My name is Kenneth Krabat. I am a poet.
I rarely sell more than 250 copies of a physical book. Book signing always takes place after readings.
April 20 I sold the first copy of my new (e)book, “TId • Tidens Kælven 1“ via mail. And returned it signed to the buyer, Ronni Borre, via dropbox.
I may be the first in the world to offer ebook signing publically and commercially. (Or just the first to say so… 😀 )
Prior to publication I had pondered how to avoid DRM, and reasoned that it was better to offer something to the buyer than to prohibit. Luuuve, baby…! I therefore decided to sign the first 50 ebooks in hand, how ever much work, and time it would cost me, contact wise or other.
FastForward: Determine who the buyer is, sign on paper, scan, crop to fit, adjust paper hue, insert in original document, export to desired format, check, do over, check, do over… email or dropbox.
Today I am capable of signing an ebook in handwriting, exporting it to PDF, EPUB and KINDLE and ship it within 15 minutes *. In the future I will charge 30 kr. for this, which in no way pays for the time spent, but I like what I do. And I want to do it well, and 15 minutes is within reason.
For now it is on the house and my pleasure.
From sale #51 and on I charge a fee for signing, inserting images, soundfiles, video into the ebook. I employ no server-embedded DRM in neither a signed nor an un-signed book. No anti-piracy measures:
I regard and emphasize signing an ebook as
- creating re-sale value, where none was before
- personalization which easily replaces DRM, and
- internal gift wrapping from giver and author both.
And now it seems other people are also on to the (very obvious) idea of signing digital works 😀
May 2, renowned writer and illustrator Sandra Boynton became the world’s first author to sign an eBook app for the general public. This historic signing took place at Barnes & Noble on 150 E 86th Street at Lexington Avenue, in New York City.
The picture on the right is of Sandra Boynton and the first person ever to have his eBook app signed. His name is Alex, he is 8 years old, and his favorite Sandra Boynton book is “Amazing Cows”.
“We’re definitely excited to be able to make history with this first-ever eBook app signing with Sandra,” said Calvin Wang, Founder and President of Loud Crow Interactive. “It’s been an amazing collaboration between Loud Crow and Boynton Moo Media, and for us to share this watershed moment in book publishing makes this partnership even more extraordinary.”
Loud Crow is currently working on the technology for a “This book belongs to” feature that will allow people to write their names on a “page,” using a stylus or a finger, and have it immortalized as part of the app.
Well, what *I* want is an option to sign a normal ebook in PDF, EPUB or MOBI format – while it is ON THE READER, and preferably also somehow (some day) insert other media – links, images, sound and video – from without.
Build that, please!
Read more about Loud Crow and Sandra Boyntons app signing http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2011/04/sign-my-app-sandra-boynton-and-loud-crows-interactive-fantasies.html#ixzz1MWtRr4pP
* observe, that sale from eBookshops like Amazon, Barnes&Noble etc. is handled automatically and is not flexible with regards to personally handled sales
