Puma
07-05-2006, 06:22 AM
To h*ll with it, I'm givin' it away User NameRemember Me?Password FAQ (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/faq.php)Members List (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/memberlist.php)Calendar (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/calendar.php)Mark Forums Read (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?do=markread)
[/URL] Page 2 of 3< (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/)1 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36108)23 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36108&page=3)> (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36108&page=3)
Thread Tools (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36108&page=2#goto_threadtools) http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 09:51 AM emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3) vbmenu_register("postmenu_639663", true);
Absolute Oregano
Mod Squad Member
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3_10.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,507
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Exceptions don't make the rule, but they are interesting to read about...
Edit: Not to mention, Scalzi is a kick a-- writer. He has quite a number of years writing under his belt. And Cherie Priest was also an employed writer (i think she did something with ad copy) before moving into that realm.
I'm not sure about Wellington, but his published work is more a grass roots movement.
__________________
My Blog: I Have Measured Out My Life with Coffee Spoons ... And I've Found Tea to be Better (http://www.emeraldcite.blogspot.com/)
Check out my entry (http://clarityofnight.blogspot.com/2006/06/entry-7.html) in The Clarity of Night (http://clarityofnight.blogspot.com/) contest. While you're there, read the rules and submit your own!
Critique Me! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=669606#post669606) in Share Your Work! I'll rep you if you do. :)
I'm not a Sage yet, but I can be as Oregano as I want!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif emeraldciteView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3)Send a private message to emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3)Send email to emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3)Visit emeraldcite's homepage! (http://www.emeraldcite.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 09:54 AM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_639667", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
I've talked about it before, here. I would love to feasibly do a web-based series of stories. Not even necessarily seek major publication with them (probably put them up through Lulu, if anyone wants them in hard copy) just do a story a week or so. I think it would be great. It's nostalgia talking, but it would still be great.
I just haven't worked out a way in which I'm confident about doing it, and which is feasible.
So, I always find it interesting to see people like Cherie Priest doing exactly that, or something similar. emeraldcite's right, it's fascinating to read about.
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
[U]WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 01:18 PM James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10) vbmenu_register("postmenu_639968", true);
Dawnolite Sparklecow
Absolute Sage
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar10_1.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 5,792
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gif
"The race may not always be to the swift, nor the victory to the strong. But that's the way to bet." -- Ring Lardner
__________________
SUPPORT AW's REBUILDING/LEGAL FUND!
Buy a cool button (http://www.cafepress.com/ohdawnos.59585541) or make a PayPal donation (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=paypal%40absolutewrite%2ecom&item_name=Contribution%20toward%20Absolute%20Write %20legal%20funds%2c%20hosting%2c%20rebuild%2c%20et c%2e&no_shipping=2&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8)!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif James D. MacdonaldView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10)Send a private message to James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=10)Send email to James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=10)Visit James D. Macdonald's homepage! (http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald)Find More Posts by James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=10)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 01:20 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_639974", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Sage advice, really.
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 04:20 PM Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640224", true);
"Next train's gone!"
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Coventry, UK
Posts: 407
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vaxil
I have a weird question relating to this,
If someone publishes it on a website, (and I'm going to go as far as saying 'fictionpress.com',) and you send your novel in and even if it was removed from the website, they still refuse to publish it?
I remember some years ago a bloke published a novel on the net called "The Truth Machines" or something. It was pretty bad. I almost had a heart attack when I saw it, a few years later, in UK bookshops - published by one of the majors!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif FlapdoodleView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757)Send a private message to Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4757)Visit Flapdoodle's homepage! (http://www.livejournal.com/livingarmchair)Find More Posts by Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=4757)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 04:39 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640247", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Sure, it happens. The thing is, it's the rather than the rule.
Additionally, if the novel was bad, was the publisher making any money off it? Will the author manage a second book? Was this anything more useful than a gimmick, and was it a gimmick on the part of the author, or the publisher?
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 04:52 PM Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640270", true);
"Next train's gone!"
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Coventry, UK
Posts: 407
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by PeeDee
Sure, it happens. The thing is, it's the rather than the rule.
Additionally, if the novel was bad, was the publisher making any money off it? Will the author manage a second book? Was this anything more useful than a gimmick, and was it a gimmick on the part of the author, or the publisher?
All I can remember is that he had this book freely downloadable, and most people who read it on the sf usenet groups thought it was terrible. Incredible, it has a wikipedia entry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Truth_Machine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Truth_Machine)
He seems to have one other book out, and the free download is still around!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif FlapdoodleView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757)Send a private message to Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4757)Visit Flapdoodle's homepage! (http://www.livejournal.com/livingarmchair)Find More Posts by Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=4757)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 07:58 PM argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640576", true);
Eve of Destruction...
