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.

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.

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

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…

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.

Publish it as text and people can get to it on these two platforms.

So, no need to release in Kindle (azw) format.

iPhone/iPod can read PDF’s.

I say don’t bother.

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.