Online publishing gets boost from Forsyth
Renowned UK thriller writer Frederick Forsyth, author of Day of the Jackal and other bestsellers, is to publish his next work exclusively online.
The collection of short stories, titled Quintet, will be paid for by credit card. Coding software will be used to stop copying, according to Online Originals, the online publishing company Forsyth will use for the project.
The first two stories in the series, "The Veteran" and "The Miracle", will be published sequentially in October. After the five stories have been published individually, the series will be released as an eBook collection.
"Having been writing since 1970 I consider myself something of a veteran author, and I believe that the advent of eBooks is one of the most exciting developments in my experience as a professional writer. It offers the author a whole range of new opportunities and freedom," says Forsyth in a release.
Online Originals has so far mainly dealt with debut writers.
Forsyth follows in the footsteps of Stephen King, whose online publishing experiment has proved to be a success. The Plant, which has been published in instalments paid for individually by the reader, has proved that this kind of publishing strategy can be effective. Over 75 percent of readers sent payment, or guarantee of payment, for downloads, many sending extra to ensure the continuation of the series.
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