As a big fan and user of Netflix, I got to thinking about what the new Kindle Owner's Lending Library means for readers. Will a similar program as the unlimited streaming be coming down the pipeline, only with e-books instead of video?
I read this great blog post by author David Gaughran today, which addresses mainly this topic. I'm of two minds about the whole thing, really.
As a reader, I'm excited.
I love Netflix because I get free access to movies I wouldn't have otherwise purchased. That's basically what I use it for--experimenting and finding new, cool things to watch without commiting myself to buying a new Blu Ray or, God forbid, coughing up for a movie ticket.
If I find something I truly love, OR (more likely), Netflix doesn't have it available for free streaming, then I'll buy it or rent it if I've heard it's awesome. I still have a blu ray collection that I add to every year, so Netflix isn't cutting into my purchasing decisions just because it's free.
As a writer, I'm worried.
In the blog post I linked above, David closes with an excellent point about how we as authors want to get paid. If everything goes subscription-based, then we're basically agreeing to a flat rate, set by the retailer and can never hope to make more than that. Right now, I get to set my own prices, and the only things determining my earning cap are a) how hard I want to work to produce more content and b) reader interest.
There is no limit to how much I'm "allowed" to make! If I keep churning out great stories that people want to read, the potential is there to make a nice living.
However, if my only choice is to be locked into a flat payout (or even worse, some mystery payout like Kindle Select offers), then that will seriously suck.
I like being in control of my own destiny, and I especially like being paid properly for my hard work.
So, here's my question to you:
Would you use a subscription site as a reader, and if so, how do you think it would influence your book-purchasing habits?
This is a fascinating time to be alive :). Only time will tell how this all shakes out.
I read this great blog post by author David Gaughran today, which addresses mainly this topic. I'm of two minds about the whole thing, really.
As a reader, I'm excited.
I love Netflix because I get free access to movies I wouldn't have otherwise purchased. That's basically what I use it for--experimenting and finding new, cool things to watch without commiting myself to buying a new Blu Ray or, God forbid, coughing up for a movie ticket.
If I find something I truly love, OR (more likely), Netflix doesn't have it available for free streaming, then I'll buy it or rent it if I've heard it's awesome. I still have a blu ray collection that I add to every year, so Netflix isn't cutting into my purchasing decisions just because it's free.
As a writer, I'm worried.
In the blog post I linked above, David closes with an excellent point about how we as authors want to get paid. If everything goes subscription-based, then we're basically agreeing to a flat rate, set by the retailer and can never hope to make more than that. Right now, I get to set my own prices, and the only things determining my earning cap are a) how hard I want to work to produce more content and b) reader interest.
There is no limit to how much I'm "allowed" to make! If I keep churning out great stories that people want to read, the potential is there to make a nice living.
However, if my only choice is to be locked into a flat payout (or even worse, some mystery payout like Kindle Select offers), then that will seriously suck.
I like being in control of my own destiny, and I especially like being paid properly for my hard work.
So, here's my question to you:
Would you use a subscription site as a reader, and if so, how do you think it would influence your book-purchasing habits?
This is a fascinating time to be alive :). Only time will tell how this all shakes out.
3 comments:
It's definitely an interesting avenue to watch and see how it all plays out. I give Amazon credit, though, for trying new ideas and taking reading to new places ...
Just read about your success on Newbies blog, fantastic.
I am going down that route with my book which is based on true events. Lets hope I have the same results.
I am following your blog, please follow mine....
http://thewrongplaceatthewrongtime.blogspot.com/
Continued success Rebecca..
I have awarded you the Sweet Blog Award, so pop over to collect it and find out what you need to do if you accept. http://greasyspoonrendezvous.blogspot.com
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