I spent much of today recording and mixing an audio version of my Criminal Minds production diary. It's available as a DRM-free MP3 for just $5.
The fundamental concept behind Operation Crazy Idea is to publish more things, more often, at lower price points. The simplicity and immediacy of POD technology, the Long Tail, and Kevin Kelly's 1000 True Fans Model (I hate that term, but I love the idea behind it) have all worked together to make the first effort in Operation Crazy Idea, Sunken Treasure, a huge success.
This morning, I got a genuinely Crazy Idea that I've spent much of today creating: An audio version of my Criminal Minds production diary.
"Why aren't you just doing an audio version of the whole book?" You may ask.
"Well," I would say, "because that wouldn't be a Crazy Idea."
What is a Crazy Idea, though, is recording the whole production diary, adding in the usual asides and extras, ending up with something that's about 78 minutes long, and selling it on Lulu for $5.
"Why $5?" You say.
You ask a lot of good questions, person-who-I-made-up-who-is-different-from-the-person-I-made-up-yesterday.
It's probably worth more than that, but since the audio quality isn't as produced as the Happiest Days or Just A Geek audiobooks, I thought it was a fair price. Besides, I've learned from the PDF sales of Sunken Treasure that it's possible to reach a lot of people at a very affordable price point and still get a decent return on my investment. I'm not getting rich off of this stuff, but I'm hopeful that if I do enough projects like this, that are affordable and easy to purchase, over the course of a year it will add up to me supporting my family. If that happens, this officially becomes Operation Awesome Idea. If I earn enough to buy some toys, it's Crazy Awesome.
I decided to do this particular project today (total time from inception to completion: about 5 hours) because my episode of Criminal Minds is airing tonight, and I thought it would be cool to do this version right now, instead of waiting until I could book studio time for the full audiobook.
If you're interested, you can head over to my Lulu storefront to pick it up right now. If you're not convinced, and would like to hear a preview, you can download this excerpt, which tells the story of the audition.
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Don’t worry, I always make the same mistake when articulating cinema running times, I wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t made an arse out of myself so often doing it too 🙁
Dear Wil,
Please forgive this short lapse into fangirl exultation:
I love you. I have always been a fan. I think you’re great.
That aside, I just stumbled upon your blog and think it’s excellent. Kudos for being so down-to-earth and comfortable with your nerddom. I will be sure to check back often.
Thanks.
(PS – I’m blonde, 5’7″, love animals, and am currently tabbing back and forth between this and World of Warcraft. Please let me know if any of these details interest you at all and I will totally give you my number ;-).)
Heh, I’m thinking his wife wouldn’t be to happy with that. But… I could be wrong.
I’d watch out. Your charm has always been that you’re “just one of us geeks”. This paying to hear you talk and to also read things that used to be on your blog for free strikes me a little like the time I was asked to pay $15 for David Carridines autograph…uh, no thanks.
Wil,
I did not see your performance on Criminal Minds but I have faith that you did a good job. I have been dealing with criminal minds of my own at work. For the first time in six years we could not use earned vacation time to cover a snow storm day. We are not getting paid for that day. We got penalized for staying safe. In the words of Martin, “I AM NOT ANGRY”!
FG
Hey Wil,
I just wanted to say that I finally got to see that CM episode this week and I could never have believed that you could be THAT scary. Strong work!
The order page has a generic ‘click here to download your file’ link on it, and if I recall correctly Lulu is doing the proper inline and attachment goo.
The link itself is in the form of http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_number/number/number/number/source/nameofmp3.mp3, where the numbers are actually numbers.
Hi Wil,
Very nice; your audio work is quite excellent. I have to say that the ‘raw’ quality of the reading is quite a bit more entertaining then a plain old ‘text only’ reading.
I’ll have to track down this episode of the show now.
Wil, have you thought about doing something like this but as a commentary to an episode? I’d love to listening to you comment upon watching your teenaged self while watching an old episode of TNG for instance…
Just a thought. Oh, and I don’t watch Criminal Minds but set aside the time to watch it when it when your episode first aired (I don’t believe in TiVo).
I have thought about this, and it’s on my list of things I’d really like to do.
Can you sell a file with a CC NonCommercial license?
Hi Wil,
I love this. Thank you for letting us know about your time on the show. I brought it. I thought it was awesome,very well reading I have to say. You had me from the beginning of the story. The way you read it I was total into the story and it made me feel like I was there with ya. I saw the show when it aired and I love it but then again I have to say Criminal Minds is my favorite show. So thank you again for sharing with us your story. Take care.
KellyP
Thanks, Kelly!
I’m really glad you liked it. I plan on doing some feature-length audio commentaries for some of my other work, which should be released soon.
You are so welcome. I really did love it. Your other books are really cool to. Your very funny and it’s really nice to hear the way you read the book,you can tell that you put your whole heart & soul in doing this. Oh I just wanted to ask you if it would be ok for me to be able to share this audio with the members of the Criminal Minds Fanatic Message Board,if your answer is no then I totally understand and I know where coming from and please don’t be mad at me for asking. Anyway,again thank you and take care.
KellyP
I would love it if you linked them to this post, so they can hear the free preview, and then buy their own copy if they think it’s worth the $5. The CM Fanatic folks are really awesome, aren’t they?
Thank you that is what I will do and to be honest that was what I thinking anyway,sorry about asking. Yes the CM Fanatic folks are really awesome,I’m just apart of the message board and that’s about it. Thank you again for answer my question. I forgot to say to you in my first post that I hope all is well with you and your family and I hope your audition went well today and thank you god you took the cell phone with ya today. LOL Take care.
KellyP