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar7645_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 149
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/icons/icon8.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elwyn
I've been reading about all the frustrations most folks here at the water cooler have had trying to find an agent to even read their email query. And, I've experienced the same frustration. Take a year or more to write what you think is worth reading, then spend the next five years trying to get the attention of an agent or publisher? Bah!
I'm with you here man, but there are other ways of catching an agent's eye. Sure they are stubborn, but you must be stubborn also and find an angle to get your book recognized and publishing it on the web is not a good route, that is, if you wish a 'real publisher' to take you seriously. Otherwise, post away...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elwyn
So, I'm puttin' it on the Web. Of course I'll do what I can to get folks to go to the site. If the stuffs worth reading maybe they'll email their friends and spread the word. If it flops, so be it. But, if it takes off, the second book (which continues the story) will go to the agent or publisher that offers the best deal. If it's good enough, maybe enough readers will hound the publishers to print the second book.
This is where I will insert my two sense: maybe you should consider a small press publisher and there are thousands of them no one has ever heard of, and then there are the ones that are popular. My point is, your chances there are almost limitless...keyword, almost. Presently, I am deciding to take an offer from a small press publisher because I have been turned down so many times by agents that I know they are wrong. I may be a new writer, but I've been doing it for sixteen years now and I think I've gotten pretty good at it. Just don't let the total rejection take you down with it, because if you do you will never make it as a published author, keyword, published. Anyway, rejection sucks, but let it make you a stronger person, not the other way around. I have the awesome ability to see positive in almost anything, and in fact, it was the only way that I could quit smoking cigarettes, but that's another story...isn't it? The point is to not give up; maybe you could get a small press publisher or maybe you could catch an agents eye at a writer's convention or something...who knows? The possibilities are endless and you must look at it that way if you are to succeed. I am in the same boat you are in now and I feel angry too, but I refuse to let it take me down...I refuse! I SAY BRING IT ON, BECAUSE I AM STEADY AS A WELL-ROOTED TREE!
Quote:
Originally Posted by elwyn
Anyway, thanks to all who've shared their experiences, guidance, help, encouragement and tribulations. I've learned a LOT here. I had no idea there were so many folks who wanted to write and certainly had no idea that it was so hard to get published. I'm glad I wrote the book before I found that out, or I probably would not have bothered.
I could not agree more. You learn a lot (and that is an understatement) here at AW, and I am glad that I am aboard! Thanks to all who share their frustration, because to ignore it is to lie!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elwyn
When the sites up, I'll post a message here for any of you that want to read it and comment. All comments are welcome.
If this is the route you choose (which I strongly disagree) we would all appreciate the link to this site. I wish you the best of luck Elwyn, and by the way, "Howdy!"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elwyn
Later,
Elwyn:Headbang:
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif argenianpoetView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645)Send a private message to argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=7645)Send email to argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=7645)Find More Posts by argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=7645)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 10:08 PM Mac H. (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=385) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640796", true);
Board Visitor
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 580
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Scott Adams tried an ePublishing experiment by putting one of his books on the web for free download.
Plenty of people downloaded the free book.
And it improved the sales of the sequel (in hard copy) by ... 0%.
Yep - as far as he can tell, it made NO improvement on sales.
Basically, people who liked the first one now understand that they just need to wait for a bit for the sequel to be free too. Or, if it doesn't become free, they'll know the true value of the words - $0 and be smart enough not to pay a cent more.
Mac
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif Mac H.View Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=385)Send a private message to Mac H. (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=385)Find More Posts by Mac H. (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=385)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 10:09 PM DeniseK (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4003) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640798", true);
aka Margarita Moonbat
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar4003_6.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4003)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 381
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
I think you are making a mistake.
__________________
A Writer's Journey (http://denisekincy.wordpress.com/)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif DeniseKView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4003)Send a private message to DeniseK (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4003)Visit DeniseK's homepage! (http://denisekincy.wordpress.com/)Find More Posts by DeniseK (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=4003)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 10:14 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640806", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Stephen King also tried it. Remember The Plant? That didn't work well.
extremely bestselling author Tad Williams tried it with the first book of Shadowmarch. There were a lot of people reading it, but it wound up being less productive than if he'd released it as a book....which, in time, is exactly what he wound up doing (I read it when it was online, I happily finished it in book form.)
And the beat goes on...
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 10:53 PM gabbleandhiss (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=1892) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640913", true);
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 50
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
//
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flapdoodle
Incredible, it has a wikipedia entry.
How is that incredible? Anyone with an account can contribute and edit Wikipedia items.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif gabbleandhissView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=1892)Send a private message to gabbleandhiss (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=1892)Find More Posts by gabbleandhiss (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=1892)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 11:09 PM RG570 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7274) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640952", true);
Board fanatic
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar7274_1.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7274)
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Alfheim
Posts: 126
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Cory Doctorow's experiment with releasing free stuff on the web seems to have worked well for him.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif RG570View Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7274)Send a private message to RG570 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=7274)Send email to RG570 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=7274)Find More Posts by RG570 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=7274)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 03:15 AM Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757) vbmenu_register("postmenu_641134", true);
"Next train's gone!"
