I know there are some people here who have sold short stories via epublishing. What I'm wondering is if anyone thinks there might be a market for 3-5,000 word rock star interviews. I've done about a hundred in my career, from Jerry Garcia to Stephen Tyler. Some of them are floating around the web even now; some I've posted on my website. But am I missing a potential income stream here? Like, would someone pay a dollar to read one of these interviews?
short form epublishing
- Thread starter popmuze
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 28,750
- Reaction score
- 2,937
- Location
- right here
- Website
- www.veinglory.com
Personally I would want a book of them. Otherwise it would be like buying potato chips one at a time. but maybe that's just me.
I would say put them together in a book as well - add some pictures (you've met these people, right? So did you ever get things like photos with them, signed stuff, concert programmes or other memorabilia? Stick some photos of them in there to illustrate your interviews) and tie them all together with some reminisance about the time you spent with them - extra stuff that you did not include in the interview. Sort of like:
"I met Stephen Tyler in a hotel room in New York, just before a big concert at Madison Square gardens. All through the interview he... [insert whatever anecdote you have]..." and then lead into the interview as it was originally printed. Add a photo af Steve and/or photos of his autograph if you got it. I think that might be a saleable product.
You could also do this for the individual articles published seperately if you chose to go that route - add some additional material to improve thier value. You might also consider one of the following:
- Release some of the interviews (or extracts from them) as blog posts with links to where they can buy the rest (either as a book or a selection of individual downloads) and therefore use the blog as a publicity tool.
- Release some of the interviews as individual ebook shorts and include a link in the file for downloading the rest as a collected book.
"I met Stephen Tyler in a hotel room in New York, just before a big concert at Madison Square gardens. All through the interview he... [insert whatever anecdote you have]..." and then lead into the interview as it was originally printed. Add a photo af Steve and/or photos of his autograph if you got it. I think that might be a saleable product.
You could also do this for the individual articles published seperately if you chose to go that route - add some additional material to improve thier value. You might also consider one of the following:
- Release some of the interviews (or extracts from them) as blog posts with links to where they can buy the rest (either as a book or a selection of individual downloads) and therefore use the blog as a publicity tool.
- Release some of the interviews as individual ebook shorts and include a link in the file for downloading the rest as a collected book.
These are some interesting ideas. As a matter of fact, I have three books already out that contain some of my interviews, including When the Music Mattered http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006058IDU/?tag=absowrit-20. which is an ebook reissue of one of my out of print titles from 1983.
The only drawback to putting together a new ebook is that I'd have to get signed permissions from anyone included. That could take years.
Coincidentally, I do have an autograph from Stephen Tyler, as well as the other guys in the band. I brought my daughter backstage to meet them in New Haven. After we chatted for a while, my daughter and I, and her friend, drifted off and wound up in the band's dining room, where we feasted on something tasty and free.
I'm also intrigued by the idea of posting some of the interview and seeing if anyone would buy the rest. Like when I spoke with Neil Peart of Rush. That one went on for about 6,000 words.
Would do I this through Smashwords, or what?
The only drawback to putting together a new ebook is that I'd have to get signed permissions from anyone included. That could take years.
Coincidentally, I do have an autograph from Stephen Tyler, as well as the other guys in the band. I brought my daughter backstage to meet them in New Haven. After we chatted for a while, my daughter and I, and her friend, drifted off and wound up in the band's dining room, where we feasted on something tasty and free.
I'm also intrigued by the idea of posting some of the interview and seeing if anyone would buy the rest. Like when I spoke with Neil Peart of Rush. That one went on for about 6,000 words.
Would do I this through Smashwords, or what?
Last edited:
I think your rock star anecdotes are far better than mine 
But then I was a useless Rock Journalist in Uni. I met some bands backstage and even interviewed them but I never actually wrote up the interviews and got them published
I did, however, drink beer with Thom Yorke which is as close as I ever got to your Steve Tyler story
Not sure what is best for self publishing. I think most people say go with as many as you can to make sure as many people can buy it as possible.
But then I was a useless Rock Journalist in Uni. I met some bands backstage and even interviewed them but I never actually wrote up the interviews and got them published I did, however, drink beer with Thom Yorke which is as close as I ever got to your Steve Tyler story
Not sure what is best for self publishing. I think most people say go with as many as you can to make sure as many people can buy it as possible.
- Status