Baen's Webscriptions turns ten

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Tom Swift

Like I said, I must be dense tonight because I just can't figure this out.

Webscription is a terrible name. And some of the text hasn't been updated for a long time. Let me have a go.

Baen Books releases new paper books each month. Usually this consists of a couple of first edition hardbacks, a couple of first edition trade paperbacks, and two or three mass-market paperbacks of books that are new editions of books they released some time ago. So - six to seven books every month.

A Webscription month is simply a cheap way to buy ebook editions of their entire output for that month. So, if you were to buy the March 2010 webscription, you'd get seven ebooks in total.

Three are ebooks that have already appeared in previous webscriptions when they were first edition hardbacks:
Caliphate - April 2008
Fledgling - September 2009
David Falkyn: Star Trader - January 2009

The other four are completely new for March 2010
Crucible of Empire - Hardback
The Secret Behind the Secret - Hardback
Bound in Blood - Trade Paperback
Green Hills/Menace - Trade Paperback

Of course, it's not March 2010 yet, and the four new paper books aren't available in the shops yet.

But if you'd bought the March 2010 webscription back in the middle of December, you'd have been able to read the first (unproofed) half of the books online. And since about the 20th January, you'd have been able to read the first three quarters online.

And sometime between 15th and 20th February, the full proofed final copy of all the ebooks will be available for reading on-line or downloading in any of the webscription ebook formats to those who've bought the webscription month. Up to two weeks before the paper books become available.

So - webscription months: For $15 ($10 for months from before 2002 ) you get four newly published ebooks and two or three older ebooks. You get to read half of each of the new ones up to ten weeks before they appear in the shops, three-quarters six weeks before, and have the full ebooks two weeks before.

It doesn't matter when you buy a webscription month - you'll eventually get the finished ebooks. If you buy a month that's already released (e.g. February 2010) you get access to the ebooks immediately. If you buy a month that's in the future (e.g. July 2010) you won't get any access until about ten weeks before the start of that month - e.g. between 15th and 20th April for the July webscription.


Or, of course, you can buy individual books for $4-$6.

And then there are eARCs - these are the full text of a forthcoming book, but not the final proofed and edited copy, because they become available up to six months before the publication date of the book. And they cost $15 per eARC. But if it's an book in a series you really like, and you just don't want to wait those six months, it can be a good deal.

I hope this has helped explain the way webscriptions works. Please ask if anything's still unclear, it's a bit tricky to explain.

[Tom Swift]

I read the blurb on line but it is still kind of confusing. It says you receive 4 books but if you look at the monthly subscriptions, there are more than four books in many of them. And it still does not explain the 3/4 books mentioned in March 2010 either. Do they start in January? That means that there are more than seven books available for January? Do you get the completed books in April, even if you did not subscribe for April?

[pdurrant]

See my message immediately above yours.

But to answer your questions explicitly:

Originally Posted by Tom Swift

I read the blurb on line but it is still kind of confusing. It says you receive 4 books but if you look at the monthly subscriptions, there are more than four books in many of them.

You receive four or more. Usually six or seven. Four of them will not have appeared in webcriptions before.

Originally Posted by Tom Swift

And it still does not explain the 3/4 books mentioned in March 2010 either. Do they start in January?

For any month, the books start being released about ten weeks before the date of the month. So the March 2010 books started to become partially available in mid-December.

Originally Posted by Tom Swift

That means that there are more than seven books available for January?

Each month is a separate purchase. The January 2010 webscription contains seven books. If you want those books, buy the January webscription and they'll be available immediately for download.

Originally Posted by Tom Swift

Do you get the completed books in April, even if you did not subscribe for April?

The complete books from the March 2010 webscription will become available between the 15th and 20th February, about two weeks before March 1st which is when the paper versions hit the bookshop shelves.

For each webscription month purchased, you get all the books listed for that month, either now (for old months) or when they are released (for future months).

HTH

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by igorsk

I wasn't around in the beginning but it went something like this...

I was, and now I feel old. Well I'm pretty sure I was around for the birth of Webscriptions, although my first month wasn't until 2002. What I remember the most is the usenet (boy do I feel old mentioning that ) flamewar on rec.arts.sf.written that helped give birth to the Baen Free Library.

