Let's pay authors directly - Page 3

jgaiser · 05-08-2011, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

I don't maintain a PayPal account for donation purposes, but you can leave change with the homeless guy who sits outside the Walmart. He's my agent.

Giggleton · 05-08-2011, 10:36 PM

We've moved beyond individual readers contributing to individual authors via paypal donation buttons inside ebooks, we are now considering conglomerations of readers and writers who contribute monetarily and otherwise to the site of ebook distribution for the good of all those involved.

Any monies accrued will be distributed equally among all authors involved within the site, perhaps done on a monthly basis with a distribution limit of ebooks each month, say 100 books a month or something, able to partake of the kitty.

What I mean is the site will only market 100 books a month, that's just an example though because marketing the infinite would require distribution of monies among infinite authors which ain't gonna work obviously, or would it?

jgaiser · 05-08-2011, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giggleton

We've moved beyond individual readers contributing to individual authors via paypal donation buttons inside ebooks, we are now considering conglomerations of readers and writers who contribute monetarily and otherwise to the site of ebook distribution for the good of all those involved.

Any monies accrued will be distributed equally among all authors involved within the site, perhaps done on a monthly basis with a distribution limit of ebooks each month, say 100 books a month or something, able to partake of the kitty.

Dude....! You're beginning to sound like a broken record.

It ain't gonna work. Time to find a different dead horse to beat.

Giggleton · 05-08-2011, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Dude....! You're beginning to sound like a broken record.

It ain't gonna work. Time to find a different dead horse to beat.

It's already working.

jgaiser · 05-08-2011, 10:50 PM

Cites?

Giggleton · 05-08-2011, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Cites?

There's a few sites working along similar lines, but mostly it is working inside my head ATM. I expect this method to appear in the mainstream in a few years.

taosaur · 05-08-2011, 10:57 PM

In response to the rather modest question posed in the OP, I'd have to agree with DArenson and L.J.Sellers that promotion trumps donation. It doesn't hurt to google an author whose work you've enjoyed and see what avenues of compensation, promotion, or acquiring future works they've endorsed; we no longer live in a world where readers can assume that marching off to a brick and mortar store and buying a mass of wood pulp with the author's name emblazoned across it is a preferred or even possible means of supporting their work.

As for what steps authors should take to be compensated, pursuing a contract with a big publishing house and hoping you'll be one of the half dozen authors they see fit to actually promote was always a long shot. The ease and accessibility of online distribution should be (and has been) a good thing for artists of all kinds. New authors should certainly consider pursuing alternate avenues of compensation, such as electronic self-publication, releasing their work serially on a subscription model, ad-supported online publication, or offering premium and prestige editions of their work and/or related merchandise. Putting up a donation box is not likely to get you far.

The other side of that coin, though, is that facility with language is not always (perhaps rarely) coupled with business sense. Often artists need someone representing them, and can do little more than decide to whom they should hand off their work, then step back and hope for the best. The more time they devote to building a website or monitoring half a dozen different services by which they promote and distribute their work, the less time they're actually writing, and perhaps the less they're able to promote a frame of mind in which they can produce work.

What I would like to see are entrepreneurs providing these services to authors without trying to force online distribution into the paradigms of wood-pulp publishing.

jgaiser · 05-08-2011, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giggleton

There's a few sites working along similar lines, but mostly it is working inside my head ATM. I expect this method to appear in the mainstream in a few years.

Ah... So, you're blowing smoke. Once again. Troll.

Lemurion · 05-08-2011, 11:12 PM

I separate reading books from supporting authors. If I just want to read a book, I can go to the library. If I want to support an author I buy their work - sometimes even if I've already read it and don't plan on reading it again. Buying their books supports their career and helps keep them writing.

I also spend money at our local BAM. My gaming group meets there, and sometimes plays for hours. They don't complain about that, so I spend money there.

Giggleton · 05-08-2011, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taosaur

In response to the rather modest question posed in the OP, I'd have to agree with DArenson and L.J.Sellers that promotion trumps donation. It doesn't hurt to google an author whose work you've enjoyed and see what avenues of compensation, promotion, or acquiring future works they've endorsed; we no longer live in a world where readers can assume that marching off to a brick and mortar store and buying a mass of wood pulp with the author's name emblazoned across it is a preferred or even possible means of supporting their work.

When I'm at my local dollar store, where everything is a dollar of course, I'm a bit surprised at their book selection. They have a large selection of hardbacks for, that's right one dollar. Bargain Bin, Remainders... What I wonder is how much of that dollar is going to end up in the author's pocket. I suspect none, which is odd isn't it?

There's a representation of the author, sitting on the shelf, while the author is most likely unaware of that representation existing in the dollar store, what does it all mean I ask myself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Ah... So, you're blowing smoke. Once again. Troll.

No, I'm envisioning administrating the site inside my head, as I'm walking around town and such.

Lemurion · 05-09-2011, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giggleton

No, I'm envisioning administrating the site inside my head, as I'm walking around town and such.