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Coventry, UK
Posts: 407
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by gabbleandhiss
How is that incredible? Anyone with an account can contribute and edit Wikipedia items.
I meant "incredible" in the sense of it's incredible that a rubbish novel like that has a wikipedia entry. Not that an entry exists. I'm well aware of how it works, as we use the same engine as our internal intranet!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif FlapdoodleView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757)Send a private message to Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4757)Visit Flapdoodle's homepage! (http://www.livejournal.com/livingarmchair)Find More Posts by Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=4757)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 07:22 AM Aconite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=1179) vbmenu_register("postmenu_641277", true);
Full sun to light shade
Mod Squad Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: In a cavern, in a canyon, excavating for a mine
Posts: 3,816
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by RG570
Cory Doctorow's experiment with releasing free stuff on the web seems to have worked well for him.
Cory has an educated target readership familiar with the concept of downloading something for free and voluntarily paying if you find it useful. They "get" the concept of gift economy. The same cannot be said for most target readerships.
__________________
Winner (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20810) of Uncle Jim's Whoo Hoo Super Writer Award and Nomad's Most Use of Vowels in a Screen Name Award as well as Maryn's Only Person on AW Whose Name Anagrams to "I, Octane," "Act I (One)" and "Nice tao" Award in addition to batgirl's Culpeper Award for Botanically Erudite Screen Name plus awatkins' AW's Most Creative Srounger [sic] of Rep Points Award not to mention azbikergirl's Arizona Most Awarded Writer Award and also Dawno's Most Interesting Signature Line Award
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif AconiteView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=1179)Send a private message to Aconite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=1179)Find More Posts by Aconite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=1179)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 08:42 AM JimmyB27 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=5525) vbmenu_register("postmenu_641359", true);
Esteemed New Member
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/avatars/spidey.jpg (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=5525)
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Posts: 19
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac H.
Scott Adams tried an ePublishing experiment by putting one of his books on the web for free download.
Plenty of people downloaded the free book.
And it improved the sales of the sequel (in hard copy) by ... 0%.
Yep - as far as he can tell, it made NO improvement on sales.
Basically, people who liked the first one now understand that they just need to wait for a bit for the sequel to be free too. Or, if it doesn't become free, they'll know the true value of the words - $0 and be smart enough not to pay a cent more.
Mac
I think you have to do more than just give a book away to improve sales. I believe it has to be a *good* book. Much as I adore Dilbert, and much as I am a regular reader of the Dilbert Blog, I though God's Debris was poorly written, with little real story - it's more of a dumping ground for Scott's ideas about religion IMHO. And, no, I'm not simply poo-pooing his ideas, I find them very interesting as he presents them in the blog, I just don't think the way he presents them in the book is very good.
Given that, it's not surprising that sales of the sequel didn't improve.
There was an interesting survey done within the music sector regarding illegal downloads that may have some relevance here. I have no source for this, none better than 'my mate told me' anyway. Nor am I sure that the music industry works as a viable parallel to the publishing industry, but make of it what you will.
This survey essentially concluded that people who illegally download music spent considerably more on legal music than those who didn't. The theory is that the downloaders were the real music fans who wanted to sample the music before they shelled out for it.
As I say, I don't know if the same would be true of the publishing industry, but readers still seem to prefer a hard copy they can hold and sit on a bookshelf to an electronic copy. Plus, knowing an author is actually readable before you spend money on his work would surely be a benefit. I do intend to put some stuff up on the web for free myself. Probably not an entire novel, my plan at the moment is for a short story site, with a new one going up every week or so. This will, hopefully, bring me a couple of benefits; It will give me a deadline every week, thus (in theory) making me more likely to knuckle down and write, and it will (hopefully) expose more people to my work, and get my name out there a bit.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif JimmyB27View Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=5525)Send a private message to JimmyB27 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=5525)Send email to JimmyB27 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=5525)Visit JimmyB27's homepage! (http://jimmywriting.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by JimmyB27 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=5525)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 09:11 AM James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10) vbmenu_register("postmenu_641418", true);
Dawnolite Sparklecow
Absolute Sage
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar10_1.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 5,792
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gif
Baen's free library experiment seems to be doing pretty well. Things to rememeber there include that the works are all profesional quality (Baen knows his audience very well), they're simultaneously available in hardcopy on bookstore shelves, and they're all located in one place to make 'em easy to find, not scattered piecemeal all over the web.
__________________
SUPPORT AW's REBUILDING/LEGAL FUND!
