Authorship in the Information Age

[Ben Thornton]

On another thread, the idea of refunds was raised. Even without any new technology, one could offer books on, say, smashwords at $4.95 with 100% money-back if not satisfied. I'd expect that not many people would take advantage of that, but it might be good marketing to say that a book is "no risk".

It would be interesting if, after some months' sales data on one model, a subset of titles were moved to this model, to see whether it made any difference.

Another idea that occurs to me is an "open subscription", paying $x per month to download as many titles as you like whenever you want. This would have to be across a wide selection - e.g. all of smashwords, or all the authors who opted in. The income could be divided across all downloads under the scheme.

Some people might hoard - but who cares? Actual readers would get a good deal and provide a steady trickle of income.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Richard Herley

Ben, I read J A Konrath's post and he makes it clear that he owes his success to having started in print. He also says he can write four books a year, which does make me wonder about the quality (I've never read him).

I know quite a few authors capable of producing 500,000 words/year, split up into several novels. And a ridiculous number capable of producing 250,000 words per year. No idea how big he is considering a book to be, but four 50- to 100k-word novels is not an extreme claim for quality writing.

This is especially true of writing on a single theme--he writes crime thrillers, I think? Once the author knows the basics of the genre, there's not a lot of time lost in detail-checking or timeline fixing. Character-driven, emotionally-intense genre fiction can be quick to write, and it often has large sections that don't need any kind of fact-checking. (Oh look, 4,000 words of introspective angst. Which may be very compelling to the reader--but doesn't require the writer to do any research, and doesn't add any plot details, and doesn't require POV shift considerations.)

I don't know his writing and don't know if this applies to it. Just saying--genre writing can be quick for some authors, without indicating low quality.

[Kali Yuga]

Well, I hope this doesn't come off as too blunt, but...

Seriously, is anyone surprised that the vast majority of human beings are freeloaders? Especially when there is no real social encouragement or reinforcement of altruistic behavior?

Keep in mind it's not a moral failure (the books were given away free, donations were optional) or necessarily any statement on the Youth of Today (we don't have any reliable demographic data). We don't even really know why most people didn't pay, since it's not like they filled out a survey. All we have in that respect is conjecture.

But really, this is the fundamental reason why a donation model just is not sustainable. The self-publishing author who is on a budget now needs to be his or her own writer, editor, retailer, manager, publicist, marketer, web master, accountant, and now fund-raiser as well? And you pretty much get, at best, a small handful of chances to request a donation, and there are no real social consequences for the readers who choose not to donate. I just don't see this as a viable model for most writers.


As to the "get inside an author's mind," it's been done. I don't recall the writer's name (though I'll keep looking if I have time), but a couple of years ago he basically posted rough drafts of a book in progress to a website, and incorporated the immediate feedback into his writing process. He may have set up a webcam as well. At any rate, I cannot imagine that any such schemes a) will really work more than a few times, after that it gets pretty boring (or at least, the novelty is gone), and b) let's face it, even a few hundred donations is not going to match up to a £50k or even £25k advance....

[mores]

Originally Posted by Richard Herley

The first thing to do would be to gauge the amount of interest in this. How keen would readers and writers be to get involved? The readers could watch and guide the raw process of creating a novel, rewrites, blocks, inspirations and all. The writers could learn quite a bit (I have been doing this for 40 years now.) Perhaps the best thing would be the interaction, the persuasion and voting: and the first question to be settled is the choice of book. The nudist colony will be more amusing, but the conspiracy theory might sell to Hollywood and make us all rich.

I'm all for votes and simple ways to get involved. But I doubt I'd like to pay a subscription fee to really "work" with you on your book, read it in bits and changed bits and re-changed bits. I want to see the final product, not pay to be "beta tester" or even your gopher

That's just me, so don't trash your plans just yet

But since I'd like to see your dark comedy go ahead, I might consider some kind of pre-order thing .... like pre-order a book that's not even written yet

[alvico]

Originally Posted by Richard Herley

The first thing to do would be to gauge the amount of interest in this. How keen would readers and writers be to get involved? The readers could watch and guide the raw process of creating a novel, rewrites, blocks, inspirations and all. The writers could learn quite a bit (I have been doing this for 40 years now.)

But Richard, why pay for something that is free? And I'm not talking about your experiment of asking satisfied readers to pay. Do you have any idea how many FREE writer's blogs are out there, which cover just about every aspect of writing that you can think of? Thousands.

Now if it were Stephen King or Harlan Coben...

[Moejoe]

I think we have to expect, and your experiment proves it to an extent, that the money is just not there any longer in fiction. The mid list was destroyed a long time ago in print, and it has zero chance of surviving in the digital age. For a very few people there's a living to be made. A very few. Those anointed into the Baen 'clique'. A few flukes here and there who just happen into an audience. A couple others who have the knack of self-promotion. The rest are dead in the water, even those signed to a publishing deal.

Kind of invigorating, no?

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by alvico

Now if it were Stephen King or Harlan Coben...

I've read Stephen King and Harlan Coben - fine writers both of them; but I liked Richard's books better.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by Moejoe

I think we have to expect, and your experiment proves it to an extent, that the money is just not there any longer in fiction. The mid list was destroyed a long time ago in print, and it has zero chance of surviving in the digital age. For a very few people there's a living to be made. A very few. Those anointed into the Baen 'clique'. A few flukes here and there who just happen into an audience. A couple others who have the knack of self-promotion. The rest are dead in the water, even those signed to a publishing deal.

Kind of invigorating, no?

