If you're a science fiction fan, or for that matter, an Internet fan, you've probably heard of Cory Doctorow. Not only does has he written a number of science fiction books, but he's also an editor of the popular Internet blog BoingBoing.net.
What many of you may not know is that he's been giving away his books - in e-book form - online for years.
He said when people hear about this, the question is always asked on whether it really sells more books or not, and how he got his publisher to agree to the arrangement. By the way, the publisher isn't some small little company in a corner lot, it's Tor, the largest science fiction book publisher in the world.
Concerning Tor, he simply asked them and explained it. They understood and got it right away and let him go at it how he wanted to.
Doctorow said that there is no way he can prove that giving his books away online sells more books. But he said since he's done it with the books he's written, the physical sales have exceeded TOR's expectations.
He added that there has been a comparison between writers that were at similar stages of their writing careers and his books have outsold theirs, within his genre. Doctorow did say that every writer he's known that has given away e-books for the purpose of selling books, has been very satisfied and anxious to do it again.
Besides selling books though, Doctorow says that there have been other tremendous side benefits as well. He said the increased readership offers opportunities like getting paid good for written articles, a Fulbright Chair at USC, speaking engagements and a host of licensing and teaching opportunities, that come all from giving away free online books.
He concludes with that fact that this doesn't only sell books or other means of making money, it sells him, and that's the value that dollars alone can't measure.
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