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I imagine the way that it might work in future is that the author registers their new book with Google or Amazon (or some other similar company acting as a dis

by motters 17y ago

I imagine the way that it might work in future is that the author registers their new book with Google or Amazon (or some other similar company acting as a distributor), and they then make the book searchable and downloadable by readers. The author selects what price they want to charge, with some percentage going to the distribution company. The distribution fee might vary depending upon whether the author decides to opt for additional promotion/advertising, or just do that side of things themselves on their own web site, or via their own social network. Authors retain copyright on their works, and can at any time cancel an account with a distributor and go to a new one.

Xichekolas 17y ago
Hopefully the model you envision is what happens to all media, like music and (albeit much later) TV and movies.
- nvasilak 17y ago
  Check out http://anjuno.com http://anjuno.com
JulianMorrison 17y ago
I think any big-name distributor would want at minimum some sort of fixed term contract. Or else, the author could pull their book (or series) to a private site (and pocket 100%) the moment it took off. Amazon and friends do have something to offer: eyeballs, and their good name. So they can negotiate. I think you'll see newbies entering through what used to be called "vanity publishing" via Lulu etc, getting picked as a rising talent by reviewers, getting in the press, and finally being offered a contract by Amazon. This latter will become the equivalent of the old status of "published author".
- motters 17y ago
  In the sort of system I envision the author could pull their book as soon as it became popular, but it's unlikely that an author using their own web site or social network would be able to compete against the large marketing and delivery potential of companies like Google or Amazon. Perhaps there would need to be a minimum term. Even so a system something like this would be a win-win situation for authors, distributors and readers (and more arguably for the environment in terms of reduced need to chop down trees and transport books around). The distributor could also supply additional services at a cost, such as the ability for readers to have their private libraries in "the cloud" as a dropbox type of system. So I think the distributor would have sufficient scope to add value around the product that an author may not have much incentive to leave prematurely.

by motters 17y ago

Xichekolas 17y ago

Hopefully the model you envision is what happens to all media, like music and (albeit much later) TV and movies.

nvasilak 17y ago
Check out http://anjuno.com http://anjuno.com

JulianMorrison 17y ago

I think any big-name distributor would want at minimum some sort of fixed term contract. Or else, the author could pull their book (or series) to a private site (and pocket 100%) the moment it took off. Amazon and friends do have something to offer: eyeballs, and their good name. So they can negotiate. I think you'll see newbies entering through what used to be called "vanity publishing" via Lulu etc, getting picked as a rising talent by reviewers, getting in the press, and finally being offered a contract by Amazon. This latter will become the equivalent of the old status of "published author".

motters 17y ago
In the sort of system I envision the author could pull their book as soon as it became popular, but it's unlikely that an author using their own web site or social network would be able to compete against the large marketing and delivery potential of companies like Google or Amazon. Perhaps there would need to be a minimum term. Even so a system something like this would be a win-win situation for authors, distributors and readers (and more arguably for the environment in terms of reduced need to chop down trees and transport books around). The distributor could also supply additional services at a cost, such as the ability for readers to have their private libraries in "the cloud" as a dropbox type of system. So I think the distributor would have sufficient scope to add value around the product that an author may not have much incentive to leave prematurely.