

Scribd takes aim at Amazon by bringing subscription ebook app to the Kindle Fire - lowglow
http://thenextweb.com/apps/2014/01/29/scribd-takes-aim-amazon-bringing-subscription-ebook-app-kindle-fire/

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ilamont
Interesting how Scribd is focused on the needs of readers and publishers, but
hardly a peep about authors, whose hard work is the foundation of Scribd's
product offering. For instance:

 _building up the kind of catalog that draws in new users requires publisher
support._

It requires the support of authors, too. And aside from the nice deal that
Smashwords cut for its premium catalog (authors get 60% of list once 20% of
the title is read [1]) it's not clear how much authors will be compensated.
And it's not certain how long the Smashword terms can be sustained, if
subscribers read too many books and the author payout>subscriber revenue.

As an author and small publisher, I'm very concerned that subscription plans
like Scribd and Oyster will eventually be forced into a Spotify-like model (2)
in which audiences get a great deal, platform owners and other middlemen take
their cut, and the content creators get crumbs.

1\. [http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/12/smashwords-signs-
distribu...](http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/12/smashwords-signs-distribution-
agreement.html)

2\.
[http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2012/09/26/161758720/how-...](http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2012/09/26/161758720/how-
musicians-make-money-by-the-fraction-of-a-cent-on-spotify)

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tekalon
What about authors using it as advertising (first of a series, short story,
etc) and then only sell books through higher income sources? That is assuming
it does turn into that much of an issue.

