In this post you will learn what Creative Commons is and why and how emerging authors are using it to promote their books.
The Creative Commons allows writers to reserve some rights and grant others. It is flexible, fair and allows your ideas to spread much faster. It lowers the friction for sharing that can help your book spread like a virus. Remember piracy is not your enemy. Obscurity is.
Imagine if Bible study leaders around the country copied chapter 4 of your book and discussed it on Wednesday night. That would be a huge win for you. By allowing them to share non-commercially, you have just turned them into your evangelists. And all for free.
How the Creative Commons Works Video
Here is a quick video that explains how the Creative Commons works.
http://creativecommons.org/
Creative Commons has several components that you can mix and match:
This is a Creative Commons logo. It tells your readers “some rights reserved.”
This attribution icon comes with every Creative Commons license. It means that your readers must give you credit.
This “non-commercial” logo tells your readers they are welcome to share your work as long as they don’t do it for profit.
This “non-derivative” logo means that your readers are not allowed to change your work. Consider leaving this off just to see what people do with it.
This “share alike” logo means that if someone uses your work in theirs they must use the creative commons too.
What do you think?
Do you agree that it is smart to allow people to share and even remix your work? Does the the idea scare you? Leave a comment and let us know.
I have no objection with sharing my work. My problem is becoming less obscure. Currently, I’m going after reviews – the more the better. Soon I hope to create a website of my own. Until then, I’m relying on Facebook where I have a fan page. Still, my mountain seems to be insurmountable.
At what point does sharing my work become a losing proposition? There has to be some return on the investment, because it is an investment, or I'm just writing fiction for free.
you are my aspiration , I have few web logs and very sporadically run out from to brand : (.
Just a smiling visitant here to share the love (:, btw great layout.