Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Huffman
The music "industry" led the way by convincing its market that its product was worth only stealing. Make the analogy of an indie-author as a basement rockband. That is the future of authorship in the DRM age. Do they have the right? Absolutely. Do I have the ability? Absolutely.
|
The problem with that analogy is that the basement rock-band can make money and actualize themselves artistically via live performances. Authors generally can't do this. The coffee-club open-mike circuit is not particularly lucrative.
I for one think the patronage system should not be overlooked: commissions could be made and the results posted online for free. That would be a win-win scenario. The only catch would be the restriction of artistic freedom inherent in the necessity to please the patron. Of course, this restriction is already there in the current publishing era, where authors must try to please agents, publishers, and the fans.
Another possible solution would be publicly funded stipends for authors of merit. The competition for these stipends could have a very positive effect on the quality of the literature produced. The works themselves could then be distributed at cost.
Luqman