Apex Magazine and options
There’s been some debate on the series of internet tubes about workable business models for online content. Some, like Cory Doctorow, believe free is good. If you give out a quality freebie, people will shell out money for more of that product. I like to think of this as the ol’ street dealer’s trick of giving out samples of coke to get people hooked on their drug. Others have argued to me that offering content such as short stories online, you have to go to a subscription or pay-per-play system.
I can’t say either one has worked for Apex Magazine. A combination of the two has not worked. Sponsorship worked for two months before enthusiasm for it died.
I’d like to try an alternative.
I’d like to see how many fans of short fiction (and Apex Magazine) are out there that would donate $10 (or more) on a recurring, yearly basis to help pay for magazine costs. Our yearly cost is around $10,000. Doctorow was given $10,000 to write one single story. For your $10,000, you get 24 months of Apex Magazine.
If you’d like to give Apex Magazine a hand then please send me an email to jason@apexbookcompany.com. I don’t want to start collecting $10 (or more!) from people unless I know there are enough fans interested.
Please spread the word by reposting and retweeting this blog post.
Jason Sizemore
editor-in-chief
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7 Comments
I’d be willing to do a yearly subscription of $10. However, because my personal economy is as messy as the larger American economy, I may not be able to conjure up 10 smackers without notice. But I’d be willing…
Guess I should be willing to follow instructions and email that to ya, huh? :)
I would be more than willing to give $10. I mean, why shouldn’t I since reading great horror, speculative, and dark fiction are my main sources of entertainment…
Reading horror, dark, and speculative fiction “is” my main source of entertainment, so why shouldn’t I throw a bone for those who make it possible?
I retweeted at Twitter and Facebook, and a friend suggested you look into http://www.kickstarter.com/.
I would do this.
Well…you could sweeten the deal by saying those who contribute $10 or more can get access to previous stories or get a special discount on books. That might help.
If there’s good content, consistently presented, absolutely I would contribute $10.
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