tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post2914908099987315893..comments2024-03-26T23:41:10.319+00:00Comments on Authors Electric: Guest Post: Laura Solomon - The Long Walk HomeKatherine Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-90212335751458351542013-01-04T12:23:08.132+00:002013-01-04T12:23:08.132+00:00Hi Jan, I've been thinking about my 'spook...Hi Jan, I've been thinking about my 'spookiness', though as a fervent admirer of Philip Roth's work, I ought to know better than use the word. Anyway... why do I give away my fiction?<br /><br />First of all, though I've sometimes been called a tad unrealistic (hi, Susan!) it's actually because I'm all too realistic when it comes to earning money from fiction: I know it won't happen in my case. The few sales I'd manage wouldn't make any difference to our budget. Maybe I'd be able to buy a few more books myself, but that's about it. We live very modestly, and of course a bit extra would help, but we're more fortunate than many, and royalties wouldn't begin to cover the cost of repairing our front steps (desperately needed) or new insulation (soon to be required by law) or even a new PC. So why bother?<br /><br />Second, I'm rather indolent, often tired, and have no inclination to waste my dwindling energy on any form of publicity or marketing.<br /><br />Third, I do charge sufficiently (actually, the top end of the range) for certain writing - translations, for example. And I'm perfetly willing to accept a check for short stories, since they are often easy to submit electronically and don't require any of the other writerly machinations novelists seem to have to undertake - readings, twitterings, whatever.<br /><br />And fourth, I genuinely like giving things away. Maybe it's just a sop to my conscience, but we've got a roof, heat, running water, enough food to eat, so it's a minor and pretty much harmless way of giving something back.<br /><br />But don't misunderstand me. I'm only speaking for myself and certainly don't think it's wrong for others to sell their work.<br /><br /> Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13770069472552779217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-11731656974605413722012-12-31T16:52:19.774+00:002012-12-31T16:52:19.774+00:00hallo laura, and a happy noo year from the old cou...hallo laura, and a happy noo year from the old country blah blah blah. liked your piece as always, although your royalties figure was a bit depressing. don't stop, tho, however nice your listed alternatives seem - your stuff's too good. and happy noo year to you too, lee - another darned colonial! one question, tho. when you see a busker playing his tin whistle on a chilly corner, don't you think it's nice to give him a coupla groschen? it could be me. being HAPPY to give your stuff away for free strikes me as somehow spooooooooky. god bless us every one.Jan Needlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823078224282953782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-53293545549446495072012-12-31T11:43:28.755+00:002012-12-31T11:43:28.755+00:00I too have never wanted a Ferrari. And now, after ...I too have never wanted a Ferrari. And now, after having been driven in one (borrowed!) by my speed-loving son, I realise how difficult it is to clamber in and out of the blasted things when you've got creaky joints.<br /><br />So I'm quite happy to give away my books, unlike most authors electric, it seems. Amazon forces me to charge a minimum price, and I wouldn't go with them at all if it weren't for the convenience of my readers. (And yes, I blithely ignore any rules they may have about undercutting their prices. I get more readers from other sources anyway, and I tend to think that single-purpose ereaders like the Kindle will not survive in the marketplace.)<br /><br />There's nothing wrong with soft porn, as long as it's <i>well written</i>. Perhaps I'll give it a bash one of these days, with a scene or two in a Ferrari. Gotta indulge those fantasies or them old joints will get even creakier...<br /><br />Being doomed aint so bad, Laura! Happy New Year.Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13770069472552779217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-72767906752027632062012-12-30T18:47:30.309+00:002012-12-30T18:47:30.309+00:00I'll look out for you on FB than - quite fancy...I'll look out for you on FB than - quite fancy a virtual canape and have NEVER EVER wanted a Ferrari. Thanks for guest blogging for usjulia joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09773900100240758504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-26475367350924198962012-12-30T07:15:27.129+00:002012-12-30T07:15:27.129+00:00Fear not! Walking past our local Oxfam shop before...Fear not! Walking past our local Oxfam shop before Christmas I saw the first (for me) pile of Fifty Shades books, left neatly stacked outside the door waiting for the shop to open. Soon they will be fighting for charity shop shelf space with Dan Brown ...<br />I comfort myself with the thought that my ebooks will NEVER end up dumped so unceremoniously in the street! <br />Good luck with the Ferrari! <br /><br /><br />madwippitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02595748471651052552noreply@blogger.com