From Our Pondering Department

Recently I've been pondering my response to several "opportunities" that have been presented to me.

The first comes from Amazon.com and deals with the question of whether or not I should offer some of my writing as a Kindle product. I had participated in the Amazon "shorts" publishing opportunity some years back, and now have the option of offering these same works on Kindle . . . but I'm pondering. Should I do this? There is a great conversation stirring currently about the massive changes and challenges presented by digital availability--not just writing, but movies, photos and journalism. There is incredible pressure on creative people to give their work away . . . to essentially make movies, books, newspapers, and television shows available for free.

I may not know much, but I do know this. No one can compete with free. And if all creative products are free, very soon there will be no more books, movies, music, videos, television, or drama. Who can earn a living giving their creative energies away for nothing? Very few. Before long, there will be nothing but golden oldies to read, watch, or listen to.

So . . . to Kindle or not to Kindle . . . that is now the New Question.

I'm also pondering several speaking engagements, appearances and invitations that have suddenly appeared on my voice mail and in my mailbox. Do I purchase air fare and travel for these events with no promise of compensation? Still, these folks have asked rather nicely . . . and when publishers and producers are involved, I hate to say no to the hand that feeds me a few peanuts now and then, and occasionally a cashew. So . . . to go broker or not to go broker . . . that is the question for the bank account this week. And with my daughter leaving for England soon, my wife taking a full load of classes and purshasing $500 books, and the whippersnapper kid driving a junk truck that costs an arm and a leg to insure . . . I'm just wondering . . . can old Dad afford to fly around the country hawking books that will bring 75 cents a piece in royalty?

If only I were selling Veg-O-Matics or ShamWows . . . .