Quote:
Originally Posted by Darqref
On Baen's Bar there are a number of authors who "snippet". While the work is still being written, or sometimes just been submitted to editing, small parts are posted on the various fora of the Bar, and eagerly awaited. Eric Flint's stuff tended to get almost half the book posted by the time he'd finish snippets, which would happen about the time the eArc would post. Which also brought about the whole idea of a "snerker" who had read the snippets goading on those who hadn't.
I realize this is different than having the story broken up so that you had to purchase each part separately.
Also, when webscriptions first started, the whole idea was to have parts of the book available early enough to allow those who liked it to pre-order the paper version. In the days before the Kindle, this transformed Baen from a primary paperback publisher into one where the majority of their works came out in hardback first (because the webscriptions were successful in soliciting hardback pre-orders.) Me, I just waited to download until the whole thing was available.
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I used to be on Baen's bar/forum, so I knew about some of those things--and I'm all for it if people want it. But yes, it's different than being asked to pay for half a book. Ilona Andrews didn't charge for any of the chapters as they came out. I didn't bother to read any of it until it was a book that was for sale. Cleansweep is a very good book, but I had to wonder at a couple of points if it might have been a better book had they been able to go back and develop a couple of spots more. Of course, for all I know they had the book completed and just released it a chapter at a time so it would have made no difference.
I know how difficult it is for an author to get attention and KEEP it--the ability to remind people you exist and that a new book is coming--don't forget! I know it's also difficult to convince that audience to buy--NOW, before you forget So I kind of understand the marketing and trying to stay relevant. But I still don't happen to support it with my attention span or dollars.
That said, Baen has THE best forum for readers and writers, bar none. They listen and cater to both groups and have some of the best training ground for writers there has ever been. They try new things. It's a fabulous place.