Buy a cool button (http://www.cafepress.com/ohdawnos.59585541) or make a PayPal donation (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=paypal%40absolutewrite%2ecom&item_name=Contribution%20toward%20Absolute%20Write %20legal%20funds%2c%20hosting%2c%20rebuild%2c%20et c%2e&no_shipping=2&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8)!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif James D. MacdonaldView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10)Send a private message to James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=10)Send email to James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=10)Visit James D. Macdonald's homepage! (http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald)Find More Posts by James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=10)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 10:31 AM Sc00t (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4749) vbmenu_register("postmenu_641552", true);
Esteemed New Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 20
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
There are loads of websites that do this, give stories away for free; i think it's great. I run a website which is like... a never ending novel, it updates by adding a chapter at a time and is based around a hotel in the southern states of America.
http://hotel.e-wrestling.org (http://hotel.e-wrestling.org/)
If you need a web designer, i can do something for you (free of charge, naturally!) just contact me via PM, AIM, MSN, email, whatever...
-sc00t
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif Sc00tView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4749)Send a private message to Sc00t (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4749)Send email to Sc00t (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=4749)Find More Posts by Sc00t (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=4749)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 03:21 PM MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565) vbmenu_register("postmenu_642097", true);
Private Eye Buff
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar6565_1.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 176
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/icons/icon6.gif
"Write without pay until somebody offers pay. If nobody offers within three years, the candidate may look upon this circumstance with the most implicit confidence as the sign that sawing wood is what he is intended for."
- Mark Twain -
__________________
Mark Twain Researcher and Enthusiast
Member PWA - Private Eye Writers of America
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif MikeAngelView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565)Send a private message to MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=6565)Send email to MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=6565)Find More Posts by MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=6565)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 06:06 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_642418", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeAngel
"Write without pay until somebody offers pay. If nobody offers within three years, the candidate may look upon this circumstance with the most implicit confidence as the sign that sawing wood is what he is intended for."
- Mark Twain -
I've been writing since I was a little kid. That's a lot longer than three years. What are you saying to me!?
*sob*
I will now take to heavy drink.
The man who taught me to "eschew surplusage" (also Twain) now wants me to saw wood. Gawd.
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 06:15 PM emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3) vbmenu_register("postmenu_642441", true);
Absolute Oregano
Mod Squad Member
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3_10.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,507
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
"Write without pay until somebody offers pay. If nobody offers within three years, the candidate may look upon this circumstance with the most implicit confidence as the sign that sawing wood is what he is intended for."
- Mark Twain -
It took JA Konrath over ten years with no publications to land his six figure deal. And he worked his tail off to get another three book, six figure deal.
Guess he should have given up after three years. He could still be waiting tables, a much more lucrative position.
Mark Twain has many witty observations, but I think his ideas of publishing might be a bit antiquated.
__________________
My Blog: I Have Measured Out My Life with Coffee Spoons ... And I've Found Tea to be Better (http://www.emeraldcite.blogspot.com/)
Check out my entry (http://clarityofnight.blogspot.com/2006/06/entry-7.html) in The Clarity of Night (http://clarityofnight.blogspot.com/) contest. While you're there, read the rules and submit your own!
Critique Me! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=669606#post669606) in Share Your Work! I'll rep you if you do. :)
I'm not a Sage yet, but I can be as Oregano as I want!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif emeraldciteView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3)Send a private message to emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3)Send email to emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3)Visit emeraldcite's homepage! (http://www.emeraldcite.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 06:20 PM argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645) vbmenu_register("postmenu_642454", true);
Eve of Destruction...
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar7645_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 149
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by emeraldcite
Mark Twain has many witty observations, but I think his ideas of publishing might be a bit antiquated.
I would have to agree with you one hundred percent here. Mark Twain may have been a great writer in his day, but his advice does not fit well with a modern day writer.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif argenianpoetView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645)Send a private message to argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=7645)Send email to argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=7645)Find More Posts by argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=7645)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 06:48 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_642513", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Mark Twain was also a very cynical man, and it's entirely possible that the dry humor and sarcasm is getting lost somewhere over the years...
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-13-2006, 12:45 AM MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565) vbmenu_register("postmenu_643114", true);
Private Eye Buff
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar6565_1.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 176
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/icons/icon6.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by PeeDee
Mark Twain was also a very cynical man, and it's entirely possible that the dry humor and sarcasm is getting lost somewhere over the years...
With the possible exception of everything he had to say about Jane Austen. :tongue
__________________
Mark Twain Researcher and Enthusiast
Member PWA - Private Eye Writers of America
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif MikeAngelView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565)Send a private message to MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=6565)Send email to MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=6565)Find More Posts by MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=6565)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-13-2006, 10:46 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_645215", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Ohhh, you know he just wanted some nookie there. ;)
*shuddddder*
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif
[/URL] Page 2 of 3< (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/)1 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36108)23 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36108&page=3)> (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36108&page=3)
Thread Tools (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36108&page=2#goto_threadtools) http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 09:51 AM emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3) vbmenu_register("postmenu_639663", true);
Absolute Oregano
Mod Squad Member
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3_10.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,507
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Exceptions don't make the rule, but they are interesting to read about...
