tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post5784696951105960331..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: On Beyond EbooksJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-10497515853936916792011-09-01T02:15:35.212-05:002011-09-01T02:15:35.212-05:00By the way - there is a company that is taking the...By the way - there is a company that is taking the CYOA style storytelling in the right direction: http://www.choiceofgames.com/<br /><br />Try "Choice of the Dragon" as a good first taste. They seem to have the savvy of releasing the story free on the web, and charging on kindle and iphone. <br />Great inspiration - they even offer to host and help others create and publish CYOA style stories.Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11535023856428709691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-35724887115574994222011-09-01T02:09:51.512-05:002011-09-01T02:09:51.512-05:00Imagine if you combined the CYOA idea with the col...Imagine if you combined the CYOA idea with the collaboration idea where you set up a set of branching situations and your partners come in and fill in the resulting consequences. You could even have "guest" authors who contribute just a few scenes but who are masters of some kind of situation and act as "cameos" in your novel! Once they finish responding to the branching situations, you come back around again and move the story forward. You could come up with some really stunning IF this way.Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11535023856428709691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-59777163052185713742010-09-05T14:47:59.036-05:002010-09-05T14:47:59.036-05:00joe joe joe joe joe joe joe.
you are _cooking_. ...joe joe joe joe joe joe joe.<br /><br />you are _cooking_. :+)<br /><br />lots of people suspected<br />the digital format would<br />free up author creativity<br />and create new possibility.<br /><br />but when you asked them<br />_how_, about all they could<br />really come up with was the<br />choose-your-own-adventure<br />format, whose origin is print.<br /><br />you've already leapfrogged<br />from there. excellent job!<br /><br />if you get other good ideas<br />-- ones which cannot be<br />adequately served by the<br />relatively primitive kindle<br />-- i would be more than<br />willing to do programming<br />to help you achieve dreams.<br /><br />let your imagination run wild!<br /><br />-bowerbirdbowerbirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05962115094107919533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-46723773348807994492010-09-03T09:07:41.931-05:002010-09-03T09:07:41.931-05:00I've been thinking for a long time that someon...I've been thinking for a long time that someone needed to reinvent the Choose Your Own Adventure book for adults. Well done!KellyHitchcockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06260599935926252878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-84674855962749775172010-09-01T22:29:37.584-05:002010-09-01T22:29:37.584-05:00I loved those "Choose Your Own Adventure"...I loved those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. I'll definitely be picking this one up.<br /><br />I just have to say...Joe, you are off the hook! Unbridled? Oh, nay, nay. That's far too tame a word for you. <br /><br />Some people run with scissors and call themselves rebels. You, sir, run with a bloody chainsaw!PJ Frielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09175952316874423107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-44087482148448750112010-09-01T13:39:43.758-05:002010-09-01T13:39:43.758-05:00Trademarking public domain characters? So essenti...Trademarking public domain characters? So essentially they are public domain and not at the same time. We need Holmes himself to work that one out.Max Brandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07404871912193614516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-33125847591403325172010-09-01T07:44:43.300-05:002010-09-01T07:44:43.300-05:00Yea, I believe everything Doyle wrote prior to the...Yea, I believe everything Doyle wrote prior to the last short story collection is public domain now, so we can reprint those all day. <br /><br />The tricky part is when the trademarks come into play, which are different from copyrights. How do you prove that the character in your pastiche is the Holmes from the public domain stories, but not from those that aren't, AND that your Holmes isn't the trademarked character?<br /><br />The same is true of Tarzan. Most of Edgar Rice Burrough's work is now public domain, but his family has trademarked both John Carter of Mars and Tarzan. Even Disney's attorneys fell into that trap and paid for it.<br /><br />Speaking of Disney, most of their animated movies use characters from the public domain, but Disney owns the trademarks. You can write a Snow White story, but your Snow White can't look like theirs, and you can't have a Dwarf named Grumpy.HL Arledgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02208828472062891926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-57043496737800521462010-09-01T01:33:43.206-05:002010-09-01T01:33:43.206-05:00Interesting, but the Holmes books are available as...Interesting, but the Holmes books are available as public domain works on several websites in the U.S.Max Brandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07404871912193614516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-22966186455374867552010-09-01T00:12:33.320-05:002010-09-01T00:12:33.320-05:00@Frank Martin
Check out this link...
For the Hei...@Frank Martin<br /><br />Check out this link...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/books/19sherlock.html?pagewanted=all" rel="nofollow">For the Heirs to Holmes, a Tangled Web</a>HL Arledgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02208828472062891926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-24528148273121990502010-08-31T23:16:32.879-05:002010-08-31T23:16:32.879-05:00Anything published in the 1800's or earlier sh...Anything published in the 1800's or earlier should be safe for 'borrowing'.<br /><br />As to Sherlock Holmes, the EU has been changing their copyright laws to renew the copyright on public domain works and to extend the copyright term; but in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and other places, anything published before 1923 - and some works published after - is a good bet to be public domain.<br /><br />So if one were to do a Holmes Pastiche, one could publish it in Canada, U.S. Australia, and so on, but not the EU, without permission from descendants.Max Brandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07404871912193614516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-78790323937326809712010-08-31T23:14:21.539-05:002010-08-31T23:14:21.539-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Max Brandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07404871912193614516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-26269575208528609562010-08-31T21:16:35.486-05:002010-08-31T21:16:35.486-05:00Suzanne,
I'm very interested to hear how Amaz...Suzanne,<br /><br />I'm very interested to hear how Amazon responds.<br /><br />I'd be really surprised if they changed their policy before competition forces them.Derek J. Canyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08071753685946640237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-44406186711485327592010-08-31T19:13:10.835-05:002010-08-31T19:13:10.835-05:00@Frank Martin said...
