Did EarthCore's Scott Sigler betray the world of e-books?

Alexander Turcic · 09-01-2005, 04:18 AM

Teleread wrote a Q&A with Scott Sigler, the guy who has made news recently for receiving a print book contract deal as a direct result of his success with the podcast novel Earthcore. Since money doesn't grow on trees we're absolutely OK with him going paper now. But there is also the other side of the coin: e-book purists may argue that by keeping popular content exclusive to e-books it could help the e-book phenomenon to go faster from novelty to mainstream.

Related: Sadi Ranson-Polizzotti's podcast on the Scott Sigler.

Laurens · 09-01-2005, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander

But there is also the other side of the coin: e-book purists may argue that by keeping popular content exclusive to e-books it could help the e-book phenomenon to go faster from novelty to mainstream.

Maybe, but definitely not with works from (relatively) unknown authors, as is the case here. Stephen King experimented with e-book publishing back in 2000 and that didn't work out. I doubt that the outcome would've been different now, five years later.

At any rate, the publishing business isn't very profitable to begin with. Publishers are not going hold back popular content (say, Harry Potter) just to make e-books more appealing to the mainstream.

MikeC · 09-01-2005, 05:10 AM

It isn't this guys job to keep the e-book market afloat. He's a writer and obviously a rather good one. E-books helped get him a paper contract which is great but like the rest of us he has bills to pay and who would turn down a good contract?

The fact of the matter is that he will probably earn more money from a paper book than an e-book. If e-books really are the future (as I think they are) then they will get there when the time and technology is right - not because some authors sacrificed earning some money to 'help' the market.

Bob Russell · 09-01-2005, 06:31 AM

I think this guy has done more than his share of helping out ebooks... even if it was just a podcast and not actually ebook. The whole approach (throw it out there and win fans and prove it's value, and then you can sell it) is a good thing and it works for podcasts and ebooks apparently.

Print is still the mainstream media, so I think he should go for it. What we want for now is to have ebook popularity in conjunction with paper books. If paper starts disappearing there will be another outcry from people that like paper, and it will be hard not to sympathize with them also!

Antoine of MMM · 09-01-2005, 10:23 AM

The idea that an ebook author was so popular that he went print should be a great thing for the ebook industry. It might even make ebooks into an underground culture of budding writers that hope to get printed (if you will a farm system for writers, aka baseball and it subleagues).

Interesting development to say the least.

TadW · 09-01-2005, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antoine of MMM

The idea that an ebook author was so popular that he went print should be a great thing for the ebook industry. It might even make ebooks into an underground culture of budding writers that hope to get printed (if you will a farm system for writers, aka baseball and it subleagues).

I absolutely agree. Scott is already something like a hero in the podcast scene, and I am sure a lot of other book author will try to follow a similar route to success!

scottsigler · 09-01-2005, 03:41 PM

EarthCore will be available as an eBook, and I hope you all buy it. To, um, promote the future of ebooks, of course (my own greed and ego have nothingto do with it, I assure you ...).

I've been watching eBooks for, what, eight years now? The issue is still portability. Right now the effort needs to be making eBooks compatable available with iPods and other MP3 players -- there are 28 million MP3 players in America right now. That's a massive market, and that doesn't even count Treos, palms, etc.

Say, now that I think about it, I'll be pushing EarthCore as the best damn eBook every put on the face of the Earth. I expect all of you to help. I'm greedy like that.

-Scott Sigler-
www.scottsigler.net

doctorow · 09-01-2005, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottsigler

Say, now that I think about it, I'll be pushing EarthCore as the best damn eBook every put on the face of the Earth. I expect all of you to help. I'm greedy like that.

GRIN

Don't worry, you can count on me (as one of your current podcast subscribers). I cannot guarantee that you'll be as financially successful as Mrs Rowling (who definitely missed the train without podcasts and e-books); but then again, you write better stories than she does, and to book authors that's what matters most, right? Writing great stories...

davidrothman · 09-01-2005, 08:17 PM

Sadi and I would both agree with Bob and others. Scott should go after p-book contracts to help stay solvent. In fact, even p-books are hardly the path to riches. Bestsellers are rare, rare, rare.

