A Question For The Audience On Electronic Distribution
Folks, I’m looking specifically for feedback, here.
I am a staunch opponent of all forms of digital rights management (DRM) — the set of hardware and software restrictions that limit a user’s ability to truly own the electronic media they purchase and do whatever they want with it. Examples of DRM include the iTunes AAC format, the Windows WMA format, software licenses that “lease” software to you that you bought, and so on.
On the other hand, I’m committed to making my creativity available to my audience in as many formats as possible. I believe that you, the user, shouldn’t be limited in how you consume content. So I want to provide my content — specifically, in this case, “Brave Men Run — A Novel of the Sovereign Era” and its follow-up “Pilgrimage” — in a wide variety of ways.
So. Two platforms have come around in recent months: the Amazon Kindle, and the iPod Touch / iPhone. Both have proprietary solutions to providing content… this means that if you buy an e-book for your Kindle, you won’t be able to read it on your iPod, and so on. There are restrictions of use inherent in the delivery methods.
My gut (knee jerk?) reaction is to reject both platforms out of hand because of these restrictions. Today, though, a conversation with Mark Jeffrey led me to a little epiphany: perhaps it’s wrong for me to subject my audience to the peculiarities of my own position on these matters. It got me thinking: by keeping my content out of particular formats, aren’t I limiting the ways my audience can consume it? I may be defeating my own purpose and acting contrary to my own beliefs.
I’m kinda stuck. So I’m asking you: should I distribute my content in formats specifically for non-open platforms like the Kindle, Sony Reader, iPhone, and whatever else comes along? I want to hear your thoughts on this. Please comment here, on the blog — I appreciate feedback in the social media spaces like Twitter, but I really want to keep feedback here on the site, where I can brood over it all in one place.
One thing I should mention: no matter what you help me decide, I’ll always have “Brave Men Run” available in the no-DRM pay-what-it’s-worth format here on the site. Just so you know.
I look forward to hearing your opinions… and thanks in advance!
I think you should release it on as many platforms as possible. In a recent newsletter from Michael A. Stackpole he said he’s sold a lot more eBooks for the iPod than for the Kindle. But, he still made some sales on the Kindle, so, it is something.
I myself would prefer a regular eBook, because at the moment I don’t have an iPhone which is what I would get.
If you release on many platforms, you will give the people who spent the money on a Kindle to use it, but still allow those without it to have other options.
As long as you continue to offer a non-DRM’d, pay-what-you-want version through your website, who cares? If someone buys a Kindle or an iPhone or whatever, then they’ve done that (hopefully) understanding the limitations of the media they may purchase for the device.
Now, if you only offered your books as DRM-wrapped files, then that’d be a problem. Otherwise, I say, once again, who cares?
Hey Matt,
An interesting question and conundrum. I have become more and more frustrated with the big players of media distribution (Apple and Amazon) and the power they wield. They can make or break systems that can essentially screw over everyone, but, as the saying goes, they are the only game in town.
I think the best thing you can do is offer the novels in as many ways as you can. Yes, some of those systems will be restricted, but if you offer the files in as many formats as you can, you are giving the reader choice. I would offer the formats, but attempt to make it clear to the user what they are getting. Ensure they understand that YOU are not restricting them, but the corporations are. And, as you point out, you will always have the DRM-free option, so no one can accuse you of being a corporate sell out.
Looking forward to Pilgrimage!
Drew
I agree with one of the comments.. release everywhere. As long as the book is available as a Non-DRM version it’s a personal convenience choice.
I don’t know the kindle, but on the iPhone there are several eBook readers (BookZ, Stanza, …) which let you read simple Text files / RTF files etc.
Works pretty well – I just read 2 books with the BookZ reader. It only displays .txt at the moment, but is very fast.
The Kindle can load the mobipocket (prc) or plain text formats. Back when I was using a palm pilot to read ebooks, I used the mobipocket format often.
So, no need to release in Kindle (azw) format.
iPhone/iPod can read PDF’s.
I say don’t bother.
