and uploaded a lot of books to MobileRead. (2792 at the last count.)
They are a gift, and I would be extremely upset to find other people trying to profit from my work. I think that you misunderstand the motives of many of the book uploaders here.

kevindorsey · 03-20-2009, 08:39 PM

Yea, there are a ton of books available on public domain, but will somebody actually downloand is a different question. I've known about this for a while.

catsittingstill · 03-20-2009, 08:58 PM

I agree with desertgrandma and Patricia. I think this would be a bad idea.

AnemicOak · 03-20-2009, 09:42 PM

Not a good idea for someplace like Mobile Read. It wouldn't be in the 'spirit' of things.

Now if some independent wanted to create some 'Enhanced' editions like Penguin did with Pride and Prejudice those might be interesting. It adds value that some might want to pay for.

nascarrunner71 · 03-22-2009, 06:08 PM

sounds like mobileread should charge markbot a $1/each for downloads!

03-20-2009, 12:39 PM	#1
markbot Guru Posts: 612 Karma: 7511929 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York, NY Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2	You can make money by simply uploading old books on Amazon For books past the copyright, people can upload the books and format it...add some links, etc...and charge $1. And make oodles of money! Seems like a great business plan. I for one, do not have time to figure out how to upload and correctly format one of those books. In any case, the time it would take to do it would be worth more to me than $1. So MobileRead should think about about uploading all of its books onto Amazon.

03-20-2009, 03:04 PM	#5
KindleDude Connoisseur Posts: 80 Karma: 172 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Kindle	If I were an artist (which I'm not), I could see perhaps doing nicely illustrated versions of classic public domain books and selling them for a fee. If I were a scholar in a field (also not) I could see producing a nicely annotated version. I think there are possibilities out there, but I think it would take substantial effort to put out a worthwhile product. People who are simply putting their name to free works and trying to get money will be found out by the marketplace, I believe. Last edited by KindleDude; 03-20-2009 at 03:06 PM. Reason: spelling!!

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03-20-2009, 02:53 PM	#3
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	A lot of people just don't know they're available for free. When my cousin first got hers, she was downloading her favorite classics from Amazon because they were so cheap until I told her about places like MobileRead, Feedbooks, etc. Of course, now Amazon has started putting up a lot of those classics for free so you'd likely only be able to sell more obscure titles. Sounds like a lot of work for little return.

03-20-2009, 05:59 PM	#7
S.Canton Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Kindle 2	I think people would be surprised how many books are available in the public domain. There are quite a few places with large collections, which sure beats getting them off Amazon, even if they are quite inexpensive.

03-20-2009, 08:39 PM	#9
kevindorsey Evangelist Posts: 488 Karma: 258 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: kindle	Yea, there are a ton of books available on public domain, but will somebody actually downloand is a different question. I've known about this for a while.

03-20-2009, 08:58 PM	#10
catsittingstill Guru Posts: 643 Karma: 551634 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle 1.0.8, iPod Touch, Kindle Keyboard	I agree with desertgrandma and Patricia. I think this would be a bad idea.

03-20-2009, 09:42 PM	#11
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Not a good idea for someplace like Mobile Read. It wouldn't be in the 'spirit' of things. Now if some independent wanted to create some 'Enhanced' editions like Penguin did with Pride and Prejudice those might be interesting. It adds value that some might want to pay for.

03-22-2009, 06:08 PM	#12
nascarrunner71 Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO Device: K1, K2, DX, iPad	sounds like mobileread should charge markbot a $1/each for downloads!

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