Dragaera

Artificial release dates and online publishing

Tue Dec 10 02:48:47 PST 2002

Matthew Hunter wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 09, 2002 at 11:28:39PM -0600, Gametech <voltronalpha at hotmail.com> wrote:
>  
> 
> To be honest, I've seriously considered setting up a kind of 
> "subscription writing" system.  IOW, a website where aspiring 
> writers can post their works and interested readers can search 
> for new stuff they like.  If someone's good enough to want to go 
> commercial, they can charge a fee for reading their works.  

<snip>

> How many of you would be interested in something like this -- 
> assuming, of course, that there were authors you wanted to read 
> using it?

Have you been to Media West*Con? 
(http://members.aol.com/MdiaWstCon/mwc.htm) and/or investigated the 
fanzine publishing community (which do publish original work as well)?

I think your problem will be that most established writers have 
contracts with established companies. Which leaves you with 
non-established writers (some of whom are very good) which people won't 
have heard of and therefore might not be willing to pay for (and who may 
want a traditional contract with a traditional 'name' company if they 
want to turn professional).

Having said all that I do know of at least one site who are doing (or 
planning on doing something similar). I believe there plan is to have 
some stuff available. Then you pay a small amount to access the 
archives. They will also do custom Zines so you can have a dead tree 
version of your favourites stories. (They are also planning author web 
hosting as well but that is besides the point).

You will also be competing with places like fanfiction.net (and all 
their competators who sprang up when they put an R-rating limit on their 
stories a few months ago).

Anyway, some things to think about

:-)

Fides