return on investment | The Shared Desk

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

This Dog Days of Podcasting covers that often-discussed topic amongst authors: Self-promotion. Tee-shirts, sticky notes, stylus-pen hybrids, and USB drives — the business of swag is a big one, but is it worth it? Will free stuff bring you new and loyal readers, or will you be known for the author giving away the best, coolest stuff? How would you prefer to be remembered?

Remember — it’s not about the swag.

[display_podcast]

Find Tee on Twitter here,
leave a voicemail or questions for the Dog Days of Podcasting at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
I’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find this show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

And finally, we sit behind the mics and fire up the wayback machine and the cart software for a new episode of The Shared Desk. We’re staying topical with talking about the change of heart podcasters are experiencing — reassessing the model of free. Once upon a time, we were all about making our fiction free in this new, daring audio medium that was podcasting. Here were are, eight years later, and oh how the times, they are a-changing….

00:00 — Introduction

Look at us! We’re back!
Oh Key & Peele — how we <3 you!
Possibly the shortest introduction section ever!
We’re looking back in this episode….

1:30 — Giving the Fiction Away for Free

What happens when you decide “I don’t want to give it away.” when you have been doing fiction for free?
The big question: Why did you give it away?
Tee looks back to 2004 and 2005 when Tee made the call to podcast MOREVI
Looking back eight years, and now considering podcasting in 2013
- The playing field in 2005.
- Since our friend and podcasting juggernaut Scott Sigler, we have not seen a new “breakout” artist.
- It’s no longer a “community” but a “market” and few of the OP’s (Original Podcasters) are featured or even listed prominently.
- An honest assessment of the path of podcasting
Why did Pip make the big jump into the podiosphere?
Tee and Pip podcast because we love it, not because we’re planning to overthrow “traditional media” with this platform.
Quick shout-out to The League of STEAM!
Pip asks Tee the tough question: Is Tee disappointed in the evolution of podcasting fiction?
The ROI of Podcasting
Not only is the playing field changed, so has the audience.
Giving your work away for free is not a contract with your audience. It’s a giveaway.
The Market of Giving the Fiction Away for Free still works, if you approach it properly.
Yes, it has worked for Scott, for Cory Doctorow, for John Scalzi…but…….
Would I advise a new author if they want to give it away for free? (Tee might surprise you…)

29:05 — Seriously?! Seriously.

Damn…Pip can talk.
Ripped from the headlines: E.L. James is now giving out writing advice?!
Tee spills it on when he collaborated on a writing guide with friends…and the heat he caught on it…
…but when you are writing a book on your own on how to write — hold on. HOLD. ON.
Pip to E.L. — “Go away.”
There are better places to get your smut.
You know it’s going to sell…
Tee is fighting his urges to read this P.O.S.

38:29 — The Wrap-Up

Still getting back into the swing of things…
…and Tee needs to remember what drop in’s he has on call.
Looking forward to the next show
- Our next show is already in the can.
- Looking at The Ministry Initiative with J.R Blackwell and P.J. Schnyder
Dawn’s Early Light — it’s coming in 2013! In December! November!
What happened recently? Tee’s a free agent again…so take a look at what he offers at Imagine That! Studios.
And we are writing, writing, writing…and Darkwater is now out in the wild, along with Pip’s new proposal!
Foreword Literary — our new agency!
The Diamond Conspiracy (Book Four of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences) is also underway…
Next event in May — Up in the Æther
Ending with a belated holiday wish….from Lauren “Scribe” Harris and Crazy Uncle Charlie.

RELATED LINKS

[display_podcast]

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or question for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.

Enjoy the ride

and we’ll catch you later.

Tag Archives: return on investment

The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: When Self-Promotion Goes Awry

Episode #21: Giving the Fiction Away for Free

Our Books

Our links