[UPDATE: download it now, read it and share your thoughts on Facebook]

Last year, when Ton turned 40, we organized an unconference to celebrate (of course we also had a bbq party!), and we invited people from our various circles. The topic was ‘Working on Stuff that Matters‘, ‘WSTM’. Some 40 people participated in the unconference, some 20 workshops were held, and it was an event that is still giving us energy almost 18 months later.

We always wanted to create something tangible as an outcome of the event, to create an ‘Epic Sh*t Multiplier’ as we called it on the day. We created an e-book, explaining ‘how to unconference your birthday’. The text was written during the summer of 2010. A professional designer (BUROPONY in Rotterdam, hire them, they’re great!) created the book itself in May/June this year. In the past days we sent out cards to all participants of the unconference to allow them to download the book. We’ll publish the e-book itself online later. Right now it’s a gift for those who attended. A small token of our appreciation for the big gift they gave us by attending the unconference, and the energy and inspiration that is still generating for us. Thank you.

[UPDATE: download it now, read it and share your thoughts on Facebook]

Below are some pictures giving you a sneak preview.

During the design process

First edition

Sending out cards to participants

The first story I came across was on Bright.nl, a Dutch magazine/blog on Innovative Lyfestyle. They wrote about Dutch author Ivo Victoria who offers the digital version of his debut novel without DRM, but with an ePub Watermark, which makes it possible to lend your e-book to a friend. (Read more about DRM and Watermarks on Wikipedia) On top of that the buyer can decide how much he wants to pay for it, starting from €1.

The second story I read came via Suw. She linked to an article by author Paul Carr, who writes for Techcrunch. He describes why and how he offers his book for download. A snippet of the beginning of the article:

“So that’s your advice is it? As my agent? On the week my book comes out in paperback, I should produce my own pirated version and give it away free? Why don’t I just punch my publisher in the face? That would be less work.”

I encourage you to read the whole article.

I’m wondering if publishers will ever catch up with both authors and readers on the concept of digital books.

(about the number in the title)

There are a lot of free e-books you can download, mainly classics, but I’m not a big fan of reading those and the ones that I do like are already on my bookshelves. So I’m depending on online bookstores like Bol or Waterstone’s to buy my e-books from.

So far I’m a little disappointed with buying e-books. One, the ones I can buy at regular online stores have DRM on them, meaning that I don’t really own a copy. This point is well explained by Cory Doctorow who arranged with his publisher to make his books digitally available without DRM. DRM means that I’m not sure what will happen to my downloaded books when I have to buy a new device, or when Ton will buy one as well and we want to have the same book on both devices (just imagine a whole family having their own e-reader!).

Two, and that is the result of point number one, I think the average e-book is overpriced. I know what I buy when I pick up a hard copy at the bookstore. It’s something I can read, put on my bookshelf, re-read, lend, give to someone else. Not so with downloaded books. I actually don’t know what I own. And therefore I’m not willing to pay that much for an e-book right now. I think any price above €10,-, the mass-pocket price, is too much. Above that, it gives me the feeling that publishers do not take into account that there are no additional costs per copy: no paper, no printing, no transport, no distribution. Plus, they can have this book available for sale ’till the end of time without the need for storage.

So far, the couple of books I bought were bestsellers under €10 and sadly enough the average bestseller e-book price on bol.com for instance is more towards €15. In that case I’d rather buy the hard copy, despite it being dead trees, so that I know for sure what I bought. My choice within the €10 price range is rather limited and if that doesn’t change soon, I think there will be another device lying around the house, unused.

P.S.: Looking for a proper epub version of Doctorow’s Makers? Download it at ManyBooks.

(about the number in the title)