A short story is a work of fiction that doesn't take a long time to read. Is it really worth plopping down a whole entire dollar for one? As a producer and vender of such an item (a short story for 99 cents) I had an occasion to ponder this question. And I found the answer to be a resounding 'YES.' And here's why:
Let's say you buy a short story of 6500 words (which is actually a fairly beefy story) and let's say you're a super-speedy reader with a stopwatch handy who happens to blaze through the story in 18 minutes. Did you get your money's worth for the experience? Well, let's see other forms of intellectual property you can have for a buck.
You can buy a song (mp3) for a dollar. Sure, you can play it repeatedly, just as once you own a story, you can read it as many times as you like - but a song typically doesn't last longer than 5 minutes, and for most songs, that's pushing it. A type of pop song with a repeating chorus will typically be less than 100 words. I wouldn't argue that the melody and rhythm offers other dimensions of value, but producing a decent book is just as labor-intensive as producing a decent song.
Would you pay a dollar to watch a half-hour of television on demand - any episode of any show? Most half-hour shows are really just over 20 minutes to account for advertising time. A 99 cent short story will give you a comparable amount of entertainment.
Let's say, for whatever reason, you decided to go to an arcade and play some video games or pinball. A dollar will get you four games maximum, and those games go quickly. And when that's over, it's over.
I could go on, but the point is, what kind of quality can you expect outside the realm of intellectual property for 99 cents? You can't even get a cup of coffee most places for that price, and you can believe that a good book took a heck of a lot more effort to make than a cup of coffee.
In conclusion, I'd say the case is made: A conscientiously crafted short story is absolutely worth at least 99 cents. And if you agree, then you're a smart and highly reasonable person and you deserve to feel good about yourself. Have an awesomely wonderful day - and keep reading, you high minded, wonderful person, you. Oh, and please support indie authors. Thanks!
2013 - An Overview Of Probability
On The Ball In 2013
Aw, look, it's a kitten. Anyway, I hope your new year is still chugging along with freshness and optimism. What's in store for me this year? Glad you asked!The second short story and novel I've been talking about forever will be complete and available. Then I'll be writing a few more short stories, and putting out music and an animated music video. That's all I can say for now.
The real purpose behind this post was the kitten pic.
2012 - I'd Like To Thank...You - Yes, You
If you're reading this, this post is dedicated to you - and I say that with all sincerity because NO ONE reads this blog by chance. People don't just stumble in here via search and say "Hmm, this Ford Forkum is a delightful chap, think I'll subscribe to the blog." I'd be a bulb-skulled butthead from the Inter-dimensional Hatch Of Boobies to believe such babble bereft of basis.
No, you're reading this because you're a special person with whom I have something vital in common. We're kids on the same playground who have found each other. Believe it or not, I've been looking for you for a long time. I'd have no reason to create and nothing to share if it weren't for you, and your sharing with me has filled a space in my life that was empty, but reserved for what you would bring.
Earlier this year, I planted a seed. I've sown seeds in many other climates and soils, and have seen destruction in the form of weeds, pests, and lingering coldness. But this year, I finally have a healthy plant that has survived the most fragile period of its growth, thanks to your persistent light. I propose we continue to shining our individual shades of light each others way, and by doing so, cultivate a garden of exotic wonder.
Woah...I kind of lost myself as I was writing this. Anyway, thanks for being there and for being here. As 2013 approaches, I have to restock my toolshed with useful abstractions. And so, I wish you a happy, prosperous, enlightening, and fulfilling 2013 with at least 23% fewer boogers.
No, you're reading this because you're a special person with whom I have something vital in common. We're kids on the same playground who have found each other. Believe it or not, I've been looking for you for a long time. I'd have no reason to create and nothing to share if it weren't for you, and your sharing with me has filled a space in my life that was empty, but reserved for what you would bring.
Earlier this year, I planted a seed. I've sown seeds in many other climates and soils, and have seen destruction in the form of weeds, pests, and lingering coldness. But this year, I finally have a healthy plant that has survived the most fragile period of its growth, thanks to your persistent light. I propose we continue to shining our individual shades of light each others way, and by doing so, cultivate a garden of exotic wonder.
Woah...I kind of lost myself as I was writing this. Anyway, thanks for being there and for being here. As 2013 approaches, I have to restock my toolshed with useful abstractions. And so, I wish you a happy, prosperous, enlightening, and fulfilling 2013 with at least 23% fewer boogers.
More Dross About Writing From Planet Ewboogerick
It's good to be prolific - at least from my vantage point (outside looking in) though I probably won't have a ton of books penned in my lifetime. I worry too much over every word. Though it bums me out that I still don't have my WIPS completed yet, I like how they're coming along. They keep evolving as I fill in the blanks and fix things.
