Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Mapping the Digital Age


(Picture from here.)

Okay so here's the plan.

I'm planning to run an online press with the launch of The Farthest Shore anthology as the initial release. As has been mentioned before, the collection of short stories will be released as a PDF file. But as part of the online press I'm setting up, the stories will also be offered on a website that's currently being built. After this anthology, further themed-anthologies as well as non-fiction collections will be offered on the site.

One reason I came up with this idea is so that Filipino speculative fiction-- though I'm not limiting it to that-- can have a chance to be read by the international audience as well as the local one. And yes, as with The Farthest Shore anthology, this will be a paying market-- a small one-- but a paying one nonetheless. (Unfortunately, this will be limited to local writers only.)

How will this earn? I'm planning to use the online donation model or "pay what you want" like tip jars. Really, it's a definite loss-leader but what can I do? I like to have a place for both Filipino writers and readers-- either here and abroad-- where they can read our stories. Yes, it's that damned "for the lurve" thing. (charles did something similar with his Philippine speculative fiction sampler but we want more updates!)

I'm hoping the releases will be quarterly so expect something by the end of the year. Here's hoping we can set up a patronage for willing readers.



P.S. Er, what's in a name? I'm thinking of going with Estranghero Press (egotistical, I know) but another idea that occurred to me is Farthest Shores Press (in honor of the initial book). What do you people think?

Results: (3) vote for Estranghero Press, (2) for Farthest Shores Press.

2 comments:

eliza said...

Estranghero Press for me. i'm all for egotistical ;p

banzai cat said...

@eliza: egotistical for the win! :-D