Edit: Not to mention, Scalzi is a kick a-- writer. He has quite a number of years writing under his belt. And Cherie Priest was also an employed writer (i think she did something with ad copy) before moving into that realm.
I'm not sure about Wellington, but his published work is more a grass roots movement.
__________________
My Blog: I Have Measured Out My Life with Coffee Spoons ... And I've Found Tea to be Better (http://www.emeraldcite.blogspot.com/)
Check out my entry (http://clarityofnight.blogspot.com/2006/06/entry-7.html) in The Clarity of Night (http://clarityofnight.blogspot.com/) contest. While you're there, read the rules and submit your own!
Critique Me! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=669606#post669606) in Share Your Work! I'll rep you if you do. :)
I'm not a Sage yet, but I can be as Oregano as I want!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif emeraldciteView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3)Send a private message to emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3)Send email to emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3)Visit emeraldcite's homepage! (http://www.emeraldcite.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 09:54 AM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_639667", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
I've talked about it before, here. I would love to feasibly do a web-based series of stories. Not even necessarily seek major publication with them (probably put them up through Lulu, if anyone wants them in hard copy) just do a story a week or so. I think it would be great. It's nostalgia talking, but it would still be great.
I just haven't worked out a way in which I'm confident about doing it, and which is feasible.
So, I always find it interesting to see people like Cherie Priest doing exactly that, or something similar. emeraldcite's right, it's fascinating to read about.
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
[U]WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 01:18 PM James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10) vbmenu_register("postmenu_639968", true);
Dawnolite Sparklecow
Absolute Sage
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar10_1.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 5,792
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gif
"The race may not always be to the swift, nor the victory to the strong. But that's the way to bet." -- Ring Lardner
__________________
SUPPORT AW's REBUILDING/LEGAL FUND!
Buy a cool button (http://www.cafepress.com/ohdawnos.59585541) or make a PayPal donation (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=paypal%40absolutewrite%2ecom&item_name=Contribution%20toward%20Absolute%20Write %20legal%20funds%2c%20hosting%2c%20rebuild%2c%20et c%2e&no_shipping=2&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8)!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif James D. MacdonaldView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10)Send a private message to James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=10)Send email to James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=10)Visit James D. Macdonald's homepage! (http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald)Find More Posts by James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=10)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 01:20 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_639974", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Sage advice, really.
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 04:20 PM Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640224", true);
"Next train's gone!"
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Coventry, UK
Posts: 407
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vaxil
I have a weird question relating to this,
If someone publishes it on a website, (and I'm going to go as far as saying 'fictionpress.com',) and you send your novel in and even if it was removed from the website, they still refuse to publish it?
I remember some years ago a bloke published a novel on the net called "The Truth Machines" or something. It was pretty bad. I almost had a heart attack when I saw it, a few years later, in UK bookshops - published by one of the majors!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif FlapdoodleView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757)Send a private message to Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4757)Visit Flapdoodle's homepage! (http://www.livejournal.com/livingarmchair)Find More Posts by Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=4757)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 04:39 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640247", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Sure, it happens. The thing is, it's the rather than the rule.
Additionally, if the novel was bad, was the publisher making any money off it? Will the author manage a second book? Was this anything more useful than a gimmick, and was it a gimmick on the part of the author, or the publisher?
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 04:52 PM Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640270", true);
"Next train's gone!"
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Coventry, UK
Posts: 407
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by PeeDee
Sure, it happens. The thing is, it's the rather than the rule.
Additionally, if the novel was bad, was the publisher making any money off it? Will the author manage a second book? Was this anything more useful than a gimmick, and was it a gimmick on the part of the author, or the publisher?
All I can remember is that he had this book freely downloadable, and most people who read it on the sf usenet groups thought it was terrible. Incredible, it has a wikipedia entry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Truth_Machine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Truth_Machine)
He seems to have one other book out, and the free download is still around!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif FlapdoodleView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757)Send a private message to Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4757)Visit Flapdoodle's homepage! (http://www.livejournal.com/livingarmchair)Find More Posts by Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=4757)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 07:58 PM argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640576", true);
Eve of Destruction...
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar7645_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 149
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/icons/icon8.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elwyn
I've been reading about all the frustrations most folks here at the water cooler have had trying to find an agent to even read their email query. And, I've experienced the same frustration. Take a year or more to write what you think is worth reading, then spend the next five years trying to get the attention of an agent or publisher? Bah!
I'm with you here man, but there are other ways of catching an agent's eye. Sure they are stubborn, but you must be stubborn also and find an angle to get your book recognized and publishing it on the web is not a good route, that is, if you wish a 'real publisher' to take you seriously. Otherwise, post away...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elwyn
So, I'm puttin' it on the Web. Of course I'll do what I can to get folks to go to the site. If the stuffs worth reading maybe they'll email their friends and spread the word. If it flops, so be it. But, if it takes off, the second book (which continues the story) will go to the agent or publisher that offers the best deal. If it's good enough, maybe enough readers will hound the publishers to print the second book.