When the time comes to publish my short story and novel, I'm going to go the whole hog: full editing, print editions, Top quality professional cover design and everything. So it will be worth sweating every detail.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I will have two completed manuscripts ready for the first pass - definitely not this month, probably not next month, and maybe not even the month after that, but it WILL happen. Whatever happens in the end, if my work is loved, despised, or ignored ultimately doesn't matter - and it definitely doesn't matter at this moment in time.
That's how I'm keeping my head screwed on - I have an inner sense of completion for everything I set out to do, and the only way I can fail is if I give up or rush to finish and end up with something that feels inferior relative to its potential. My intuitive gut will know when its time to write "THE END" and heave a glorious sigh of relief.
In the meantime, Planet Ewboogerick is green and there's nothing I can do.
When the time comes to publish my short story and novel, I'm going to go the whole hog: full editing, print editions, Top quality professional cover design and everything. So it will be worth sweating every detail.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I will have two completed manuscripts ready for the first pass - definitely not this month, probably not next month, and maybe not even the month after that, but it WILL happen. Whatever happens in the end, if my work is loved, despised, or ignored ultimately doesn't matter - and it definitely doesn't matter at this moment in time.
That's how I'm keeping my head screwed on - I have an inner sense of completion for everything I set out to do, and the only way I can fail is if I give up or rush to finish and end up with something that feels inferior relative to its potential. My intuitive gut will know when its time to write "THE END" and heave a glorious sigh of relief.
In the meantime, Planet Ewboogerick is green and there's nothing I can do.
Adele's Baby, Twitter Trolls, and the Media
The Huffington Post recently reported on the nasty Twitter messages in response to Adele's giving birth. Comments on the story generally revolved around the problem of cruelty and insensitivity, as was the basic gist of the article. "What can be done," the people lamented, "about Internet trolls?"
The question keeps coming up as though no one had ever said or heard an insulting thing in their lives prior to this incident. This not a case of cyberspace bullying among kids - which, I agree, is a serious problem. This is "hating on a celebrity," which has been going on since the first tabloid was ever published. Adele probably doesn't care what some random idiots post about her. But if she does, and for anyone who thinks "trolling," or inflammatory remarks are some kind of isolated social ill in need of a remedy, let me offer a bit of perspective.
What's the first thing people ever do from the second they're born? They cry - that is, they react to their environment with a negative emotion and they vocally express that emotion without any conscious thought. It can be inferred, then, that the most basic thing people do is unconsciously react negatively to the world and express their negative feelings with no inhibition whatsoever.
What does a baby know about anything the second it pops out of the womb? Not much. So we can say that the default nature of a person is ignorance, negative reactivity, and uninhibited expression. See what I'm getting at here? Why should it be any surprise that people say utterly insensitive and hateful things? Lacking any positive conditioning, knowledge, or maturity, people are born to act like this. Any prejudice - racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, materialism (possession-based esteem), and so on - is rooted in our nature. That's why its called baseness. We have to strive to overcome these limitations.
This isn't the way it "should" be. But it is. Acceptance doesn't equal consent, it just means that we ought to respond to hateful remarks the way one responds to a crying newborn. If it's not yours (and it isn't), what do you care?
The question keeps coming up as though no one had ever said or heard an insulting thing in their lives prior to this incident. This not a case of cyberspace bullying among kids - which, I agree, is a serious problem. This is "hating on a celebrity," which has been going on since the first tabloid was ever published. Adele probably doesn't care what some random idiots post about her. But if she does, and for anyone who thinks "trolling," or inflammatory remarks are some kind of isolated social ill in need of a remedy, let me offer a bit of perspective.
What's the first thing people ever do from the second they're born? They cry - that is, they react to their environment with a negative emotion and they vocally express that emotion without any conscious thought. It can be inferred, then, that the most basic thing people do is unconsciously react negatively to the world and express their negative feelings with no inhibition whatsoever.
What does a baby know about anything the second it pops out of the womb? Not much. So we can say that the default nature of a person is ignorance, negative reactivity, and uninhibited expression. See what I'm getting at here? Why should it be any surprise that people say utterly insensitive and hateful things? Lacking any positive conditioning, knowledge, or maturity, people are born to act like this. Any prejudice - racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, materialism (possession-based esteem), and so on - is rooted in our nature. That's why its called baseness. We have to strive to overcome these limitations.
This isn't the way it "should" be. But it is. Acceptance doesn't equal consent, it just means that we ought to respond to hateful remarks the way one responds to a crying newborn. If it's not yours (and it isn't), what do you care?
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