If you were/are a writer, you'd rather

Format C: · 11-16-2009, 09:38 AM

I know.
The missing options is "I'd like 10 million readers each buying 10 million copies of the book fo 10 million dollars per copy, and then let's talk about Nobel prizes, movie rights and TV shows...", but I aks you to stick between the two: you'd like readers or customers?

My answer will be the first one: I'd write for free, if I can have millions of readers... What do you think?

Greg Anos · 11-16-2009, 09:42 AM

I write for free, and I've got 6 or 7 readers.....

LDBoblo · 11-16-2009, 10:13 AM

Depends:

educational book: first choice
fiction book: second choice

If I am to support the sharing culture, I'd rather it be done with educational materials.

Sparrow · 11-16-2009, 10:19 AM

"One million readers all sharing one single copy of the book."

Interestingly, if it takes each reader a week to read on average, a million readers would take 19,230 years.
I suspect most authors would have stopped caring by then.

K-Thom · 11-16-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

Depends:

educational book: first choice
fiction book: second choice

If I am to support the sharing culture, I'd rather it be done with educational materials.

Ditto.

Though, even with an educational book, I'd rather like to make my living by selling it.

khalleron · 11-16-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

I write for free, and I've got 6 or 7 readers.....

Me, too!

Just tell me you like it, that's all I ask!

Except if you don't, then tell me why.

poshm · 11-16-2009, 11:27 AM

If people liked my work, I'd happily write for free. This may sound very vain but if I had a fan or two and could remain happily anon behind the wall of my computer, that would mean more than any amount of money.

WT Sharpe · 11-16-2009, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

Depends:

educational book: first choice
fiction book: second choice

If I am to support the sharing culture, I'd rather it be done with educational materials.

Good answer!

I do a fair amount of writing without thought of monetary reward hoping to influence the opinions of family, friends, and sometimes unsuspecting Internet denizens; but if I wrote fiction, I'd want the money!

dmaul1114 · 11-16-2009, 12:46 PM

If I took the time to write something, I'd want the money. So number 2 for books.

Now for my research which is mainly in journals which I get no pay for anyway, obviously number 1. But if I took the time to write a book, I'd be doing it for money since in the US books and book chapters are given much less weight in tenure and promotion in academia than are peer reviewed journal articles.

delphidb96 · 11-16-2009, 02:01 PM

I'd rather have

3. One million readers, each of whom has coughed up $1.50 to me for my latest book, which I've marketed myself!

Derek

Moejoe · 11-16-2009, 02:44 PM

I voted for one million readers, one copy, but my real answer is none of the above. Any kind of numbers game is a bad idea when it comes to writing - number of downloads, sales, readers, lack of readers, critics response and all the rest detracts from what a writer really has to do; please themselves. There's a quote, and I can't remember who said it or if I'm getting it correct, but it goes soemthing like this:

To write for ones self you may lose the public. To write for the public is to lose ones self.

rcuadro · 11-16-2009, 02:45 PM

If I were a new writer option 1... established writer option 2

Alisa · 11-16-2009, 04:24 PM

I'd choose one million readers but that book would have a link to a tip jar in it.

fugazied · 11-16-2009, 04:37 PM

Well if you are doing it for a living, option B lets you continue doing it for a living. Option A means you are broke or living in your moms basement!

Alisa · 11-16-2009, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fugazied

Well if you are doing it for a living, option B lets you continue doing it for a living. Option A means you are broke or living in your moms basement!

But if people are reading your book and liking it, there's a better chance you will succeed in the long run as an author.

View Poll Results: If you were/are a writer, for your latest book you'd rather have:
One million readers all sharing one single copy of the book	21	48.84%
One million buyers of a copy of the book, just one of them actually reading it.	22	51.16%
Voters: 43. You may not vote on this poll

11-16-2009, 09:38 AM	#1
Format C: Guru Posts: 753 Karma: 1496807 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: The Third World Device: iLiad + PRS-505 + Kindle 3	If you were/are a writer, you'd rather I know. The missing options is "I'd like 10 million readers each buying 10 million copies of the book fo 10 million dollars per copy, and then let's talk about Nobel prizes, movie rights and TV shows...", but I aks you to stick between the two: you'd like readers or customers? My answer will be the first one: I'd write for free, if I can have millions of readers... What do you think?

11-16-2009, 02:01 PM	#10
delphidb96 Wizard Posts: 2,999 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Citrus Heights, California Device: TWO Kindle 2s, one each Bookeen Cybook Gen3, Sony PRS-500, Axim X51V	Not enough options. I'd rather have 3. One million readers, each of whom has coughed up $1.50 to me for my latest book, which I've marketed myself! Derek

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11-16-2009, 09:42 AM	#2
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,496 Karma: 37057604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	I write for free, and I've got 6 or 7 readers.....

11-16-2009, 10:13 AM	#3
LDBoblo Wizard Posts: 1,385 Karma: 16056 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Asia Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Sony PRS-505	Depends: educational book: first choice fiction book: second choice If I am to support the sharing culture, I'd rather it be done with educational materials.

11-16-2009, 10:19 AM	#4
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	"One million readers all sharing one single copy of the book." Interestingly, if it takes each reader a week to read on average, a million readers would take 19,230 years. I suspect most authors would have stopped caring by then.

11-16-2009, 11:27 AM	#7
poshm Fanatic Posts: 581 Karma: 1003580 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Cambs, UK Device: PocketBook 360, Sony Reader Touch, Ipod touch & Kindle 2	If people liked my work, I'd happily write for free. This may sound very vain but if I had a fan or two and could remain happily anon behind the wall of my computer, that would mean more than any amount of money.

11-16-2009, 12:46 PM	#9
dmaul1114 Wizard Posts: 2,300 Karma: 1121709 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 1	If I took the time to write something, I'd want the money. So number 2 for books. Now for my research which is mainly in journals which I get no pay for anyway, obviously number 1. But if I took the time to write a book, I'd be doing it for money since in the US books and book chapters are given much less weight in tenure and promotion in academia than are peer reviewed journal articles.

11-16-2009, 02:44 PM	#11
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	I voted for one million readers, one copy, but my real answer is none of the above. Any kind of numbers game is a bad idea when it comes to writing - number of downloads, sales, readers, lack of readers, critics response and all the rest detracts from what a writer really has to do; please themselves. There's a quote, and I can't remember who said it or if I'm getting it correct, but it goes soemthing like this: To write for ones self you may lose the public. To write for the public is to lose ones self.

11-16-2009, 02:45 PM	#12
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	If I were a new writer option 1... established writer option 2

11-16-2009, 04:24 PM	#13
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	I'd choose one million readers but that book would have a link to a tip jar in it.

11-16-2009, 04:37 PM	#14
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	Well if you are doing it for a living, option B lets you continue doing it for a living. Option A means you are broke or living in your moms basement!

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