This is where I will insert my two sense: maybe you should consider a small press publisher and there are thousands of them no one has ever heard of, and then there are the ones that are popular. My point is, your chances there are almost limitless...keyword, almost. Presently, I am deciding to take an offer from a small press publisher because I have been turned down so many times by agents that I know they are wrong. I may be a new writer, but I've been doing it for sixteen years now and I think I've gotten pretty good at it. Just don't let the total rejection take you down with it, because if you do you will never make it as a published author, keyword, published. Anyway, rejection sucks, but let it make you a stronger person, not the other way around. I have the awesome ability to see positive in almost anything, and in fact, it was the only way that I could quit smoking cigarettes, but that's another story...isn't it? The point is to not give up; maybe you could get a small press publisher or maybe you could catch an agents eye at a writer's convention or something...who knows? The possibilities are endless and you must look at it that way if you are to succeed. I am in the same boat you are in now and I feel angry too, but I refuse to let it take me down...I refuse! I SAY BRING IT ON, BECAUSE I AM STEADY AS A WELL-ROOTED TREE!
Quote:
Originally Posted by elwyn
Anyway, thanks to all who've shared their experiences, guidance, help, encouragement and tribulations. I've learned a LOT here. I had no idea there were so many folks who wanted to write and certainly had no idea that it was so hard to get published. I'm glad I wrote the book before I found that out, or I probably would not have bothered.
I could not agree more. You learn a lot (and that is an understatement) here at AW, and I am glad that I am aboard! Thanks to all who share their frustration, because to ignore it is to lie!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elwyn
When the sites up, I'll post a message here for any of you that want to read it and comment. All comments are welcome.
If this is the route you choose (which I strongly disagree) we would all appreciate the link to this site. I wish you the best of luck Elwyn, and by the way, "Howdy!"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elwyn
Later,
Elwyn:Headbang:
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif argenianpoetView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645)Send a private message to argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=7645)Send email to argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=7645)Find More Posts by argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=7645)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 10:08 PM Mac H. (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=385) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640796", true);
Board Visitor
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 580
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Scott Adams tried an ePublishing experiment by putting one of his books on the web for free download.
Plenty of people downloaded the free book.
And it improved the sales of the sequel (in hard copy) by ... 0%.
Yep - as far as he can tell, it made NO improvement on sales.
Basically, people who liked the first one now understand that they just need to wait for a bit for the sequel to be free too. Or, if it doesn't become free, they'll know the true value of the words - $0 and be smart enough not to pay a cent more.
Mac
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif Mac H.View Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=385)Send a private message to Mac H. (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=385)Find More Posts by Mac H. (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=385)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 10:09 PM DeniseK (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4003) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640798", true);
aka Margarita Moonbat
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar4003_6.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4003)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 381
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
I think you are making a mistake.
__________________
A Writer's Journey (http://denisekincy.wordpress.com/)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif DeniseKView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4003)Send a private message to DeniseK (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4003)Visit DeniseK's homepage! (http://denisekincy.wordpress.com/)Find More Posts by DeniseK (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=4003)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 10:14 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640806", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Stephen King also tried it. Remember The Plant? That didn't work well.
extremely bestselling author Tad Williams tried it with the first book of Shadowmarch. There were a lot of people reading it, but it wound up being less productive than if he'd released it as a book....which, in time, is exactly what he wound up doing (I read it when it was online, I happily finished it in book form.)
And the beat goes on...
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 10:53 PM gabbleandhiss (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=1892) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640913", true);
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 50
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
//
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flapdoodle
Incredible, it has a wikipedia entry.
How is that incredible? Anyone with an account can contribute and edit Wikipedia items.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif gabbleandhissView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=1892)Send a private message to gabbleandhiss (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=1892)Find More Posts by gabbleandhiss (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=1892)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-11-2006, 11:09 PM RG570 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7274) vbmenu_register("postmenu_640952", true);
Board fanatic
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar7274_1.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7274)
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Alfheim
Posts: 126
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Cory Doctorow's experiment with releasing free stuff on the web seems to have worked well for him.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif RG570View Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7274)Send a private message to RG570 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=7274)Send email to RG570 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=7274)Find More Posts by RG570 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=7274)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 03:15 AM Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757) vbmenu_register("postmenu_641134", true);
"Next train's gone!"
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Coventry, UK
Posts: 407
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by gabbleandhiss
How is that incredible? Anyone with an account can contribute and edit Wikipedia items.
