Creative Commons, Free e-Books, and the New Author

I've recently started a new web site LightSpeedDreams.net. Originally I bought the domain name because I liked the sound of it, and I took some time to decided what content I wanted to put on it. Finally, I've decided to populate the site with content of mine that I will release under Creative Commons license — making it freely available for use, modification, and commercial distribution, as long as I remain listed as one of the authors/creators. Among other things, this will include mp3s, selected artwork, and selected short stories and novels.

Why?

1. In some cases the content I release would be difficult or impossible to sell.

* Cases of work with other creators who have okayed the release but then become unreachable
* Content that was created jointly with the understanding that it would be freely available
* Fan Fiction that cannot be distributed for profit

2. The content acts as a free sample of my work for prospective publishers

3. The most important reason, however, is summed up by Cory Doctorow in the forward to Little Brother (on why he releases all his books as free, drm-free e-books):

For me — for pretty much every writer — the big problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity (thanks to Tim O'Reilly for this great aphorism). Of all the people who failed to buy this book today, the majority did so because they never heard of it, not because someone gave them a free copy.

So, no, people stealing your work to read is not a problem most new authors face. People never reading your work because they haven't heard of you is. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position where I can release all my work for free online, after all, I am trying to start a career as an author and I've not heard of any traditional publishers who will take on an author with no unpublished content. I feel I'm doing the next best thing by releasing selected works for free. On one had, I think of it as a small portfolio sample. On the other hand, a bit like releasing some grown-up children into the world to see what becomes of them.

So, I hope you check out LightSpeedDreams.net and sample, use, modify the content I've posted. And please, whatever you do with it, let me know! I love to hear how my work has been used, and I'll help you advertise with blurbs on my various sites.

And check out science fiction author and digital rights expert Cory Doctorow's site www.craphound.com. The forward to Little Brother (winner of several YA awards and shortlisted for several more) explains the Creative Commons ideas far better than I could, so why not download a free copy from him (and if you like it, buy the print version).

Edwin H Rydberg

Lightspeed Dreams.net

I've finally posted the first content to my creative commons LightspeedDreams.net site. This site is linked from EdwinHRydberg.com and is where I make all my free content available. That includes writing (selected novels, poetry, short stories, etc), artwork, ideas that might be of use to someone but that I don't have the time or resources to persue. All of it is make available under the creative commons license. Essentially, you may have, keep, use it for free or commercially, as long as you remember to list me as the creator (I ask for no royalties, only the recognition that it was my content originally, and a humble request that you let me know how you've used it--for my own curiosity).

The first content on LightspeedDreams.net is a story I wrote set in a world created by Roy Sirkis called Awaken from that Gentle Good Night. It's a futuristic science fiction story with a fantasy feel. It can be read on the site, or downloaded in PDF or EPUB formats. I hope you enjoy (and watch for more stories coming soon).

Edwin

New Utility Fog Press Blog

I've started up a new blog dedicated to Utility Fog Press (utilityfogblog.blogspot.com). That means I'll try to keep cross-over content solely to writing-related stuff (posts on publishing, editing, etc).

In addition to my blathering, I've managed to convince several other amateur/semi-pro writers & editors to contribute to the blog. It should be interesting, as they come from quite diverse backgrounds and I'm quite excited to see how the blog goes. If you stop by, please be sure to check out their links also.

Edwin