I love listening to the Webcomics Weekly guys, four web cartoonists who have this notion that business for creative people has changed. Much of what they talk about seems like it should apply to writing as well, but there’s one snag. While they can give away content (their comic) for free, and monetize on books and other merchandise down the line, how does a writer do the same thing? Do you post a paragraph at a time, or a chapter a week? How do you keep people coming back?

Can you give your book away, and end up selling more copies? Can you skip the publisher and go it alone? It’s an interesting idea, one that I’ve been mulling over for a bit. For sure, you will see some sample chapters here on this blog, but probably no more than that.

I’ve seen Neil Gaiman offer entire books on his site, books he’s already written and gotten paid for, and yet by doing so, he has increased sales for those titles. Can an unknown writer do the same? I don’t think so.

To continue with the argument (with myself, of course), aren’t the best things in life free? For example, isn’t salvation a free gift? Aren’t most things you read/see/experience on the web free? What’s wrong with free?

I’m still debating the whole thing, but who knows? At some point, you might be able to read the whole book online, then buy the t-shirt on your way out.

2 Cor 9:15 “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”