Anyway, a new e-book of EarthCore will appear about the time the p-book does.

Meanwhile Sigler fans, writers and publishers might enjoy an interview she just recorded with Scott this afternoon--on how podcasted samples as a promo tools could change publishing. See URLs below. Scott's very generous with specific insights and tips. As a veteran editor and publicist, so is Sadi.

In a related vein, it's great to see MobileRead and many others in the e-book community understand the importance of what's going on.

Thanks,
David Rothman, for TeleRead.org
(as always an MR fan)

Today's podcast: http://www.teleread.org/blog/?p=3521

TeleRead audio feed to hear more of Sadi in the future:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/telereadebooknews

Alexander Turcic · 09-02-2005, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidrothman

Meanwhile Sigler fans, writers and publishers might enjoy an interview she just recorded with Scott this afternoon--on how podcasted samples as a promo tools could change publishing. See URLs below. Scott's very generous with specific insights and tips. As a veteran editor and publicist, so is Sadi.

Thanks for the link, David. It's always a pleasure to listen to Sadi's podcasts - you usually don't get to hear a pro of the publishing industry speak so openly about her business. And I also don't mind her Scottish accent

davidrothman · 09-02-2005, 05:47 PM

Thanks, Alex! I'll forward your praise to Sadi. David

sadi r-p · 09-03-2005, 01:33 PM

i'm glad this become an interesting topic of conversation. We expected as much and are glad of it to be sure. Sigler was, as you might have listened, an interesting interview.

It was a smart way to get a p-book contract, but as someone here said, e-books will never replace e=books in any way. It just won't happen. Some of the larger houses are doing it, Harper i beileve, was one of the first, if not THE first, but still, i'm not sure where the profit for them is unless it is print on demand in which case, why not just keep it a p-book? The problem we face is that most publishers do not even understand the concept of what an e-book is; the first barrier we need to break is that... helping publishers, especially the smaller literary presses (Coffee House, Godine, etc etc and a whole bunch of others) understand that money can be made in this venue.

Once we prove that, the we will be all set and the trend will catch on but for now, dont' count on it happening with a larger press. Some very small presses may catch on, but those are so small that right now they still have their own distribution and don't make it into the chains... which is a huge factor when choosing a press.. Being in the chains and a NYT review is everything...

well, i could go on and on... and maybe in my next aritlce and podcast i will.

For now, thanks all for reading and tuning in! And thanks Alex for the fine compliement!

Sadi (R-P)

Bob Russell · 09-03-2005, 04:04 PM

I'd look forward to hearing more, Sadi. I've subscribed to the podcast feed and am looking forward to hearing them.

09-01-2005, 04:18 AM	#1
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,171 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Did EarthCore's Scott Sigler betray the world of e-books? Teleread wrote a Q&A with Scott Sigler, the guy who has made news recently for receiving a print book contract deal as a direct result of his success with the podcast novel Earthcore. Since money doesn't grow on trees we're absolutely OK with him going paper now. But there is also the other side of the coin: e-book purists may argue that by keeping popular content exclusive to e-books it could help the e-book phenomenon to go faster from novelty to mainstream. Related: Sadi Ranson-Polizzotti's podcast on the Scott Sigler.

09-01-2005, 05:10 AM	#3
MikeC Nameless Being	Who can blame him? It isn't this guys job to keep the e-book market afloat. He's a writer and obviously a rather good one. E-books helped get him a paper contract which is great but like the rest of us he has bills to pay and who would turn down a good contract? The fact of the matter is that he will probably earn more money from a paper book than an e-book. If e-books really are the future (as I think they are) then they will get there when the time and technology is right - not because some authors sacrificed earning some money to 'help' the market.