I meant "incredible" in the sense of it's incredible that a rubbish novel like that has a wikipedia entry. Not that an entry exists. I'm well aware of how it works, as we use the same engine as our internal intranet!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif FlapdoodleView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4757)Send a private message to Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4757)Visit Flapdoodle's homepage! (http://www.livejournal.com/livingarmchair)Find More Posts by Flapdoodle (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=4757)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 07:22 AM Aconite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=1179) vbmenu_register("postmenu_641277", true);
Full sun to light shade
Mod Squad Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: In a cavern, in a canyon, excavating for a mine
Posts: 3,816
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by RG570
Cory Doctorow's experiment with releasing free stuff on the web seems to have worked well for him.
Cory has an educated target readership familiar with the concept of downloading something for free and voluntarily paying if you find it useful. They "get" the concept of gift economy. The same cannot be said for most target readerships.
__________________
Winner (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20810) of Uncle Jim's Whoo Hoo Super Writer Award and Nomad's Most Use of Vowels in a Screen Name Award as well as Maryn's Only Person on AW Whose Name Anagrams to "I, Octane," "Act I (One)" and "Nice tao" Award in addition to batgirl's Culpeper Award for Botanically Erudite Screen Name plus awatkins' AW's Most Creative Srounger [sic] of Rep Points Award not to mention azbikergirl's Arizona Most Awarded Writer Award and also Dawno's Most Interesting Signature Line Award
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif AconiteView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=1179)Send a private message to Aconite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=1179)Find More Posts by Aconite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=1179)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 08:42 AM JimmyB27 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=5525) vbmenu_register("postmenu_641359", true);
Esteemed New Member
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/avatars/spidey.jpg (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=5525)
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Posts: 19
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac H.
Scott Adams tried an ePublishing experiment by putting one of his books on the web for free download.
Plenty of people downloaded the free book.
And it improved the sales of the sequel (in hard copy) by ... 0%.
Yep - as far as he can tell, it made NO improvement on sales.
Basically, people who liked the first one now understand that they just need to wait for a bit for the sequel to be free too. Or, if it doesn't become free, they'll know the true value of the words - $0 and be smart enough not to pay a cent more.
Mac
I think you have to do more than just give a book away to improve sales. I believe it has to be a *good* book. Much as I adore Dilbert, and much as I am a regular reader of the Dilbert Blog, I though God's Debris was poorly written, with little real story - it's more of a dumping ground for Scott's ideas about religion IMHO. And, no, I'm not simply poo-pooing his ideas, I find them very interesting as he presents them in the blog, I just don't think the way he presents them in the book is very good.
Given that, it's not surprising that sales of the sequel didn't improve.
There was an interesting survey done within the music sector regarding illegal downloads that may have some relevance here. I have no source for this, none better than 'my mate told me' anyway. Nor am I sure that the music industry works as a viable parallel to the publishing industry, but make of it what you will.
This survey essentially concluded that people who illegally download music spent considerably more on legal music than those who didn't. The theory is that the downloaders were the real music fans who wanted to sample the music before they shelled out for it.
As I say, I don't know if the same would be true of the publishing industry, but readers still seem to prefer a hard copy they can hold and sit on a bookshelf to an electronic copy. Plus, knowing an author is actually readable before you spend money on his work would surely be a benefit. I do intend to put some stuff up on the web for free myself. Probably not an entire novel, my plan at the moment is for a short story site, with a new one going up every week or so. This will, hopefully, bring me a couple of benefits; It will give me a deadline every week, thus (in theory) making me more likely to knuckle down and write, and it will (hopefully) expose more people to my work, and get my name out there a bit.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif JimmyB27View Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=5525)Send a private message to JimmyB27 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=5525)Send email to JimmyB27 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=5525)Visit JimmyB27's homepage! (http://jimmywriting.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by JimmyB27 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=5525)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 09:11 AM James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10) vbmenu_register("postmenu_641418", true);
Dawnolite Sparklecow
Absolute Sage
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar10_1.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 5,792
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gif
Baen's free library experiment seems to be doing pretty well. Things to rememeber there include that the works are all profesional quality (Baen knows his audience very well), they're simultaneously available in hardcopy on bookstore shelves, and they're all located in one place to make 'em easy to find, not scattered piecemeal all over the web.
__________________
SUPPORT AW's REBUILDING/LEGAL FUND!
Buy a cool button (http://www.cafepress.com/ohdawnos.59585541) or make a PayPal donation (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=paypal%40absolutewrite%2ecom&item_name=Contribution%20toward%20Absolute%20Write %20legal%20funds%2c%20hosting%2c%20rebuild%2c%20et c%2e&no_shipping=2&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8)!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif James D. MacdonaldView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=10)Send a private message to James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=10)Send email to James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=10)Visit James D. Macdonald's homepage! (http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald)Find More Posts by James D. Macdonald (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=10)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 10:31 AM Sc00t (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4749) vbmenu_register("postmenu_641552", true);
Esteemed New Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 20
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
There are loads of websites that do this, give stories away for free; i think it's great. I run a website which is like... a never ending novel, it updates by adding a chapter at a time and is based around a hotel in the southern states of America.
http://hotel.e-wrestling.org (http://hotel.e-wrestling.org/)
If you need a web designer, i can do something for you (free of charge, naturally!) just contact me via PM, AIM, MSN, email, whatever...
