Spider Robinson At $2 Per Hour

I was talking with a friend who is a Spider Robinson fan and an aspiring SF Writer. He tipped me to the information at the end of Spider Robinson’s latest podcast.

Spider Robinson, with 25 books in print, has a long-standing, well-established fan base. He solicited donations for his podcasts. According to his calculations, direct donations provide $2 per hour of compensation.

Undiscussed is the conflict between entitlement and reciprocity.

If I buy a book, the author gets his share (not a fair share, but that is another discussion). He wrote, I bought and read. Transaction closed. I might be a fan now, but I am not entitled to a second book.

What if I listen to Spider’s podcast, and decide to buy Variable Star, a book he co-authored with the deceased Robert A. Heinlein, a real life testament to the power of SF? Again, Spider wrote, I bought and read. Transaction closed.

But what about his gift of a free podcast. Was buying another Spider Robinson book appropriate compensation? Perhaps. But if the podcast provided value, shouldn’t I honor it the same way I am compelled to honor the effort he takes to write a book. The difference is I can freeload.

I believe I have the responsibility to pay for the podcast even if I buy a second book. Two separate transaction.

Also, I try to buy books from the author’s web page so that they earn an affiliate royalty which often is larger than the payment for writing the book.

—
My friend’s usual lament is, “I know I can be better than Cory Doctorow.” He won’t show me much of his writing, so I cannot handicap that comparison. But at $2 per hour for a reasonable SF author, maybe it’s time to pick a different genre or job. Or get around the we-take-92% book publishers.

“I can’t wait for Little Brother. I’ll write circles around that.” Wishful thinking, to be sure.

I don’t think Cory is worried yet. See Cory’s full catalog.

Remember: Doctor Who? Doctor Oh!
—
The plug for Spider Robinson’s podcast, found conveniently on iTunes:

2/01/08 - Mindkiller
© 2008 Spider Robinson

In Spider on the Web #20 (Stories and Strings) I read you excerpts from all three of the novels represented in the LIFEHOUSE TRILOGY, the new hardcover omnibus just out from Baen Books. Because I was reading excerpts from all three books each one of them had to be very short and I ended up cutting at least one of them a lot shorter than I wanted to. I’ve decided to revisit it now: the short story “God is an Iron”, which later became the second chapter of the novel MINDKILLER. Musical selections will be performed by Spider Robinson. WARNING! Explicit language!