I don't understand. You'll likely get far fewer reads there.
So... WHY?
I don't understand. You'll likely get far fewer reads there.
So... WHY?
Get more paying readers. Our host needs the paying memberships to keep the site going. If everything was available to the non-paying member, who would pay for premiere access?
Some authors have publishing contracts elsewhere that prohibits them from publishing their work for free on the internet. So they put their works behind the paywall to preserve their followers here and be compliant with their contracts.
Also, clause #16 in the author agreement.
Some authors have publishing contracts elsewhere that prohibits them from publishing their work for free on the internet. So they put their works behind the paywall to preserve their followers here and be compliant with their contracts.
I've done the same after retiring my older books, keeping them available on SOL while removing my stories that no longer reflect my more recent writing styles.
It's not so much a question of why someone would publish for money (who else?), but rather why would they choose to permanently delete works that have a continuing enthusiastic reader base on SOL.
It is what it is. This is not the only site that does so. Your choices are to accept as is or pay up.
I don't understand. You'll likely get far fewer reads there.
So... WHY?
The alternative would be advertisements, the very last thing you want.
The alternative would be advertisements, the very last thing you want.
That argument doesn't apply, singe the vast majority (anything that's not behind the SOL paywall) is still free and freely available. It's only the things restricted from the Free (i.e. non-paying members) which are restricted.
That argument doesn't apply, singe the vast majority (anything that's not behind the SOL paywall) is still free and freely available. It's only the things restricted from the Free (i.e. non-paying members) which are restricted.
It is a valid argument since advertisements are an alternative for income which could be used to either have them for non-premium members or to have no need for paying members at all. It would chase of a part of the reader base and they can be efficiently blocked nowadays since nobody wants adds. I hope it never happens because it would chase me off for certain, I happily pay for a premium membership to have no adds.
I don't understand. You'll likely get far fewer reads there.
So... WHY?
It has been suggested as a way to combat story theft since those who would steal stories to publish on say Amazon wouldn't pay the SoL subscription.
I have no idea if it works but it has some logic.
Personally I think Lazeez is overly generous in allowing five years 'free' access. Freeloaders aside, most of us would probably rather see SoL continue past Lazeez's retirement because of a subscription, rather than remain free until Lazeez's pockets or health run out.
Personally I think Lazeez is overly generous in allowing five years 'free' access.
That's 5 years beyond the author's last contact with SoL So it's more than 5 years for authors who are still active on SoL in some way. There are a few authors who are only technically active as they gave permission for others to do things on their accounts so they seem to be still active when they really aren't.
That's 5 years beyond the author's last contact with SoL
Exactly. And the reason why I think five years is overly generous.
Personally I think Lazeez is overly generous in allowing five years 'free' access. Freeloaders aside, most of us would probably rather see SoL continue past Lazeez's retirement because of a subscription, rather than remain free until Lazeez's pockets or health run out.
You can always 'retire' your works behind the SOL Paywall anytime you desire. The five-year limit is a maximum for non-active authors (to keep the newer stories more prominent than the older stories), rather than a minimum.
After having read the other posts, I think they may have misinterpreted your complaint.
I don't understand. You'll likely get far fewer reads there.
So... WHY?
I think you talk about some authors who hide their new stories behind the paywall starting with the very first chapter.
Lazeez answer doesn't convince me as far as it's a new story unrelated to the contracted work.
HM.
Lazeez answer doesn't convince me as far as it's a new story unrelated to the contracted work.
It could be a new story to SOL, but it could be an existing novel that is published and for sale elsewhere.
I do it to help Lazeez and SOL.
Lazeez and I are real-life friends and if my very modest writing help bring in some income, awesome.