[emellaich]

In regard to Amazon's rumored netflix-style subscription plan (readers pay one price for all the books they can read); I wonder how it would work for independent writers?

OK, this is just speculation since we don't even know if the original rumor is real, but here are some thoughts I had.

New independent writers basically have no value to their work. If it follows typical ratios, most will never get audience attention. These folks just want readers, even if its free, so that they can get an audience and word-of-mouth. For these folks, it seems to me that a tiered payment approach would work best. Something like this:

- The first 100 'sales' or reads, the author gets no payment. Hopefully this allows the author to build up some rating stars, and word of mouth.
- After 100 copies are read, Amazon pays the author some nominal amount for the right to distribute up to 1000 books.
- After 1000, Amazon purchases additional rights in 1000 book blocks.

However, even in the case of 'proven' independents the payments would be quite low. Amazon, couldn't afford to charge much if its only revenue is the cost of a prime membership.

The game for the independent, would be one of recognition/reputation. They give away 100 to seed the market. They virtually give away the next 1000 to support growth. At some time, their book becomes a 'best-seller'. They remove the book from the unlimited program and sell the book through the standard Amazon marketplace giving Amazon the standard (30%?) cut.

An alternative to the 1000 book blocks would pay the writer a very small fee per book once the first 100 are sold. Either way, the writer wouldn't get much, but I still think it could work for a new writer.

What do you think?