Discussion: The Art of Asking–For Authors

Posted by on March 2, 2013 in Discussion Questions | 7 comments

My friend, Clara, turned me onto Tedx talks a while ago. They’re usually intriguing, and I watch them every now and then when I get the chance. But when I saw they had posted one by Amanda Palmer, I had to check it out immediately.

I’m not a huge fan of Amanda, but there is something comforting about some of her music. I’m not sure how that is possible.

That’s not why I had to watch it right away though. I had to watch it because I couldn’t imagine what Amanda would be discussing for a Ted talk.

Check it out. It’s good, and it’s less than fifteen minutes long. Then come back here.

After watching it, I’m wondering: how does this apply to the writing community?

Musicians can perform shows on donation; it’s a little harder to do with books. And it’s easier to distribute music on the internet, thanks to Youtube and the numerous other websites.

Sure, writers can give their work away on their blogs and through torrents. But authors, especially indies, usually work through Amazon, and Amazon doesn’t allow free distribution. Sites like Smashwords, which do allow free distribution, still don’t hit quite as hard.

Plus, it takes longer to read a book than it does to listen to a song, making the audience’s initial investment larger. If I give you a link to a song on Youtube to check out, you’re more likely to click it and listen right then, as opposed to if I send you a book to read. It’s probably going onto the “someday” list.

Yet, I do believe the reading community is just as dedicated to their authors as the fans of musicians.

So, how does the art of asking apply to authors?

Alliterations are fun.

  • http://twitter.com/entrebat gary weller

    That’s something I’ve also been wondering after seeing that video. It’s not exactly easy to get the word out there in the current construct of society. It’s mostly a matter of instant gratification. Give it to me now!

    Few folks these days will want to invest the time if they’re not paid off in the few minutes it takes for the Elevator Speech to sink in.

    Let me know if you find a way to increase the base and retain attention. I’m sure we’d all like to know.

    • http://www.rainyofthedark.com/ Rainy Kaye

      Thanks for the comment =) I think it’s worth noting, though, that Amanda Palmer already had 25k dedicated fans before changing direction and asking for donations instead of charging for her work. I would imagine Rowling or King could get away with something like that too.

  • Audrey Howitt

    Very relevant discussion I thought! Thank you!

    • http://www.rainyofthedark.com/ Rainy Kaye

      Thanks, Audrey =)

  • Avery K. Tingle

    I tease a lot of my stuff and talk about it openly all over social media. I also (try to) have a lot of genuine relationships online. I see someone asking for an RT and I do it. So when it comes time for me to ask for something, I don’t feel so guilty, and I feel like I’ve paid it forward. Also, some people already have a pretty good idea of what my story’s about, which makes them more willing to grant my requests. Granted, this doesn’t always work, but more often than not, it does.

    • http://www.rainyofthedark.com/ Rainy Kaye

      Exactly. I talk a bit on this blog about forming genuine connections, and that illustrates it perfectly =)

  • Leslie

    you can read excerpts of your work that only take a minute or maybe two to listen to. Poets do it all the time. It’s out there you just have to be creative