I think ebooks could do quite well when/if we all have a Kindle; the price and instant availability would offer an advantage. Meanwhile I don’t know why ebooks aren’t being developed more to their potential: by featuring some bells and whistles that a paper book can’t offer. A bit more interactivity is possible and would make them fun, and people may well buy both versions in that case.

Reep’s right that artists will always create; but I must say that I agree with the statement “without money, artists will not create” because without pay or funding, they simply cannot create *to their fullest potential*, and then everyone misses out on what could have been.

“Without money, artists will not create”

Unless you’re referring very specifically to the costs associated with producing a work of art — costs which vary according to the art in question, of course — then I disagree. The whole history of art and music and literature is a history of people not earning much money — if they earn any money at all. Saying “Without money, artists will not create” sounds too much like “Without newspapers, journalism will vanish” or “Without record companies, no one will make music” or “Without Hollywood, there won’t be any more movies” or “Without publishers, there won’t be any more novels.” All of those statements are lies. They are lies designed to help perpetuate those corporations or institutions that have a stake in maintaining the status quo, and it’s a real shame that many people can’t see through these lies. All I need to write a novel is $5 — the cost of a notebook and few pens — and I’ll continue to write whether I earn money in endeavors or not. Painters will still paint; teenage boys will still start bands. Artists don’t need money nearly as much as “moneyed interests” needs artists. The only difference between a “professional” and an “amateur” is that one gets a fat paycheck and the other does not. There is no discernible difference in terms of talent.

But I’ll shut up now. I did agree with the overall message of your post, just not with that one little point.

Andrew Savikas of O’Reilly was speaking last week about how now is the time to do it, now while it isn’t the most prominent revenue stream and you can fail, monitor and start again, and there’s wisdom in that if people can afford it, I think.

-Laina

Ivan