The easiest examples are al...@Frank Martin said...<br /><br /><i>The easiest examples are all those Sherlock Holmes stores out there. The authors borrowed Holmes and other characters, and some settings, then wrote their own stories.</i><br /><br />Frank, even that's not cut and dried. The characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson are trademarked by two dueling factions of Arthur Conan Doyle ancestors. You can't write a Holmes pastiche without one of them signing off.<br /><br />Although not the most tasteful idea, a better example might be what Quirk Books did with the Jane Austen novels, turning them into co-authored zombie tales.HL Arledgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02208828472062891926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-50276231058182561942010-08-31T17:47:29.821-05:002010-08-31T17:47:29.821-05:00Then I realized I was in Excel.
That's one of...Then I realized I was in Excel.<br /><br />That's one of the funniest things I've ever read... and I didn't see it coming. <br /><br />Ebooks are opening up a whole new world of creativity. And no one can take it away from us now. <br /><br />We will take over the world! And then write about it...Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06253598127067604662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-49131923314850579492010-08-31T17:21:49.310-05:002010-08-31T17:21:49.310-05:00Suzanne White,
Here is the answer the DTP Help pe...Suzanne White,<br /><br />Here is the answer the DTP Help people won't give you:<br /><br />Because that's our offer. Take it or leave it.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />The DTP Support TeamThomas Brooksidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05433216364139756149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-82903669447082057552010-08-31T13:48:34.413-05:002010-08-31T13:48:34.413-05:00I'm with you. My America's Galactic Forei...I'm with you. My America's Galactic Foreign Legion series is tearing up Kindle Sci/Fi sales rankings, which spurs more sales.<br /><br />I expect a good Christmas as many readers find s Kindle under their tree.Walter Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03221874622830527655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-25371028459974350872010-08-31T13:09:35.612-05:002010-08-31T13:09:35.612-05:00@suzanne
Is there a higher up layer at Amaz that i...@suzanne<br />Is there a higher up layer at Amaz that is accessible to authors rather than DTP support, or is that it?<br /><br />dr.cpeArchangelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18358062143743621676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-75576728576823121962010-08-31T12:31:57.252-05:002010-08-31T12:31:57.252-05:00As to the public domain questions, there's alr...As to the public domain questions, there's already at least one person out there claiming the title of editor on public domain Kindle books. See J. M. Gaffney selling all sorts of public domain books in Kindle editions (Treasure Island, Little Women, etc.) for $2.86. <br /><br />Now I'm not going to buy his books to see what he thinks he's done as editor. Maybe he added an introduction or some historical perspective, or maybe he just formatted it for the Kindle, but there are free Kindle editions out there for those public domain books, so maybe only those seeking Nigerian fortunes will buy those things. <br /><br />I just wish he had a different last name from my wife.Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15818562794219177080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-92185512622654989002010-08-31T11:44:44.645-05:002010-08-31T11:44:44.645-05:00Thanks again, Joe!
