So, Amanda Palmer wrote a blog post, why i am not afraid to take your money, by amanda fucking palmer, and in this she explains why she feels no shame in asking for money for her webcasts.
I wasn’t aware that she needed to feel shame, but apparently, some “fans” have complained about paying money for her performances. In my opinion, those people are not fans. If you disagree and think that a fan should demand free work from an artist, stop here and bail out now. Otherwise, I’m likely to offend you. And I won’t apologize for doing it either.
I prefer to be bluntly honest in this blog, speaking my mind on a lot of issues. Sometimes after I write a post, I’ll have hubby look it over, and he’ll ask, “Are you really sure you want people to read this?” His main concern is that by being so honest, I might send away readers who would otherwise read my stories. I think that if anything about my posts offends you, odds are good that my characters will too. Either that, or the situations I put them in will.
I don’t agree with the concept of self-censorship for the sake of better sales. But, that doesn’t mean I still don’t practice it all the time. I might not agree with it, but it’s ingrained into me to seek the approval of as many people as I can. I’ve been told about this approval-seeking behavior way back in my teens, and I consciously fight against it. But now I’m also supposed to bite my tongue about some topics in order to foster goodwill among my potential readers.
In my head these conflicting values can create a looping error. I will want to make a statement in public, and along comes the silent editor, who tries to quell or water down the statement for fear of costing me sales.
Today, I’m going to write some things that could offend my readers, and damn the editor. That’s because I’m going to talk about money, and about asking for money and support. and then I’m going to talk about what I expect from my fans.
I give most of my stuff away, aside from the direct to print stories. I give out free samples because I have no other way to build my name. Having multiple sclerosis and being on the other side of the planet from my market in the US both make it damned hard to advertise ethically. I’m limited to building my name only through online promotion, so I offer the web serials as freebies to give people the chance to decide whether or not they want to buy stuff.
The thing is, what I offer is called a “free sample,” not a “free all-you-care-to-read buffet.” If you’re sticking around long term, and you’ve read more than two or three stories, at some point I’ll expect some help from you. I want reviews, or I want you to open your wallets and pay money.
Yes, all of you. No, I will not accept a silent, non-paying person in my mind as a fan. Because if all you do is keep reading for free, and you never give money, you aren’t a fan, nor even a consumer.
You’re a fucking cheap ass moocher.
Don’t get me wrong. If you showed up and read part of one story, and then you walked away, you don’t owe me a dime. If you come back at the beginning of each story, but never make it through anything, you’re okay. You didn’t like the free samples, and there was never any implied obligation to buy anything. You’re okay, okay?
But if you’re reading story six or seven and you like what you read, you need to think about buying something. I don’t ask for money all the time, and not because I’ve got any shame about asking. I sell my stories online, so it’s a sure thing that once every three weeks or so, I’m going to hold out my virtual hat and remind you, “I could use your support.” I remind you because I need money for “stuff.” Not necessarily important stuff, just stuff.
Like most artists, I would love to make my writing into my day job. To do that, I require patrons willing to pay money in regular increments. Kinda like a paycheck, except from multiple clients instead of one boss. So, why would you have a problem with this if you’re a regular visitor?
Imagine one day your boss no longer shows up at work, but he still expects you to know what to do without him saying anything. He does not communicate to acknowledge a job being completed, and he never offers reviews on the quality of your work. He won’t even bring a paycheck in on Friday, but he still expects you to show up and work every day.
You know you wouldn’t work a day under these conditions. Well that’s how some of you treat me, and you ignore the words “free sample.” You greedily take and take, but give nothing in return. That makes you parasites by definition. You suck up bandwidth, which I have to pay for on my web site. But you give nothing, not one dime to help me keep that server running.
So let’s get back to these kinds of “leech fans.” You people know who you are. You were reading all year long, and you never wrote a review, or even a short email to me to let me know you’re there. You never bought a book, an e-book, left a tip, or reffered a friend. So long as I put out free stories, sure, you’ll come along for the ride. But if I should expect anything from you in the way of support, that’s asking too much.
If this is you, then you aren’t a fan. You’re just mooching. Don’t hand me shit about hard times or you being busy. There are people I know who are up to their eyeballs in work and family drama, and they still find time to do something to help me. They’ve written reviews, posted links, or sent an email saying how much they liked a story. Some of them have even bought stuff, and I’m happy to say my Amazon Kindle stats are…always encouraging. I have two e-books that cracked the top 100 in Horror sales, and that’s not too shabby for a self-published writer with the marketing skills of a shitfaced titmouse.
Do you really want to claim that you don’t have two minutes to drop me an email and tell me what you think of a story? You can’t spare ten minutes on a review of one of my stories, or the site in general? Because that’s what fans are willing to do for artists they like, and I’ve got fans like that already.
