I like getting things free on the internet as much as the next guy (and Lord knows I get far too much “free” stuff on the internet that I really should be really paying for), but this is the first time the whole “free on the internet” idea has made me actively sick to my stomach. I know it’s the internet and there are stupid people and there are people with grudges and there are even stupid people with grudges and that that is basically the definition of the internet, but if this is the opinion we are all going to have in the future with regards to the basic idea of paying for content, and paying actual monies for actual words DIRECTLY TO the actual author NO LESS. I mean, come on, there’s not even some big—We ALL mother fucking hate them! Yes, we do!—corporation go-between. Letter.ly takes 3.5%, which is 7.8 cents of Justin’s monthly price. (You definitely pay more than that each time you swipe a credit or a debit card thanks to intercharge fees.) Well, if this is the future: we’re fucked.
I hate internet dramaz, and I don’t know why I’m dipping my toe into this except to say: I signed up for Justin’s thing. I would have even without seeing this. I love his writing, and I love the idea, especially supporting him and experimenting with new ways to pay authors. This cesspool of replies only reenforced that feeling. It also has me this close to subscribing to Emily Books, even though I don’t think I’d enjoy any of their offerings. Just because I admire and support people who are fighting for survival as the Hindenburg that is publishing goes flaming towards the ground.
P.S. If $2.22 per month is too expensive for you (and it might be!), I would highly recommend you don’t spend your spare time trolling on Tumblr. Just a thought.
