You’re absolutely right that podcasting shouldn’t be the only tool. If it is then you start to think that everything should be podcasted and it shouldn’t. And even if it is that doesn’t mean that that’s the only format you can put it out in.

I’ve bought a few copies of J.C.’s books & made a small donation on podiobooks. As one of those fans who have put up some cash, my word for him is – to do in his career whatever he feels is best. First off, he is the one who has to live his life, and I hope he is fulfilled in the choices he makes. Second, I hope very much to be able to enjoy his work in the future & he does not “owe” me any additional free work. Anything he chooses to do for free, I’ll appreciate, but I certainly don’t have a “right” to any more freebies from Hutch.

And I feel the same about the rest of the podiobook authors I am a fan of. I’ll send money when I can, but events during this first quarter of 2010 have highlighted for me that I feel that I need to do a bit more to help promote this media, if I’m going to continue to enjoy “free to me” podcast fiction.

Oh and to anyone out there who may read this who is, has, or is going to put free content out there on the internet for people like me to enjoy – Thanks so very much!

I really appreciate your comments on the podcast. You guys rock

The idea of producing free content has been on my mind for a while now, and I really appreciated all the points of view presented in the podcast. What I got out of the discussion was “wait and see” and “do what you think is best for you to do”.

Thanks for the good food for thought Thomas, Matthew, Chris & KJ.

generally, i pay for the content i’ve received. i have to point out that many of the books i’ve bought this past year or two i wouldn’t have glanced at in the bookstores if i hadn’t been introduced to the authors online. it is so exciting to have the chance to preview a book before i lay out the cash, and very gratifying that most of the authors i had never heard of before podiobooks/podcasting are the top echelon of the creative community.

As a professional artist I think that releasing your prior work for free (while maintaining copyright) after a period of time isn’t a bad idea. I also like the freemium model – giving a taste of what’s available by releasing old or limited content and charging for access to the rest.

There doesn’t seem to be a universal model that works for everyone. Now is a time of tremendous upheaval in the creative media and there is tremendous monetary pressure on all creative endeavors. JC Hutchins seems to have changed tack, trying to find a method that works for him. I wish him luck and hope for his ultimate success. I also look forward to buying another book of his sometime soon.

First off, thanks for all the kind words about the episode. It’s gratifying to know that people are listening, and that we do occasionally say something worth listening to. In all seriousness, thanks for taking the time to tune in.

About leeches…I consider the current state of community as one in dire need of a wake-up call, especially the fans. I completely understand that there is a tightening of belts, and that not everyone can afford to give. And I do agree that fans who actually help get the word out about a project are providing a service which is valuable to an author. My beef comes with the folks who plead lack of funds but then tweet about buying the latest iPhone, or how many conventions they are going to, or buying the latest XBox game, etc, etc. These are, IMHO, the leeches. Surely the authors and content creators we enjoy are worth at least the price of two Starbucks coffees? At least a one-time donation, but more fittingly, perhaps on a monthly basis? That’s the only real way to sustain the creativity we treasure so much.

Good example: Thomas Gideon puts out about 100 episodes a year. These podcasts contain some of the most interesting commentary on tech news which I have found in audio format on the Internet. I’ve set up a recurring $5 monthly donation to him because, at the end of the day, I actually value the 8 episodes I get from him a month more than the two coffees I’ll miss out on. I should probably give more, in fact, but for now, this is what I can afford out my mad money.

If people really enjoy a work, they should donate something to help the creator. It’s only fair.