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The Value
of Free
Why it’s time to stop
complaining that writing
is being devalued
BY JANE FRIEDMAN
Jane Friedman
publishing success story her work for free, ever complained accessibility (ease of use or
that continues to receive that “no one values poetry any- access), and patronage (reward-
A mainstream (and indus- more”? Unlikely. But I hear that ing the creators we love).
try) media attention is that of complaint about the value of the It does little good for writers
Rupi Kaur’s Milk and Honey. One written word, in some form, every to complain to their readers or
wonders how many more profiles week, from all types of authors to the industry that their writing
can be written of Kaur, though who believe literature is being isn’t properly valued. Piracy isn’t
the story offers multiple angles: devalued in our culture—whether something that people will be
her work was first self-published, by Amazon’s low prices, the huge shamed into abandoning, or that
for example, and it’s a collection quantity of written material now will go away only if we put more
of poetry. Who reads and buys available for cheap or free, or effort toward stamping it out.
poetry anymore? Young people all-you-can-read subscription Writers (and publishers, too)
who use Instagram, it turns out. plans such as Kindle Unlimited. receive better rewards for their
Kaur started publishing her Early in the digital revolution time and energy when they con-
work on Tumblr in 2013, then of media and publishing, I dis- sider the packaging and context
moved to Instagram in 2014. That covered Kevin Kelly’s brilliant that can be charged for—and that
same year, she self-published a article “Better Than Free.” Kelly people are happy to pay for.
collection of her poetry on explains eight specific contexts We see through communities
Amazon; soon, her popularity in which something is “better such as Wattpad, Tapas, or China
caught the attention of a tradi- than free.” Some of the most Literature (and through Kaur)
tional publisher. Milk and Honey applicable to writers include that there are readers of litera-
has now sold more than a million personalization (e.g., signed ture delivered digitally via mobile
copies and has been on the New author copies), immediacy (get- apps. Readers may not directly
York Times bestseller list for 52 ting something in beta version pay for the majority of that con-
consecutive weeks. or as soon as it is released), tent or experience, but writers
Do you suppose that Kaur, while authenticity (a guarantee of an and publishers can still capture
she was writing and publishing authorized high-quality version), value from tips and donations,
44 BOOKLIFE, JANUARY 22, 2018
