Amazon Shorts
Discovered this program via Lee's blog. Amazon is going to be publishing short works and offering them as 49 cent downloads. Amazon Shorts seems a pretty interesting idea, especially since most people out there don't read short stories. Personally, I'm a fan of the short story format and, if nothing else, I'm pleased that this will give people the opportunity to be exposed to that genre.
The interesting part, though, is that authors will be able to submit their own work to the program. The Author FAQ notes that you have to be "accepted" into the program, and I think it's Amazon's definition of this word that the success of the program hinges on. If "acceptance" is merely a formality (ie. the content of the stories are not evaluated) I think it'll simply become another form of vanity publishing. However, if the stories will indeed be accepted only on the basis of merit, then I think Amazon Shorts will be a huge success. If I had the cash, I'd buy up issues of On Spec, Neo-Opsis, Asimov's and a ton of other literary SF print magazines. Unfortunately, I don't, so I'm limited to reading webzines like Strange Horizons. I don't mean to knock SH - they're great - but the problem is that, due to financial issues, I simply can't read as many short stories as I'd like to. However, if I can scan the list of writers who are published in an issue of On Spec, for example, I could simply grab some of their work off Amazon for half a buck.
I'll be keeping an eye out for developments.
The interesting part, though, is that authors will be able to submit their own work to the program. The Author FAQ notes that you have to be "accepted" into the program, and I think it's Amazon's definition of this word that the success of the program hinges on. If "acceptance" is merely a formality (ie. the content of the stories are not evaluated) I think it'll simply become another form of vanity publishing. However, if the stories will indeed be accepted only on the basis of merit, then I think Amazon Shorts will be a huge success. If I had the cash, I'd buy up issues of On Spec, Neo-Opsis, Asimov's and a ton of other literary SF print magazines. Unfortunately, I don't, so I'm limited to reading webzines like Strange Horizons. I don't mean to knock SH - they're great - but the problem is that, due to financial issues, I simply can't read as many short stories as I'd like to. However, if I can scan the list of writers who are published in an issue of On Spec, for example, I could simply grab some of their work off Amazon for half a buck.
I'll be keeping an eye out for developments.
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