I'm so old I remember the Rockoids flamewar on rec.arts.sf.composition. And that started in 1999.

[Pardoz]

Originally Posted by Critteranne

I'm so old I remember the Rockoids flamewar on rec.arts.sf.composition. And that started in 1999.

Given that we're talking about the (ab)Usenet, has it ended yet?

[HarryT]

Another "in at the birth" Webscriptions user here. I've bought every month since they launched.

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by Pardoz

Given that we're talking about the (ab)Usenet, has it ended yet?

Finally, but it went on into 2000. I knew we had passed Y2K OK because I was still able to follow the flamewar on my parents' old computer. Still, do usenet flamewars ever really die? Even now, and even on blogs, some people still refer to it as "R*ck*ds" because they're afraid to start it up again.

I just checked the Webscriptions site. The first month I signed up for included Eric Flint's 1632 and three other books. I felt as if I was getting away with murder because it was only available in hardback at the time, but I got it and three other books for ten dollars!

Dang, why did you have to remind me to check that site? My wish list is getting too long, and I should clean it out. By, you know, buying a few more books. Now that I have a nook, I have more room for e-books.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Another "in at the birth" Webscriptions user here. I've bought every month since they launched.

Wow... have you read them all?

BOb

[HarryT]

I have to confess that I've probably only read about 20% of my webscriptions books - lots to read for the future! I've enjoyed the majority; a few have been merely "OK"; a tiny number I've "actively" disliked (eg some of John Ringo's stuff). Overall, though, it's been a great ten years! I pay my $15 a month to them primarily to say "thanks for being the good guys".

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Wow... have you read them all?

I have most of the webscriptions since 1999 (although I didn't find webscriptions until 2003), barring some of the earlier webscriptions where I'd already bought all the books in later ones. About 650 books in total, I think.

I've read all bar 60 or so which are still in my TBR folder.

[Skyflyer]

I was also there when Webscription started. I am even on this testimonials list of Webscription beta version: http://www.baen.com/testimonial.htm

But I haven't bought every month of Webscription like some of the really dedicated people here.

Erik F

[Tom Swift]

Thanks for all the info. I think I get it now. Again, either I am just dense or they could explain it a bit better on the site. It was that 4 books a month blurb that threw me and started getting me confused, as well as the 3/4 stuff only mentioned once.

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by Tom Swift

Thanks for all the info. I think I get it now. Again, either I am just dense or they could explain it a bit better on the site. It was that 4 books a month blurb that threw me and started getting me confused, as well as the 3/4 stuff only mentioned once.

If it makes you feel any better, you can also buy single titles. Most of my purchases have been individual books instead of complete months -- because usually, each month contains only one or two books I really want. Getting a whole month is a great way to try several authors you're unsure about, though. (And so are the Baen Free Library at http://www.baen.com/library/ and the Baen CDs at the Fifth Imperium site at http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/. )

[NormHart]

Originally Posted by Tom Swift

Thanks for all the info. I think I get it now. Again, either I am just dense or they could explain it a bit better on the site. It was that 4 books a month blurb that threw me and started getting me confused, as well as the 3/4 stuff only mentioned once.

To put it into words of less than one syllable. You get all the ebooks listed in the Webscription if you purchase that Webscription.

For 2009 that meant not less than six ebooks (three months) and as many as eight (two months). That is an average of just under seven (6.92 for 2009) ebooks a month for $15.00 or about $2.17 per ebook. Considering that at least two are first releases there is no way to equal this deal.

In the Oct. 2009 Webscription Dragon's Ring by Dave Freer was included. I purchased this on Sept 28th, read it, and told my sister about it. She searched many book stores in the San Francisco area and was unable to find it. I eventually got it for her from Amazon, in hard bound, for $16.32 plus shipping.

I only wish every publisher followed this plan.

[Tom Swift]

One of the reasons I am interested in this is that I want to find new books and writers. I just bought the January 2010 and I got seven books for $15.00 US. Pretty good deal. The best thing about this is that if I can't get into the book, I won't feel too guilty about not reading it.

Going to look at Jim Baen's Universe next. Sounds like you get a hell of a lot of books for $30.00