-sc00t
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif Sc00tView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=4749)Send a private message to Sc00t (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4749)Send email to Sc00t (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=4749)Find More Posts by Sc00t (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=4749)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 03:21 PM MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565) vbmenu_register("postmenu_642097", true);
Private Eye Buff
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar6565_1.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 176
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/icons/icon6.gif
"Write without pay until somebody offers pay. If nobody offers within three years, the candidate may look upon this circumstance with the most implicit confidence as the sign that sawing wood is what he is intended for."
- Mark Twain -
__________________
Mark Twain Researcher and Enthusiast
Member PWA - Private Eye Writers of America
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif MikeAngelView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565)Send a private message to MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=6565)Send email to MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=6565)Find More Posts by MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=6565)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 06:06 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_642418", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeAngel
"Write without pay until somebody offers pay. If nobody offers within three years, the candidate may look upon this circumstance with the most implicit confidence as the sign that sawing wood is what he is intended for."
- Mark Twain -
I've been writing since I was a little kid. That's a lot longer than three years. What are you saying to me!?
*sob*
I will now take to heavy drink.
The man who taught me to "eschew surplusage" (also Twain) now wants me to saw wood. Gawd.
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 06:15 PM emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3) vbmenu_register("postmenu_642441", true);
Absolute Oregano
Mod Squad Member
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3_10.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,507
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Quote:
"Write without pay until somebody offers pay. If nobody offers within three years, the candidate may look upon this circumstance with the most implicit confidence as the sign that sawing wood is what he is intended for."
- Mark Twain -
It took JA Konrath over ten years with no publications to land his six figure deal. And he worked his tail off to get another three book, six figure deal.
Guess he should have given up after three years. He could still be waiting tables, a much more lucrative position.
Mark Twain has many witty observations, but I think his ideas of publishing might be a bit antiquated.
__________________
My Blog: I Have Measured Out My Life with Coffee Spoons ... And I've Found Tea to be Better (http://www.emeraldcite.blogspot.com/)
Check out my entry (http://clarityofnight.blogspot.com/2006/06/entry-7.html) in The Clarity of Night (http://clarityofnight.blogspot.com/) contest. While you're there, read the rules and submit your own!
Critique Me! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=669606#post669606) in Share Your Work! I'll rep you if you do. :)
I'm not a Sage yet, but I can be as Oregano as I want!
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif emeraldciteView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3)Send a private message to emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3)Send email to emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3)Visit emeraldcite's homepage! (http://www.emeraldcite.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by emeraldcite (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 06:20 PM argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645) vbmenu_register("postmenu_642454", true);
Eve of Destruction...
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar7645_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 149
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by emeraldcite
Mark Twain has many witty observations, but I think his ideas of publishing might be a bit antiquated.
I would have to agree with you one hundred percent here. Mark Twain may have been a great writer in his day, but his advice does not fit well with a modern day writer.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif argenianpoetView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=7645)Send a private message to argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=7645)Send email to argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=7645)Find More Posts by argenianpoet (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=7645)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-12-2006, 06:48 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_642513", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Mark Twain was also a very cynical man, and it's entirely possible that the dry humor and sarcasm is getting lost somewhere over the years...
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif PeeDeeView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)Send a private message to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3965)Send email to PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=3965)Visit PeeDee's homepage! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)Find More Posts by PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=3965)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-13-2006, 12:45 AM MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565) vbmenu_register("postmenu_643114", true);
Private Eye Buff
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar6565_1.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 176
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/icons/icon6.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by PeeDee
Mark Twain was also a very cynical man, and it's entirely possible that the dry humor and sarcasm is getting lost somewhere over the years...
With the possible exception of everything he had to say about Jane Austen. :tongue
__________________
Mark Twain Researcher and Enthusiast
Member PWA - Private Eye Writers of America
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif MikeAngelView Public Profile (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=6565)Send a private message to MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=6565)Send email to MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=6565)Find More Posts by MikeAngel (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=6565)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 06-13-2006, 10:46 PM PeeDee (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965) vbmenu_register("postmenu_645215", true);
Cow in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/customavatars/avatar3965_4.gif (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/member.php?u=3965)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Right behind you. Don't look. Seriously.
Posts: 2,495
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.gif
Ohhh, you know he just wanted some nookie there. ;)
*shuddddder*
__________________
____________________________________________
-Pete Tzinski
NOVEL DEATHMATCH, the FIRST!
SPOOKYWRITER
VS
PEEDEE
(6-28: 2,339 words)
WHO WILL FINISH THEIR WORK FIRST?
BE THERE! (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=665330#post665330)
READ MYNE BLOG! (http://eotu.blogspot.com/)(updated: 6/29/06)
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif