Not so long ago the idea was floated that if writers could not make money on the actual digital product, that a secondary, tangible object might be offered (the Chris Anderson Free model I call it). So here's some early ideas I'm working on along those lines for my own stuff. I'd be interested to know what readers think of these ideas
In this first one which I'm calling a "Quotable", the reader will be able to request any paragraph or sentence from anything the writer has written through a simple form on the website. The writer then puts up this custom t-shirt (through cafe press or what have you).
In this example I have my logo (but the reader could request this be removed). The quotation is from my story "Sights a Bird"
For what was the use of nine lives if you could not risk at least one in the service of adventure.
In this second example, which I'm calling Cover Versions, the writer offers the cover art for each of their novels / whatever is in print (I've been working on iconic cover designs so that they're easily transferable from one medium to another. Here, the symbol for my novel "The Song of Insects" is used (as with the earlier idea, the reader can request this symbol on other products like mugs, pads, bags etc...)
EDIT: Some more piccies I made while playing with all this tonight at different stores