A few days ago I commented tha...Thanks again, Joe!<br /><br />A few days ago I commented that my suspense series of four ebooks was selling at a rate of 1,000 books per month (total) on the Kindle Store. Now they're approaching a rate of 2,000 books per month.<br /><br />This is crazy, Joe. Crazy good. :)Robert Burton Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07821314494504718440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-27598299878103284262010-08-31T10:48:46.296-05:002010-08-31T10:48:46.296-05:00Joe and Co.,
There are some serious royalty issue...Joe and Co.,<br /><br />There are some serious royalty issues facing all Kindle authors. 35% royalties on books sold "outside the US". And people in the US cannot buy books from Amazon UK and any books sold on Amazon UK only get 35% royalty. <br />I sell e-books from my web sites. It does not cost me more to upload a book to a Fiji Islander than it does to sell one to someone in Chicago. How come we authors are getting reduced royalties on books sold elsewhere? And where the hell is elsewhere? How do we know? The whole thing smacks of print publishers' opaque royalty statements. We must insist on being told WHY 35% and (if it costs Kindle twice as much to sell them elsewhere) WHERE the hell is this elsewhere? <br /><br />1) Why are authors being short-changed by Amazon Kindle for sales of their books outside of the US? And where exactly IS outside the US?<br /> <br /> 2) Why does Amazon Kindle penalize authors for allowing their books to be sold in the UK? <br /><br />It does not make sense. <br /><br />Thanks, Suzanne WhiteSuzanne Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17293799456449683702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-66015945527742583742010-08-31T10:40:26.927-05:002010-08-31T10:40:26.927-05:00Joe, There are royalty issues facing all Kindle au...Joe, There are royalty issues facing all Kindle authors. 35% royalties on books sold "outside the US". And people in the US cannot buy books from Amazon UK and any books sold on Amazon UK only get 35% royalty. I sell e-books from my web sites. It does not cost me more to upload a book to a Fiji Islander than it does to sell one to someone in Chicago. How come we authors are getting reduced royalties on books sold elsewhere? And where the hell is elsewhere? How do we know? <br /><br />In reply to one of DTP's canned answers, I wrote this letter to DTP this morning"<br /><br />Dear Amazon DTP Support, <br /><br />Thank you for your reply which continues to refuse to answer my question. <br /><br />We Kindle authors all know the rule about books sold outside the US bringing only a 35% royalty.<br /><br />But what we don't know is WHY. WHY is it more expensive to sell an e-book to a person in Singapore than it is to sell one to someone in Seattle? <br /><br />Secondly, WHERE are our books that are sold outside the US (and bring us only a 35% royalty) being sold? Where is "outside the US" exactly? We need to be told that. "Someone in Hong Kong bought your book so you only get a 35% royalty" That's easy to indicate with some kind of country codes on the sales reports. <br /><br />Third, I was told that people outside the UK can't buy from Amazon UK Kindlestore. I need to know why. I need to know how, say, a journalist who travels all over the world and finds him or herself working in France cannot download an e-book from Amazon UK. How come? <br /><br />Moreover, one needs to know what the UK Kindle market is limited to? <br /><br />When I make a book contract with a US publisher, that contract only covers U.S., its possessions and Canada. <br /><br />British Commonwealth rights are sold separately. <br /><br />So please tell me which countries and territories are considered by Amazon to be US territories & possessions and which ones are not. Does Amazon consider sales in Canada (which is part of the US rights group) to be "outside the US"? <br /><br />And please also tell me what exactly constitutes the UK market for e-books and why it is that Kindle authors reap only a 35% royalty from books sold in the UK market. <br /><br />Again, I point out that it does not cost anymore to upload an e-book to Singapore than it does to upload a book to San Francisco. <br /><br /> 1) Why are authors being short-changed by Amazon Kindle for sales of their books outside of the US?<br /> <br /> 2) Why does Amazon Kindle penalize authors for allowing their books to be sold in the UK? <br /><br />It does not make sense. <br /><br />If you plan to send me another letter telling me what I already know... (The 70% royalty option is only available for US Kindle store sales to customers in the US. Royalties on US Kindle store sales made outside the US will pay out at 35%. Books sold internationally will be listed separately in your reports from books sold in the U.S.) don't. I have read all the terms and am aware of Kindle's current policies. <br /><br />If the questions I raise herein are outside of your knowledge base, please take them to someone in your rights department who can answer them cogently. If I don't receive satisfactory answers, I shall take these matters up with the Authors Guild and my IP attorneys. This matter is not only about me. It's about all authors who sell their e-books on Kindle. <br /><br />Cheers, Suzanne WhiteSuzanne Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17293799456449683702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-29619711762009160452010-08-31T06:01:34.482-05:002010-08-31T06:01:34.482-05:00Ah, OK, Jude.
I thought your fake name was just a...Ah, OK, Jude.<br /><br />I thought your fake name was just a placeholder for "out of copyright author".<br /><br />I didn't realize you were talking about someone potentially changing the author's name on a public domain work.<br /><br />That would certainly be unethical, you're absolutely right.Thomas Brooksidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05433216364139756149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-3252902596429860192010-08-31T01:01:09.473-05:002010-08-31T01:01:09.473-05:00"In a previous post (responding to "Tran..."In a previous post (responding to "Trance St. Croix"), Joe wrote: What if I took a bunch of old, forgotten pulps, then republished them under a single name? I wonder if anyone would ever catch on?<br /><br />"If this isn't happening already, I'm sure it will happen eventually. And if the books are in public domain, it's not even illegal. Unethical, yes, but not illegal."<br /><br />Is this true? I understand that at some point works become public domain, but can you take them and misrepresent them as the work of someone else? <br /><br />I thought public domain meant they can be reproduced without paying royalties. I didn't know that extended to removing the artist's name and putting a false name in its place.Mark Asherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13758940020912520294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-50305095455621353192010-08-30T23:45:52.167-05:002010-08-30T23:45:52.167-05:00Yes, the proper way to use public domain content i...Yes, the proper way to use public domain content is to borrow bits and pieces without passing them off as your own, and use them in your own material.<br /><br />The easiest examples are all those Sherlock Holmes stores out there. The authors borrowed Holmes and other characters, and some settings, then wrote their own stories.<br /><br />But to simply lift sections of a public domain story and claim it as your own is a big no-no.Max Brandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07404871912193614516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-36605665552074165082010-08-30T23:44:14.180-05:002010-08-30T23:44:14.180-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Max Brandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07404871912193614516noreply@blogger.com