If I may be allowed to "riff" off you comment...

I truly expect that there is a generational component to this. The older geezers (like me), are willing to pay for digital things, if they are priced reasonably, and allow free backup/transfer (i.e. no DRM). The current teenagers don't seem to have the same viewpoint, in aggregate, or at least not to the same extent...

One of the quirks of this, if true, is that older people tastes are less attached to the new, on average. You speak of the "Baen clique". That may exist, but look at what Baen sells. Look at the vast number of dead authors sold by Baen. Why? Well, older readers want e-copies of "old favorites". Baen obliges, at acceptable prices. Most of the big six look at their backlist like a leper colony. This frustrates the very demographic most likely to buy a product, if available.

It also hammers new writers, because the generation that would be their "long tail" in the future, isn't even being the "big surge" today, preferring to pirate over buying.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

One of the quirks of this, if true, is that older people tastes are less attached to the new, on average. You speak of the "Baen clique". That may exist, but look at what Baen sells. Look at the vast number of dead authors sold by Baen. Why? Well, older readers want e-copies of "old favorites". Baen obliges, at acceptable prices. Most of the big six look at their backlist like a leper colony. This frustrates the very demographic most likely to buy a product, if available.

It also hammers new writers, because the generation that would be their "long tail" in the future, isn't even being the "big surge" today, preferring to pirate over buying.

Good Lord, yes! I absolutely HATE it when I discover an author only to find that I cannot find one, two or even a half-dozen books from earlier in the series in e-book format. I try first to let the publishers know of my desires - and I always click the 'please make it available in Kindle format' link - but I've seen more than a hundred titles I want which have not been released in e-book format - as much as a year after I made requests.

So what do I do? I either attempt to scan in from whatever used dead-tree copy I can find, or, if I can locate it, I download it from the dark-net sites. These are *I want it now* purchases I'd *gladly* make, but the publishers delay and fuss and downright ignore. Go figure.

Derek

[Richard Herley]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

I was one of those who paid for it when you waived the fee for MR book club members. It was totally worth it too. I'm glad that you posted this actually, because now I know you're on Smashwords. I've been wanting to read another one of your books. Loved Refuge!

Thank you, lilac_jive. I've enabled 50% sampling so you needn't risk another dime!

Originally Posted by Ben Thornton

On another thread, the idea of refunds was raised. Even without any new technology, one could offer books on, say, smashwords at $4.95 with 100% money-back if not satisfied. I'd expect that not many people would take advantage of that, but it might be good marketing to say that a book is "no risk".

Might be a bit complicated to arrange, since the author only gets a share of that $4.95 (max. $3.83 if the sale is through Smashwords, and a good bit less if sold through a premium affiliate like B&N). The sampling thing is a good compromise, since authors can allow up to half the book to be read without payment.

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

I know quite a few authors capable of producing 500,000 words/year, split up into several novels. And a ridiculous number capable of producing 250,000 words per year.

That's amazing. I reckon it's a good day if I can get 500 words done!

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Well, I hope this doesn't come off as too blunt, but...

Seriously, is anyone surprised that the vast majority of human beings are freeloaders? ...

But really, this is the fundamental reason why a donation model just is not sustainable. The self-publishing author who is on a budget now needs to be his or her own writer, editor, retailer, manager, publicist, marketer, web master, accountant, and now fund-raiser as well? ...

As to the "get inside an author's mind," it's been done. I don't recall the writer's name (though I'll keep looking if I have time), but a couple of years ago he basically posted rough drafts of a book in progress to a website, and incorporated the immediate feedback into his writing process. He may have set up a webcam as well. At any rate, I cannot imagine that any such schemes a) will really work more than a few times, after that it gets pretty boring (or at least, the novelty is gone), and b) let's face it, even a few hundred donations is not going to match up to a £50k or even £25k advance....

Sad to agree with you, but when you're right, you're right.

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I've read Stephen King and Harlan Coben - fine writers both of them; but I liked Richard's books better.

[alvico]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I've read Stephen King and Harlan Coben - fine writers both of them; but I liked Richard's books better.

That's great; however, it's not about whose books are better, but the author's profile and bestselling status. It would only work (maybe) if the writer already had a large following. Sad but true.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Richard Herley

That's amazing. I reckon it's a good day if I can get 500 words done!

To be fair, I also know plenty who spend three months producing 1500 words of short story. (Including myself, sometimes.) I don't mean that writing is easy-and-quick, just that some authors are incredibly prolific. If they've got time to write, and are in good health, they can almost always come up with a few thousand words per day.

NANOWRIMO shows how many of those authors can produce quality at that speed.

[alvico]

Originally Posted by Richard Herley

That's amazing. I reckon it's a good day if I can get 500 words done!

Ditto!

[DawnFalcon]

Originally Posted by zerospinboson

0. I myself hugely dislike and distrust Paypal. Also, Paypal is fairly expensive to use

Compared to most payment processors? No, it's not excessive. The other stuff, yea, but if you're doing relatively low volume (and by that I mean less than hundreds per day), it's really not bad fees-wise.

[alvico]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

To be fair, I also know plenty who spend three months producing 1500 words of short story. (Including myself, sometimes.) I don't mean that writing is easy-and-quick, just that some authors are incredibly prolific. If they've got time to write, and are in good health, they can almost always come up with a few thousand words per day.

NANOWRIMO shows how many of those authors can produce quality at that speed.

I envy those prolific writers, but I suspect that it's probably more to do with writing method than speed. I edit and research as I write. My final draft requires minimal work.