09-01-2005, 03:41 PM	#7
scottsigler Nameless Being	Sellout? Moi? Ebook is coming, people EarthCore will be available as an eBook, and I hope you all buy it. To, um, promote the future of ebooks, of course (my own greed and ego have nothingto do with it, I assure you ...). I've been watching eBooks for, what, eight years now? The issue is still portability. Right now the effort needs to be making eBooks compatable available with iPods and other MP3 players -- there are 28 million MP3 players in America right now. That's a massive market, and that doesn't even count Treos, palms, etc. Say, now that I think about it, I'll be pushing EarthCore as the best damn eBook every put on the face of the Earth. I expect all of you to help. I'm greedy like that. -Scott Sigler- www.scottsigler.net

09-03-2005, 01:33 PM	#12
sadi r-p Nameless Being	thx all i'm glad this become an interesting topic of conversation. We expected as much and are glad of it to be sure. Sigler was, as you might have listened, an interesting interview. It was a smart way to get a p-book contract, but as someone here said, e-books will never replace e=books in any way. It just won't happen. Some of the larger houses are doing it, Harper i beileve, was one of the first, if not THE first, but still, i'm not sure where the profit for them is unless it is print on demand in which case, why not just keep it a p-book? The problem we face is that most publishers do not even understand the concept of what an e-book is; the first barrier we need to break is that... helping publishers, especially the smaller literary presses (Coffee House, Godine, etc etc and a whole bunch of others) understand that money can be made in this venue. Once we prove that, the we will be all set and the trend will catch on but for now, dont' count on it happening with a larger press. Some very small presses may catch on, but those are so small that right now they still have their own distribution and don't make it into the chains... which is a huge factor when choosing a press.. Being in the chains and a NYT review is everything... well, i could go on and on... and maybe in my next aritlce and podcast i will. For now, thanks all for reading and tuning in! And thanks Alex for the fine compliement! Sadi (R-P)

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09-01-2005, 06:31 AM	#4
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	I think this guy has done more than his share of helping out ebooks... even if it was just a podcast and not actually ebook. The whole approach (throw it out there and win fans and prove it's value, and then you can sell it) is a good thing and it works for podcasts and ebooks apparently. Print is still the mainstream media, so I think he should go for it. What we want for now is to have ebook popularity in conjunction with paper books. If paper starts disappearing there will be another outcry from people that like paper, and it will be hard not to sympathize with them also!

09-01-2005, 10:23 AM	#5
Antoine of MMM Mobile Ministry Magazine Posts: 119 Karma: 4507 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Charlotte, NC Device: Nokia N75/N800 Internet Tablet	The idea that an ebook author was so popular that he went print should be a great thing for the ebook industry. It might even make ebooks into an underground culture of budding writers that hope to get printed (if you will a farm system for writers, aka baseball and it subleagues). Interesting development to say the least.

09-01-2005, 08:17 PM	#9
davidrothman Connoisseur Posts: 60 Karma: 32 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Alexandria, VA Device: Paperwhite, $50 Fire, iPad Air 2, Nexus 6, Kobo Aura H2O	Sadi and I would both agree with Bob and others. Scott should go after p-book contracts to help stay solvent. In fact, even p-books are hardly the path to riches. Bestsellers are rare, rare, rare. Anyway, a new e-book of EarthCore will appear about the time the p-book does. Meanwhile Sigler fans, writers and publishers might enjoy an interview she just recorded with Scott this afternoon--on how podcasted samples as a promo tools could change publishing. See URLs below. Scott's very generous with specific insights and tips. As a veteran editor and publicist, so is Sadi. In a related vein, it's great to see MobileRead and many others in the e-book community understand the importance of what's going on. Thanks, David Rothman, for TeleRead.org (as always an MR fan) Today's podcast: http://www.teleread.org/blog/?p=3521 TeleRead audio feed to hear more of Sadi in the future: http://feeds.feedburner.com/telereadebooknews

09-02-2005, 05:47 PM	#11
davidrothman Connoisseur Posts: 60 Karma: 32 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Alexandria, VA Device: Paperwhite, $50 Fire, iPad Air 2, Nexus 6, Kobo Aura H2O	Thanks, Alex! I'll forward your praise to Sadi. David

09-03-2005, 04:04 PM	#13
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	I'd look forward to hearing more, Sadi. I've subscribed to the podcast feed and am looking forward to hearing them.

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