So way back – like, two weeks ago – when I published my little guide to self-publishing erotica online, a very interesting person reached out to me. She is one of the co-founders of FreedReads, a new Australia-based company dedicated to getting more free books into more readers’ hands. Looks like a good idea, so I decided to hop on for the ride!
Here’s what I know so far: FreedReads’s goal is to provide books via streaming technology, the idea being that they can then be read on any device regardless of if you have a special app for it. No downloads, no file conversions, just the book. Which, given how labyrinthine the various eBook-reader-apps can be, sounds like a breath of fresh air. Readers can create lists of books they’d like to read, leave star-ratings, and share pages with friends.
FreedReads also has plans in place for compensating authors for their work via clicks on advertisements – although I went ahead and “donated” my two free reads, One Night to Tango & Taking The Reins, since I wanna get those babies out there anyway. Basically, it proposes to be another option for all us self-published writers out there, looking for new ways to get our work out into the world, while still getting recognition for our work. And I am always down with that!
Now here’s the bone in it (hehehee!). In order to read for free, there are advertisements attached to the books you’re streaming. I know, I know, annoying, but that’s the Internet for you. Of course, since my work is erotica, it comes complete with full-on “ADULT” advertisement. So, basically, click-to-view porn. Not my cup of tea, but hey, if you’re into that here’s another way to get in there! (And my stories can provide the cerebral gratification to e-porn’s purely visual kick. 🙂 ) Erotica authors should be aware, though, that their work will be associated with porn (of varying degrees of classiness). You have been forewarned!
Interested in taking a look? Click here to visit my FreedReads author page, where you can test out Taking The Reins or One Night to Tango with their eBook streaming system. When a new opportunity comes your way, it never hurts to dive on in and test those waters!
Fionna Guillaume: erotica for sophisticated readers 
Hey, thanks for letting me know about this! I’ve been looking for better ways to go free (as you know). I’ve pulled everything off of Smashwords (for the moment) until I have a little time to decide how I want to proceed on that platform, and in the meantime I’ve been investigating alternatives to Wattpad. I really LOVE Wattpad, I just wish it were more adult-friendly. FreedReads seems like an interesting compromise but I see some issues.
I’m not a prude. Not at all. But the porn ads on FreedReads are really off-putting. Not only are they crude (I got “Fuck two bitches a day!”) but they also overlap the page. I’m not sure that I could read thoughtful erotica on that platform and take it seriously. I definitely don’t feel great about directing my readers to that!
I’m also pretty convinced that interaction is the heart and soul of web-based media. Wattpad, for example, is more social platform than publishing platform. Because of this, readers (and writers) are more engaged on Wattpad than on other platforms. I’ve had 1000x the number of comments and votes there, and I constantly feel the pressure of serialization as readers wait for the next update. This is one of the few complaints I’ve had about Smashwords: lack of user interaction. It sort of feels like throwing my books into an abyss, with a rare review being the only feedback. Based on what I see, I don’t think FreedReads improves on this situation.
What I want: a writing platform very similar to Wattpad, but with more forgiveness for adult content. I want it to allow easy, chapter-by-chapter serialization, like Wattpad. I also want the option of providing an ebook version directly from the site for those of us who want to use our Kindle or Nook. Maybe the ebook version could have a price tag.
Thanks for sharing!
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A spot-on and thoughtful response, as usual! And I agree with you 300%. Definitely not interested in fucking 2 bitches a day – or watching somebody else do it – and I don’t think my readers are either. That’s the issue with so-called “adult” advertising – it gets real tacky, real fast. On the other hand, I understand that a free service needs to make its money somehow, and I guess that is the compromise. Still remember way back in my Literotica days a magazine editor asked me to write for them. I was so flattered (I was, like, 21), and immediately went to check it out. But I was repulsed by what I saw – weird, right, that I love daydreaming about sex, writing about it, thinking about it, but not seeing it splattered all across the page (I mean, I was only 21, after all!). So basically I turned down the job, because I didn’t want my work to be skimmed over by folks just in search of quick, visual-focused titillation. Didn’t feel right. I decided to give FreedReads a chance to try it out, and see what the response is like. They sure are friendly, and that counts for a lot.
I also wish Wattpad was more sex-positive. Kind of a bummer. Where is our Eroticapad? Sounds like a business opportunity to me…. for someone WAY savvier than myself. 🙂 Let me know if you ever come across one! (Besides Literotica, which is already great – and free. And I think AllRomance eBooks is pretty close to the mark, as well. Not sure about serialization there, but I don’t see why not, especially if you offer it for free! All the fun of designing your own book covers & formatting; none of the censorship 🙂
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In response to this sort of feedback, the folks at FreedReads created the following post to share their view of the erotica vs. pornography challenge. They’ve got the right idea, trying to figure out the balance just like us! Take a look: http://freedreads.com/press-release/pioneering-free-erotic-fiction-for-women Might be worth looking into their service for erotica authors who want to offer quality free-to-read!
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