Comments on: Writing in the Digital Age: It’s All About the Platform http://www.openculture.com/2009/06/the_new_challenge_of_writing_in_the_digital_age.html The best free cultural & educational media on the web Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:55:53 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: elizabeth patch http://www.openculture.com/2009/06/the_new_challenge_of_writing_in_the_digital_age.html/comment-page-1#comment-5446 elizabeth patch Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:29:42 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3837#comment-5446 As an author/illustrator I'm frustrated by the lack of information or availability of publishing illustrated books in the new digital formats. any news/ideas of this becoming a possibility? As an author/illustrator I’m frustrated by the lack of information or availability of publishing illustrated books in the new digital formats. any news/ideas of this becoming a possibility?

]]> By: Seth Harwood http://www.openculture.com/2009/06/the_new_challenge_of_writing_in_the_digital_age.html/comment-page-1#comment-5417 Seth Harwood Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:06:13 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3837#comment-5417 On different prices being out there, you can also buy it for $9.99 on Amazon's Kindle. Other than this Manybooks anomaly, you're probably always going to find the cheapest ebook on Amazon. As I'll discuss in an upcoming post, they've got a ton of power in the marketplace. Perhaps too much. On the other hand, the Kindle seems prohibitively expensive to many people. On different prices being out there, you can also buy it for $9.99 on Amazon’s Kindle. Other than this Manybooks anomaly, you’re probably always going to find the cheapest ebook on Amazon. As I’ll discuss in an upcoming post, they’ve got a ton of power in the marketplace. Perhaps too much.

On the other hand, the Kindle seems prohibitively expensive to many people.

]]> By: Seth Harwood http://www.openculture.com/2009/06/the_new_challenge_of_writing_in_the_digital_age.html/comment-page-1#comment-5416 Seth Harwood Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:01:35 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3837#comment-5416 Alex, I've seen the reports on free ebooks driving physical sales and I believed in it 100% before I saw them. Last year, I gave away free PDF's of my entire novel across the net to the tune of 80,000 downloads. I was happy to do it. This year I'm not because my publisher won't let me. They don't believe it yet. Funny! I actually forgot all about the Manybooks.net version of the PDF. I should take it down now, that's what my publisher would have me do. Hmmm... I was making the point tonight at an event that you're basically advertising with good will by giving away a free PDF. A small number of people will read all the way through a PDF of the first three chapters of a book OR a free PDF of the whole book, but across the board, the people who got the whole book free will feel better about you and about your book. This definitely leads to sales. The problem in publishing in some sense is that people are happier spending money to advertise than they are with giving something away for free to advertise. This will have to change eventually, especially as budgets tighten, and it is: my book is still available as a free audio podcast, but it will also take time. Seth Alex,

I’ve seen the reports on free ebooks driving physical sales and I believed in it 100% before I saw them. Last year, I gave away free PDF’s of my entire novel across the net to the tune of 80,000 downloads. I was happy to do it. This year I’m not because my publisher won’t let me. They don’t believe it yet.

Funny! I actually forgot all about the Manybooks.net version of the PDF. I should take it down now, that’s what my publisher would have me do. Hmmm…

I was making the point tonight at an event that you’re basically advertising with good will by giving away a free PDF. A small number of people will read all the way through a PDF of the first three chapters of a book OR a free PDF of the whole book, but across the board, the people who got the whole book free will feel better about you and about your book. This definitely leads to sales.

The problem in publishing in some sense is that people are happier spending money to advertise than they are with giving something away for free to advertise. This will have to change eventually, especially as budgets tighten, and it is: my book is still available as a free audio podcast, but it will also take time.

Seth

]]> By: alex lee http://www.openculture.com/2009/06/the_new_challenge_of_writing_in_the_digital_age.html/comment-page-1#comment-5407 alex lee Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:31:55 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3837#comment-5407 I appreciate your efforts to make your work available via as many channels as possible, but do you have any thoughts on how it's available for such different prices. I can pay $13 on <a href="http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/cgi-bin/item/parent-9780307454355/Jack-Wakes-Up-eBook.html" rel="nofollow">Diesel Books</a>, or get it for free on <a href="http://manybooks.net/titles/harwoodsother07Jack_Wakes_Up.html" rel="nofollow">Manybooks.net</a>. Shouldn't a product be consistently priced? Won't readers feel ripped off if they find out they've paid more than they needed to. Free ebooks have proved to drive physical product sales so I'm just wondering why you haven't taken that option. I appreciate your efforts to make your work available via as many channels as possible, but do you have any thoughts on how it’s available for such different prices. I can pay $13 on Diesel Books, or get it for free on Manybooks.net. Shouldn’t a product be consistently priced? Won’t readers feel ripped off if they find out they’ve paid more than they needed to. Free ebooks have proved to drive physical product sales so I’m just wondering why you haven’t taken that option.

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