I have absolutely no use for moochers. None. I can’t get feedback from you. I can’t get new readers referred to my sites, and I since these are both strike outs, it’s a safe bet strike three will come, and you won’t send me money for my creative efforts. Well then, you’re out, not me. You aren’t included in the short list of people I call my fans. And you sure as hell won’t get a nifty title like Supa-stalker.
No, for you select people who are both too broke and too busy to offer support, I only have one word: Bye.
I am a bisexual transsexual with bigender tendencies, a former resident of Texas, but now live in Milan with my husband. I used to write in a variety of genres and published my work through 
You know I do not read fiction. If I check your site and it is a story I skip it but you might get a site count. Talking is sharing so if I have something to say I do, if not I am not a writer and dislike punching the keys. I like non-fiction books you know the paper kind. Sometimes I read stories based on true facts like “Weedman” it made me want to have an adventure. When finished I sent it to a friend who would like it. The Internet and electronic media destroyed copyright containment. Charge what you like but I will not pay for a friend. It makes a person a prostitute. Now your work is art and you should get paid for what it is worth. If you can not sell books that is what they are worth. It is fun being frank. Hugs Lisa
It is fun being frank, and Lisa, you know you don’t count in my comments about moochers. You read the non-fiction here, and you talk…like all the time, sometimes even if I don’t want you to. (yes, that was a joke.) The blog is always free, and I’ll never ask you for a donation for visiting. Your active participation is good enough for me. (And even if you don’t think so, you are quite active here.)
Speaking on e-books, it is in fact possible to loan out e-files to other people. With my free e-books, it’s even possible to become a distributor without legal issues, because I have a very liberal copyright.
My print books do use copy protection, though.
The problem lies not in the format, nor even in the kind of copy protection. It’s in an industry unwilling to deal with change. According to most consumers, once you finish a file and email the only copy to a friend, you are transferring rights to them. This same principle was already explored with video games years ago. But the problem is a old and paranoid industry that doesn’t seem to realize that pirating a paper copy with a scanner is easy. So they ban the e-files as a company policy, and yet, there are still pirate e-copies.
Or, put in shorter terms, corporate manager are retards and cowards who won’t just get with the program and make e-books as “open source” as paper books. Once they are suppressed and we move ahead, paper and e-paper will be on equal footing. Both can exist at the same time, so paper lovin’ folks can get their book on, and e-paper folks will stop paying shipping and handling charges, in effect paying twice as much for a “cheap” book.
And just in case I wasn’t clear before, Lisa, don’t you ever, EVER think I mean you’re a moocher. You’re a blog reader, and you don’t do fiction. You don’t have to repeat yourself, because I know this, and I respect your reading tastes. You also are frequently an active participant, and that’s why I like to have you around. You aren’t a moocher. You’re just a different kind of reader.
“and e-paper folks will stop paying shipping and handling charges, in effect paying twice as much for a “cheap” book.”
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This is an area we do not agree. I do not mind paying the post office for a service in fact I like people touching and moving material things with dedication and care. I also believe in paying a higher price for work when it is quality. I buy hard cover books even if they are twice the price. I rather buy one good one than 5 cheap one’s. I will even pay more for something done by union workers rather than it be made in China. Value is in the work that is done from the writer to the postman. I am not fond of just saving money so you can buy more. I am a human not just a consumer. People have lost their sense of values when everything comes down to money. Life can be better without money.
And I’m of the opinion that the book is merely a package. If the editing standard are the same, then what I want to pay for is the writing. I don’t look at the box my mouse came in and say, “What a great box! I will save this box forever!”
I feel the same way about books. Give me a cheap mass market paperback, and I will read it and decide whether to see in back on my book shelf or toss it as rubbish. I also feel less guilt in tossing a cheaper book. And by toss, I mean “set on the public bookshelf so someone else can read it.”
You place more value in the package than in the contents, because the very idea of the methods of paper distribution losing market to an electronic competitor offends you. I don’t grasp that. The contents, the writing of a non-fiction book would remain the same. The cost of receiving the work would be cheaper, and there would be no toxic footprint made by moving the physical product. There is some heat transference due to electrical resistance, but that cost is negligible compared to sending the book in two trucks, a plane, and finally, a scooter.
Everyone down the line has to be paid for this? No freaking way. Or I can pay one web site, and *dings* file’s done. Hey, I’m reading NOW, instead of in two to three months. It’s better for the environment, cuts out about twenty middle men, and delivers more cash directly into the pockets of the publishers.
That is why we disagree so strongly. You’ve placed an intrinsic value in a thing, and I refuse to accept the package as important when it’s the product’s contents I wish to consume.