Free or Not to Free?
I spent some time this weekend doing research. I had meant to spend all of Saturday in research, but of course I got sidetracked into reading what I was researching. Confused? I’ll explain.
I was curious about writers who post novels and short stories to the internet. These aren’t for critique. The author, in most cases, feels they are complete. A few others are publishing “blooks” (a blog that is a serial book). I wanted to know if they had given up on being published or simply felt the need to share their words. Did they know they were using the first rights? Did they hope or expect to publish these posted works later? Were they protecting those first rights behind passwords and critique group formats? I had a lot of questions. I went to more than three dozen sites, but have listed just a few below:
J. A. Konrath has put his early novels and a short story collection up on his site for .pdf download. His reasons are clear. He’s off and running with the Jack Daniels series; these earlier works were either unclassifiable or his agent didn’t want to represent them. Konrath plainly states that he feels these samples will help people get to know how he writes and want to buy his published books.
Jennifer Armstrong has several of her works up for on line reading (no download), along with links to other free online novels. Some of these are .pdf, some are formatted for readers, and some are strictly an online read. There is no explanation on the site as to why her own works are given away, but the site appears to be updated regularly.
Michael Kimber (The Nightwriter) has three novels and more than a dozen short stories on his web site. He came to writing late in life and says he doesn’t believe, as a result, that he will attain the skills of those who started younger.
Project Gutenberg has a host of works for download, many of them out of print and past copyright. Formats range from audio to .pdf to plain text and include works by Jane Austen, Mark Twain, and Charlotte Bronte. The Art of War, The Iliad, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Grimms’ Fairy Tales are there. Project Gutenberg is the original and oldest etext project on the internet, founded in 1971.
RKP Hunt posts completed works as well as WiPs, even encouraging forum readers to help with edits. Most of the full works can only be read in the forums or at fictionpress. Anyone can join the forum.
The Tell Tale Pen exists because the author felt the need to leave something behind. There is a voluntary donation button, with the word being emphasized and the following quote: “The light reading materials in this library were written as a labor of love and are provided to you freely for your reading entertainment and enjoyment.”
SundogStories has such an excellent quote on their “Why” page that I will let them explain themselves:
“Bringing free literature, art, and music to the world, one electron at a time!”
By joining a small but growing number of writers, artists, and musicians who are posting their work on the Internet, we intend to honor and expand its original promise of being an open exchange for ideas and information. We are not Artists, just people who try to live creatively. We are not driven by the profit motive, but by a simple desire to share our work freely. We hope to encourage others to do likewise. This is the revolution. It is now. It is here. It is you. Will you join?
Incidentally, SunDog is where I got lost, reading St. Mary’s Avenue.
Oliver Benjamin doesn’t really provide an answer as to “why.” I’ve read one of his novels (Abyssinia) , and will likely read the other two.
The rest of the sites varied in format and professionalism. There are some pretty good stories out there, though they are not perfect. If it bothers you to see an occasional formatting error or missing word, I recommend you skip them. If you are just after good stories, go for it.
I don’t have a lot of conclusions. In some cases, i believe the author is unaware that he’s used First Rights. In other cases, they aren’t after publishing contracts, so it doesn’t matter. Several of these creative people find that writing comes, but isn’t the center of their lives.
Why does this matter? The industry is what it is, and is changing to become what it will be, but it doesn’t seem to stop writers from sharing their words however they feel best to do so. I found motivation of all sorts for these free works, and am intrigued by their thinking processes.
Why does it matter for me? Some of us have a surfeit of words. We write so much that there isn’t a home for all of it. We can collect them into ebooks, file them in a drawer, or share them on the internet. I can’t imagine sharing a complete novel unless I was convinced it would never be published AND that it had merit. Short stories, story starts, and other creative tidbits, on the other hand, I am quite willing to share. I still like the idea that we can have open exchange such as the internet has given us. To somehow enrich those around you is to also enrich yourself.
What exactly do you mean by First Rights?
I have posted my novels online, but only to invited people. I would never post my novel freely to the public. I post my novels online for critique and to share with family and friends that don’t live nearby enough to hand over a printed manuscript… which is a lot of paper and ink, anyway.
Interesting post, thanks!
And if you would like an invite to my novel blogs, let me know! The novels are not up at the moment, as they are in edits, but they will be up eventually. The sites have other information to look at, as well.
I agree–would never post my novel online–never know when I will want to get it published. I haven’t posted short stories unless they are reprints. Some places though don’t count online as first rights, but I hear more and more are. Great post!
Very interesting post, and something I’ve wondered about myself so it was good to read and see all these different takes on it. Thanks
A lot of my prose and shorts are written for my blog – honing my voice, I suppose. I consider it free advertising and practice. When I finish my novella, I will be able to point potential buyers to my style of writing and showcase my work.
@Lady G Thank you! I will as soon as my schedule breaks.
@Terri Anything publishable stays protected, I agree.
@Cassie Did it answer or create more questions?
@Matthew Yup. J.A. Konrath does the same.
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