Actually, with the BookZ reader (also the Stanza app I think) you can easily download a .txt version of a file which can be read easily enough. I just finished reading Doctorow’s “Little Brother” this way.
Publish it as text and people can get to it on these two platforms.
I was all set to say that you should release it in all formats available to you. But then I remembered that the Sony e-book should be able to display PDF and Amazon offers a very reasonably priced conversion service.
So, maybe it isn’t necessary to compromise your principles. Then, again, if you provide barriers to new readers, you might miss some and that would be a shame.
I think that as creative artists we have to adjust to the marketplace. If you can expose more people to your work by releasing your stuff in as many formats as possible, I say go for it.
A few years ago no one would have ever thought that you could release your novel as a podcast but now look at what’s happened. That’s one of the most popular ways to market yourself and your work. Sure, it’s free but it was still an adjustment that artists had to make. Who knows what will happen with the Kindle and iPhone but as long as it’s available to you and your readers, why punish them by NOT releasing it on those platforms. I know that’s not what you are doing, punishing them, but it may seem that way to some.
Sometimes you have to compromise your beliefs in order to serve the reader and I know that sounds crappy and sell-outish but as long as corporations like Amazon and Apple continue to strangle the markets, we can only stand outside their gates with our picket signs for so long before we have to adjust. It’s just a fact of life.
Personally, even if I had a Kindle or an iPhone, I would still download it from your site using the pay-what-its-worth method but why limit it to those that might not?
I say do it and let the chips fall where they may…
I think there is another question to think about regarding marketplaces.
Since you can read PDF documents on the Kindle and iPod/iPhone your readers who prefer non-DRM editions of your work can put them on these devices. But what about new readers who have already chosen the Kindle or iTunes marketplace? If your words aren’t in the marketplace they’ve already bought into, then you have zero chance of getting on their devices.
I know that DRM bothers you. It bothers me too. But why not take the bull by the horns and do something yourself. This is a rough thought, so it might need some work, but how about offering to send someone a non-DRM version of your works if they’ve bought them through a DRM marketplace?
As long as they provide some proof like a receipt from the iTunes store or Amazon.com, what do you have to loose?
-Paul
[...] Wayne Selznick poses a question that I have run into once or twice before. Which is the greater freedom, using unencumbered formats [...]
I am one of the many that think that you should dive on in, but if you are still concerned, then put a notice up referring to your typical position on DRM along with links for each format (with details of DRM status) so that the reader has an informed choice when deciding upon the format.
I also like Paul’s suggestion. It can be a great solution for anybody who has already downloaded the e-book in a DRM-inclusive format.
You are caught in a really hard place here. I’ve spent a long time promoting and using open media. A significant portion of my music collection is OGG even. For musicians, they can release music as non-DRM media and still have it incorporated into a DRM-based service like iTunes.
Unfortunately, you don’t really have that option. I’d say that you should make sure that you have links to the DRM-free format up in the description, make sure people know what they are buying and that they have a choice (as keiko suggested). In any other situation, I’d tell you to avoid DRM at all costs, I’m pretty sure it’s the work of the devil ;-).
But that sort of attitude doesn’t pay the bills, as an author you don’t have the same options for release and sale that a recording artist does, e-books just don’t transport from service to service that way.
Wow! Thanks, everyone, for your swift, thoughtful, and pretty much unified response! Also thanks to the folks who e-mailed me, and to Thomas Gideon for deciding the question was compelling / important enough to write a blog post at Open Media Review!
The consensus is to release my works in as many formats as possible as long as a DRM-free choice exists for those who want it. Folks seem to agree that, as much as they respect my desire to stand against DRM, it’s unfair to restrict the way people consume my content. I’m reminded that I myself hold the following as one of the tenants of the DIY ethic:
“…Reject the temptation to restrict their access to your creativity…”
Well, that pretty much settles it, doesn’t it?
I am so grateful to everyone for your carefully considered feedback — thank you! I’ll be pursuing distribution for the iPhone / iPod Touch and Amazon Kindle in the coming days and weeks. Of course, you’ll hear about it here as those formats become available.
You guys are the best! Thanks again for helping me suss this out.