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| Let's talk. |
So, I'm addressing these issues.
- It's cost-prohibitive for the reader if I sell these in print. Who wants to pay $5 for a 5-10 page short story? I don't. That would be seriously unfair of me.
- Also, my editor said no.
- I've been accused of wanting the money (? I don't get this one) because I apparently won't earn enough from print. No...I don't want to charge you for these shorts. I want you to get them for free.
- These stories will appear in print at a later date, in a single volume. Right now--and it's right there in the sidebar--I'm offering up things that are just barely 2nd draft material. They're almost where I want them, but the final draft will wait until all the stories have been finished and the order determined.
- I can offer them as a download via Bookfunnel. If there's enough interest, I absolutely will do that.
- It's not easy to format here and have it book-standard; I went with what will look decent across multiple browsers. If the font is too small (and I get that, I'd like it bigger, too) you can hit CTRL + scroll and the size will increase. That works on pretty much every web page.
Look. Anyone who has stuck with me this far knows that my royalties go toward buying as many toys at Christmas as we can, and those toys either go to Toys for Tots or toys for foster kids. (Despite my frequent whining about the people spending my money...the Man really does pay for the care and feeding of the creatures in the house, thusly can I afford to use the royalties that way.) This isn't and has never been about the money for me. But I also can't spend money out of pocket to print these and give them away (as has been suggested) nor can I offer print copies as donor gifts (as has been suggested) to dozens of people.
All I really wanted when we started kicking around the idea of a Wick website was to give something for free, something for my readers, and not as a way to make a lot of money. This site isn't monetized. I could have done that; we thought about doing that by way of advertisements, to generate the purchase of a few more toys. But damn, doods, I really wanted to do this because so many of you have been there since the beginning of The Psychokitty Speaks Out, you've bought my books, you've followed me on Facebook, and you've made doing all of this so much fun.
I want to continue doing this. But at this moment, the fun has been sucked out of it, and I feel like I'm banging my forehead on the keyboard.
I know I can't make everyone happy.
And you know what started the worst of this? The Woman's nephew is doing a charity walk, and she made the offer on FB that if he hit X-number of dollars by the end of the weekend, we'd put Wick After Dark up for free as a download. And the complaints started. One woman wanted print copies (though she didn't donate a damned thing.) Someone else complained that they'd read those already so why can't they have something else...and it went on. And on.
I have tried really hard to not lose my chit over this, but tonight someone declared they are done with me because--and I am not even kidding--I'd answered her question but apparently not the way she wanted. And all I did was explain why I can't do the shorts in print yet.
Doods, I'll bend over backwards to make things easy when I can, but I'll only take so much.
So.
So.
If you would like the shorts available as a download via Bookfunnel, speak up. I can do that.
If you want them in print, please be patient. I have to write them all first.
If you want them in print, please be patient. I have to write them all first.
And if you think I suck, well, sorry. Not much I can do about that.
20 comments:
Humans suck. That's all, they're all a bunch of whiners.
OMG...I don't understand why people aren't just grateful for the gift of awesome stories, especially for free! And they will be in print but not immediately. No wonder a kitty would be ready to bang his head against the keyboard. I'd say a kitty ought to do what makes him happy and those complaining about their FREE reading gift can go fly a kite in a high wind.
What is wrong with people? I have t ok remind our mom ti get the download because she wants to read it. Max, you inspired me to write my book. Yours was one of the first kitty books our mom read to us.
I don't believe people are complaining. You're kind enough to offer your short stories for free. What more do they want? (Maybe you should read it to them, too?) If the complainers feel they can do a better job, perhaps they should try it! Meanwhile, please keep doing what you do and don't let their comments get to you.
If they are so convinced that they need a hard copy why don't they just copy and paste it to notepad or word. It's not rocket science.
What is wrong with people? You're offering something for FREE and that's pretty awesome. We think you're great for doing this. And what a sad thing for people to complain about the free download from the charity. Wow. I have no words.
geez people are stupid..... we LOVE what you are doing and screw the morons
It is back to basic manners. When you receive a gift, you say thank you. Accept the gift with gratitude just the way it is given. Telling the giver that the gift is wrong or is not enough, is plain rude. Greed is overtaking kindness. Max is always kind and this situation is just sad. Little children are taught to say thank you even if it is not the dress, or doll or video game they asked for, they must say thank you. It's just common courtesy folks. That is not something you should not change when you grow up. Be grateful, be kind.
I'm done.
We love the Wick books and stories and will read them any way we can get them. I am sorry some people want something for nothing.
We love the Wick books and stories and will read them any way we can get them. I am sorry some people want something for nothing.
Please continue to do what YOU WANT TO DO, and everyone else can go pound sand. You don't owe anyone an explanation, and they are idiots if they don't keep their ideas to themselves. Entitled stupid people. Max, being a cat is so much more relaxing, yes?
Max, I am SO sorry that people are being selfish and rude. I agree with the other commenters: do what makes you happy and let them pound sand. But then, if you weren’t the kind and sensitive creature that you are, you couldn’t write the wonderful stories that you do and the world would be a lesser place for the rest of us.
dood....thatz de way oh de werld oh hoomanz....round de food servizz gurlz place oh employ; her could offerz sum one a platinum platter filled with 50 franklins... N they wood bee bitchinz they wanted a gold one... with nothin but jacksonz...{ we sux at math N iz knot reel lee sue how manee 20's that iz ~~~~~~ } still ~~~~
♥♥♥
You, & your books, are awesome, Max! I truly appreciate what you write, especially the free stories! And as I read thru the series, I have enjoyed reading so much more than I usually do! Just ignore the whiners & complainers, cuz they aren't gonna change, and keep doing what you do best, & try not to let them get you down! 💕
Max... Have The Woman tell the entitled pieces of *bleep* to shove it. Wait till the shorts are printable as a full book and charge for it, as it should be since the sales are donated to children. In these times, people are awful. For 1 or 2 nice, appreciative people, there are 10 who want things their way, for free with no regard for the person trying to do something nice. The Woman is generous to a fault and does not deserve the grief. As great as having an ongoing Wick saga via shorts, buying the full book won't break anyone, will show the hateful vultures The Woman is done with their garbage and there will be more $ for kiddy presents.
Max, Angel and Gandalf and I all think you're doing great . . . we grab everything you write (we're big fans). Frankly, we'll be glad of whatever you write and in whatever format it's available--and we pay (or, the hoomin pays).
It's a sad thing these days that hoomins forget the maxim "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."
We agree that the reason people are being nasty is because they're not capable of doing as well as you and your people are, and so find something to complain about in order to feel as if they have a right to complain. Yes, that's backwards thinking, but that's people for you.
We sure hope you keep showing them how much better you are than they. Success is the best revenge!
Hi Max some people don’t appreciate anything free, they whine when they getting something for free. Keep doing you dood😘
People are very strange. You really can't make them all happy. And what's wrong with getting paid for your efforts anyway? Creative endeavors require a lot from the creator, you should be compensated. But here you are, giving away stuff... People should just shut up now.
Are the humans crazy? You give them stuff for free, and they complain? I'd tell them to kiss my furry asterick, but then I'm a cat goddess, I can get away with it.
My human loved the short story and we're both excited for any future stories you decide to share with us.
You keep being you, Max! We kitties all love you!
Hnossa and her human
Here goes the try for posting but if it fails, email is always a great alternative! Mr. Awesome, just tell them to stuff those comments up their eason and be done with it! If they have no appreciation for you kindness, then sell it to those complainers for the cost of 3 books. Net ya don't get many more nasty-grams!
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