Interview: What is an Author 2.0?

When you are trying to write and promote your book for yourself, sooner or later you are clear on what you are, what your goals are, and how much you differ from an author 1.0. Below you can read Adrian Graham’s Digital Fiction Show post, where I’m presenting my point of view on author 2.0. Please feel free to share your experience and thoughts on this!

digital-fiction-show-2 Have you been wondering what exactly makes an author 2.0 different to a regular author? There’s a bit more to it that just the web aspect of it. I posed this question to @namenick and I got back a very well thought out answer to the question.

Here it is:

First reader, then publisher

Author 1.0 writes books for readers – only in theory. In fact he writes them for publishers, who pretend to have a mighty knowledge of what the readers want. Author 2.0 is independent from a publisher, so he can fully focus on finding a right way directly to his readers. When he gets recognition among readers, he can also get recognized by big publishers.

1.0 » author – publisher – reader
2.0 » author – reader – publisher

First read, then buy

In a traditional system a reader buys a book, then reads it, and then (very often) gets disappointed. This is an old, very obvious way of sharing culture – Author 1.0 and his publisher (or rather publisher and his author) want the book to be sold. Author 2.o wants it as well, but in many cases to be successful he has to give the reader in a first place a chance to read the preview of his book – to make him interested enough to buy a book.

Author 1.0 – buy » read
Author 2.0 – read » buy

Reader’s right first, then author’s right

There is the right of the author and there is the right of the reader. In 1.0 system the rights of the author are most important. This is different when it comes to publishing 2.0. You can only be welcomed by the readers if you are open enough and show your sincerity. That’s why an outdated (c) is being replaced by Author 2.0’s Creative Common. Free distribution of a content and trust in a reader’s honesty will pay back.

Author 1.0 – my rights are more important
Author 2.0 – readers’ rights are more important

Cheap means good

Author 2.0 is the right person to redefine what “cheap” or “free” means. For the traditional system “cheap” means “bad quality”. And in many cases it really is. But the determination of the Author 2.0 – to learn, to fight for good and to share his book with the readers more and more often lead to high end results. So even if there is no promotional budget behind, and even if the book is offered for a small percentage of a big-publisher’s price – it can give a first class reading.

Author 1.0 – cheap means poor quality
Author 2.0 – expensive doesn’t mean good quality