Re: e-publishing fiction

From: Robert Bradbury (bradbury@genebee.msu.su)
Date: Sat Apr 08 2000 - 12:41:56 MDT


> >From: Damien Broderick <d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au>
> >
> >There are two big holes in this plan:
> >
> >we don't have the gadgets to allow people to pay for a download.
> >

I think I can set this up, I've been thinking about doing it anyway
for "Xenology". You just want a Java interface that lets someone
invoke something like PayPal or a CC payment before they get a magic
download key.

> >Might be best to talk to me off-line, to avoid
> >cluttering the list.

I think there are enough potential authors on the list that it might
be of general interest.

> Zero wrote:
 
> I'm planning to release my first novel online some how or another (if I ever
> finish it), but I'm prepared for the inevitable fact that if it becomes
> popular, it will be bootlegged. I don't know if there is a practical way to
> avoid that.

I think eBooks (www.ebook.org or www.ebooks.org? perhaps) is working
on a "1-copy" approach, but perhaps I'm wrong. Somebody (with a faster
link than I have currently) needs to investigate this a but further and
get back to the list.

There is also an approach I've seen where you decide how much you
want to make from it, release a chapter or two for free, then
release additional chapters as people pay (according to their
ability or desire) into a pool that unlocks the chapters when
the funding hits certain milestones.

Then you don't worry how many copies are floating around because
you got paid for it anyway. [It won't make you a millionaire, but
it will keep bread on the table if you are moderately productive.]

Robert



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