scribi liberati *

Author Ray Connolly explains how to "do the Dickens" in the age of electronic self-publication and syndication.

Why wait for a publisher in an era when an advance can only be obtained for a piece of work considered a "sure thing" by persons who fear taking any risk? Connolly's economic business model is to give away a whole bunch of chapters, published one at a time, for free. Then to read the ending one pays (less than the cost of a paperback) to download the whole book. Then the free chapters come down and the book moves to Amazon's product list.

I hope this works. It sure is a strong impetus to "just write" without worrying about the submission/rejection cycles, editors who might impose unwanted revisions, recouping an advance, and so on. Therefore authors are liberated to simply create and to bring their work directly to market, much as musicians (and not just indie bands anymore) can do by releasing free mp3's.

Publishing houses beware. Adapt or die.

* never did take Latin, is this correct?