Then it's just a thought experiment, you don't know if the site would really work and can't until someone actually tries it.

caleb72 · 05-09-2011, 08:20 AM

I don't have a problem with giving money to authors for books. I have a problem with the fact that quite a few authors don't seem to want to sell me a book. But these are authors who are much less likely to appreciate a direct contribution. Those who might like a contribution are quite often independent and already selling to me anyway.

mr ploppy · 05-09-2011, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

We need to let go of the notion that every pair of eyeballs equals either a sale or a sale lost. Paper books have always been passed around. Authors have never been paid for every pair of eyeballs, so why should we expect ebooks to be any different?

The big problem we face is keeping people from reading over other people's shoulders. How do we force these parasites to buy their own copies???

What we need to do is stop teaching poor children how to read. Then book piracy will disappear completely within a generation. Also, people would go back to writing nice stories about children having pony rides and catching smugglers instead of all this Horrible Henry nonsense which just encourages children to become criminals.

Giggleton · 05-09-2011, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

Then it's just a thought experiment, you don't know if the site would really work and can't until someone actually tries it.

I think thoughts are very tangible. Indeed they are all that we have. One day I may have this site go "live" as it were, but there's still a lot of thinking to do.

leebase · 05-09-2011, 11:05 AM

I find it no more noble to "only steal from publishers" than to "only steal from the author". The editor deserves to get paid for their work. As do the graphic artists, the receptionist, the salesperson, marketing, accounting and the mailroom workers.

I don't go into a grocery store, steal the produce, and then send a buck or two to the local farmers.

Lee

05-08-2011, 10:36 PM	#32
Giggleton Banned Posts: 1,687 Karma: 4368191 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Oregon Device: Kindle3	We've moved beyond individual readers contributing to individual authors via paypal donation buttons inside ebooks, we are now considering conglomerations of readers and writers who contribute monetarily and otherwise to the site of ebook distribution for the good of all those involved. Any monies accrued will be distributed equally among all authors involved within the site, perhaps done on a monthly basis with a distribution limit of ebooks each month, say 100 books a month or something, able to partake of the kitty. What I mean is the site will only market 100 books a month, that's just an example though because marketing the infinite would require distribution of monies among infinite authors which ain't gonna work obviously, or would it? Last edited by Giggleton; 05-08-2011 at 10:50 PM.

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05-08-2011, 10:50 PM	#35
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,283 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Cites?

05-08-2011, 10:57 PM	#37
taosaur intelligent posterior Posts: 1,562 Karma: 21295618 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ohiopolis Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Samsung S8, Lenovo Tab 3 Pro	In response to the rather modest question posed in the OP, I'd have to agree with DArenson and L.J.Sellers that promotion trumps donation. It doesn't hurt to google an author whose work you've enjoyed and see what avenues of compensation, promotion, or acquiring future works they've endorsed; we no longer live in a world where readers can assume that marching off to a brick and mortar store and buying a mass of wood pulp with the author's name emblazoned across it is a preferred or even possible means of supporting their work. As for what steps authors should take to be compensated, pursuing a contract with a big publishing house and hoping you'll be one of the half dozen authors they see fit to actually promote was always a long shot. The ease and accessibility of online distribution should be (and has been) a good thing for artists of all kinds. New authors should certainly consider pursuing alternate avenues of compensation, such as electronic self-publication, releasing their work serially on a subscription model, ad-supported online publication, or offering premium and prestige editions of their work and/or related merchandise. Putting up a donation box is not likely to get you far. The other side of that coin, though, is that facility with language is not always (perhaps rarely) coupled with business sense. Often artists need someone representing them, and can do little more than decide to whom they should hand off their work, then step back and hope for the best. The more time they devote to building a website or monitoring half a dozen different services by which they promote and distribute their work, the less time they're actually writing, and perhaps the less they're able to promote a frame of mind in which they can produce work. What I would like to see are entrepreneurs providing these services to authors without trying to force online distribution into the paradigms of wood-pulp publishing.

05-08-2011, 11:12 PM	#39
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	I separate reading books from supporting authors. If I just want to read a book, I can go to the library. If I want to support an author I buy their work - sometimes even if I've already read it and don't plan on reading it again. Buying their books supports their career and helps keep them writing. I also spend money at our local BAM. My gaming group meets there, and sometimes plays for hours. They don't complain about that, so I spend money there.

05-09-2011, 08:20 AM	#42
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	I don't have a problem with giving money to authors for books. I have a problem with the fact that quite a few authors don't seem to want to sell me a book. But these are authors who are much less likely to appreciate a direct contribution. Those who might like a contribution are quite often independent and already selling to me anyway.

05-09-2011, 11:05 AM	#45
leebase Karma Kameleon Posts: 2,976 Karma: 26738313 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: iPad Mini, iPhone X, Kindle Fire Tab HD 8, Walmart Onn	I find it no more noble to "only steal from publishers" than to "only steal from the author". The editor deserves to get paid for their work. As do the graphic artists, the receptionist, the salesperson, marketing, accounting and the mailroom workers. I don't go into a grocery store, steal the produce, and then send a buck or two to the local farmers. Lee