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| View Poll Results: If you were a writer, what would you choose for your book? | |||
| One billion actual readers who really enjoy your book, all sharing a single copy of it. |
   
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29 | 48.33% |
| One billion buyers, all paying the full cover price but never reading a single word of it. |
  
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31 | 51.67% |
| Voters: 60. You may not vote on this poll | |||
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Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
06-28-2012, 08:27 AM
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#1 |
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Guru
  Posts: 753
Karma: 1496807
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: The Third World
Device: iLiad + PRS-505 + Kindle 3
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If you were an author and you were granted a wish
I'm the Genie from Aladdin's lamp, and I grant you only one wish.
I know, what you really want is one billion happy readers who buy one billion copies each paying one billion dollars for each copy. But that, I cannot give. So choose: wealth or enduring fame? |
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06-28-2012, 08:47 AM
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#2 |
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Cultist
Posts: 196
Karma: 8624438
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Device: Sony PRS 505, Kobo Mini, Kobo Glo, Kobo Forma, Kindle DX
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Looks like I'm the first to choose option 2.
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06-28-2012, 09:35 AM
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#3 |
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Philosopher
Posts: 2,034
Karma: 18736532
Join Date: Jan 2012
Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch
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I voted for wealth, you have to eat.
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06-28-2012, 09:59 AM
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#4 |
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Spork Connoisseur
Posts: 2,355
Karma: 16780603
Join Date: Mar 2011
Device: Nook Color
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Eh, I went with the first option. Yeah, getting paid would be great, the actual exposure from the billion readers could lead to them purchasing my follow-up book and others picking it up on recommendation. Yes, I realize that there's an incredible risk in that, but it's one I'd be willing to take. I figure the enduring fame would ultimately lead to wealth.
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06-28-2012, 10:14 AM
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#5 | |
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monkey on the fringe
Posts: 45,746
Karma: 158575914
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Seattle Metro
Device: Moto E6, Echo Show
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Quote:
Money = bananas 
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06-28-2012, 10:17 AM
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#6 |
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Comic book artist
Posts: 553
Karma: 1760679
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Detroit
Device: Nook Glowlight, iPad, iPhone
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Option 1. I get way more excited when someone says they like my work, than I do when I get paid.
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06-28-2012, 11:46 AM
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#7 |
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Guru
Posts: 895
Karma: 4383958
Join Date: Nov 2007
Device: na
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If I were an author, I'd go for option 2.
That'd give me enough money to no longer worry about selling books. I'd be happy to then work for free and give away future books. If I made that kind of money selling software, I think I'd take the same approach. I'd still make it since I love the work, but I'd give away the product and source. I contribute to open source now and then but just can't bring myself to give away everything yet, eating is important 
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06-28-2012, 11:58 AM
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#8 |
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Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 7,407
Karma: 52613881
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip
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Show me the money.
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06-28-2012, 12:25 PM
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#9 |
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Illiterate newbie
Posts: 661
Karma: 1702090
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Finland
Device: Sony PRS-T1
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2. Even at one tenth of cent per copy it's 1 million euros. With tens of cents per copy it's hundreds of millions...
Billion copies is such huge amount that royalties are also massive. On other hand with 10-100k range I might go with free... |
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06-28-2012, 12:33 PM
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#10 |
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Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 28,364
Karma: 203720150
Join Date: Jan 2010
Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD
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I'd like to teach the world to sing ...
Spoiler:
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06-28-2012, 12:34 PM
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#11 | |
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monkey on the fringe
Posts: 45,746
Karma: 158575914
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Seattle Metro
Device: Moto E6, Echo Show
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06-28-2012, 12:40 PM
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#12 |
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Nameless Being
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Option 2. Authors, like everyone else, need to have their basic needs met. While a billion readers may satisfy some psychological needs, it won't satisfy others. A billion non-paying readers won't put food on their table either, nor provide the table, nor provide a roof over that table, nor provide a piece of land for that roof to rest upon.
As a reader, I also have to wonder about the quality of authors who prefer readership over earning a living. Paying for a book involves an implicit contract: the readers provides an author with compensation for their work, they provide the reader with something that they want to read. Authors who write for vanity are simply trying to fulfil their own needs without considering the readers needs. |
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06-28-2012, 12:57 PM
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#13 |
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Member Retired
Posts: 1,999
Karma: 11348924
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Limbo
Device: none
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It's a trick question, nobody can honestly say he'd give up money altogether.
But the answer would depend on the person's personality. Are we talking about someone with a huge ego or someone that is practical. Former answers A, latter answers B End of story. |
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06-28-2012, 01:06 PM
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#14 |
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Wizard
Posts: 2,698
Karma: 4748723
Join Date: Dec 2007
Device: Kindle Paperwhite
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#2 I'd rather be rich than famous.
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06-28-2012, 01:07 PM
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#15 | |
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Cultist
Posts: 196
Karma: 8624438
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Device: Sony PRS 505, Kobo Mini, Kobo Glo, Kobo Forma, Kindle DX
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Quote:
Of course, if the content of the book was potentially life changing, then one billion non-paying readers is a good start on reshaping the world. 
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