5 Responses so far

1. 1. Douglas on Jan 3rd, 2008 at 3:24 pm

   I never understand the undermining argument myself. Free stuff doesn’t replace paid for stuff.

   In the art world I can understand how painting a lobby mural for free or publicity would undermine other artists charging for the same work. But reading a free book that will never go to a publisher doesn’t preclude me from buying and reading another that did.

   I suppose realistically I don’t have more than 80 readable books left in me, but it’s not like free ones are holding up the paid for ones.

2. 2. SMD on Jan 3rd, 2008 at 6:42 pm

   I understand the argument. There has to be a careful balance between free online literature and for pay literature. If everyone is giving away their stuff it could very well hurt the publishing market in the long run. Right now it doesn’t seem possible, but in the future there could be significant ramifications for flooding the net with free literature.
   Having said that, though, I do feel that offering some stuff for free and other stuff for pay is fine. I think if you make a distinction between the two people will buy your work. Nothing wrong with it. Offering free chapters online and the like is actually good for business. I’ve never bought into the “electronic reading threshold” stuff though. Maybe it exists, but for me I’ve never really wanted to buy something after reading a few chapters online. I buy something when I actually go to the book store, or get interested in a book from what other people are saying, or from reading the back, or from seeing the cover, or even being familiar with the author. I’ll buy Sly Mongoose because I really enjoyed Crystal Rain (which I picked up in a store having never heard of it before) and loved Ragamuffin, not because you might put 3 chapters online. Granted, I’m a bit abnormal and I think offering free writing so people can get an idea of whether they’d like your work is a great marketing tool, but there has to be a limit right? If you put all your work online for free, would you see a drop in sales? (You as in anyone, not you as in Mr. Buckell)
   The way Viehl is talking is that she is offering free e-books of other material for free, which I don’t see a problem with. Correct me if I’m wrong though. If she just wants to offer free stuff to her fans, well, so be it. It might bring new people to her writing and it’ll keep her fans happy while they wait for her next print book. Her fans are going to buy the print books anyway since they know what to expect.

   But I’m rambling…

3. 3. Lynn on Jan 3rd, 2008 at 11:57 pm

   Thank you for the mention, kind sir, and I hope it doesn’t get *you* skewered by Romantic Times.

   SMD, I’d like to clarify one point about my methods. I don’t publish free e-books of anything I’ve published for sale in print. If you want to read one of my print novels, you have to buy it (or get a bootlegged copy of a purchased e-book version from some Russian web site.)

   What I give away are stories that I write as experiments to try out an idea (which I then run past my readers in e-book form to get their feedback) or that I write specifically to be giveaways for my readers. My readers buy my print novels because they know they’re not getting them from me any other way.*

   I have nothing against authors who choose to use Creative Commons to release free versions of print novels, but I don’t agree with their philosophy. I think my approach is just as effective, plus it gives readers new stuff to enjoy.

   Me writing free stories for my readers is no different than Tobias going to cons and booksignings and otherwise promoting his work. It’s good self-promotion, and mine costs a lot less.

   *A single exception to this is a short story I wrote for a Baen anthology. They put it in their Free Library without notifying me or asking my permission, but I never bothered to get a formal contract for it from them, so that’s my fault.

4. 4. tobias buckell on Jan 4th, 2008 at 12:31 am

   Thank you for the mention, kind sir, and I hope it doesn’t get *you* skewered by Romantic Times.

   Heh, I could use the free publicity LOL.

   Me writing free stories for my readers is no different than Tobias going to cons and booksignings and otherwise promoting his work. It’s good self-promotion, and mine costs a lot less.

   Exactly

5. 5. SMD on Jan 4th, 2008 at 12:39 pm

   Lynn, that’s actually a great policy. I have some free online literature, but I don’t give away all of my stuff. I did one online novel as an experiment and am writing a sequel to it, but the brunt of my work will be in print, or nowhere for that matter. I’m not published yet…
   That’s a good policy though. I’m sure your readers appreciate it.