A few quick points...

The issue with soliciting money from people who illegally downloaded circles back to my silly addiction to having a professional copyeditor. The publisher pays me; I don't pay the publisher. So if you pay me directly, the publisher goes out of business. Most of the people—by no means all, but most—producing professional-quality novel-length work are working at that level because they've worked with professionals. So the publishers remain a necessity.

And if you are selling copies that you purchased from the publisher (I understand that authors get a discount), that means that your publisher has sold more copies too, correct? Why shouldn't they like you increasing their sales, especially when you are offering things that bookstores don't (your CD) on top as an added value.

Honey, I got a suggestion. There's another smart guy you should look up, and read. Mike Masnick has a website called TechDirt and he's got some fascinating ideas on how to 'Connect with your Fans' and 'Reap the Benefits'.

And heck, if your sales go up, your publisher is more likely to pick up on your next book, so you can buy more kitty toys for your co-writers.

BTW, my co-writer is a beagle, who is currently sleeping on top of the back cushion of the couch, keeping my neck warm.

"And if you are selling copies that you purchased from the publisher..."

When did that become part of, "What if the people who were okay with reading a novel on their computer screen were asked to give you money directly if they had downloaded the book and liked it enough to keep?" Nothing in that question suggests that Seanan would be sending the person in question a book.

She sure as hell would if they sent her a $100.00 wouldn't she? The question right now is exactly how we can make it inviting for people to send her $100.00 bills, lots of them, for special deals. Or maybe a $50.00 dollar bill would be more appropriate. Depends upon what sort of a special package we can help Seanan put together. Some of mechanics may take a bit of work. She says that any books she sells herself, the publisher doesn't count, so maybe she'd have to find a friendly local independent bookstore which was willing to give her a discount to get copies of the books.

Let's see.

Complete collection of all FOUR published books.

Copy of every song Seanan has ever recorded.

Seanan McGuire songbook (I've never heard her, but I'm told she's a songwriter).

Cat Hairs - look, I have cats, and it's impossible to keep the damned hairs out of things. I have dogs too, one of which is part husky. Our house is a hairy place :)

Personally signed pieces - I'm sure Seanan would be happy to write:
Rudy,
Love from
Seanan
to someone who'd just sent her lots of money in the mail. If she wouldn't, Alice would. Cats are very mercenary.

Maybe as a joke toss in a 34A bra, and say that Toby left it last time she slept over. Print Toby on it using indelible marker.

Now I'm just brainstorming. Problem is, that I've never meet Seanan. Since my body started falling apart I've stopped going to filk cons, so I don't know her as well as I'd like. She's probably got other neat things that she could throw in a package, or could come up with them, that would make people willing to send her money. I mentioned the compact discs, because I know the economics of filk. If Seanan could sell an extra hundred copies of her latest CD, that would be found money. If the package sold for $100.00, that would be $10,000.00 before costs. If she could keep the costs below $60.00, that would be a $40.00 net, or an additional $4000.00 per year. If she could sell a thousand copies within a year, well, Seanan would probably then be making enough money to write full time. Which means she could write more neat books for me to read.

See, I'm doing this for purely selfish reasons.

[EVIL GRIN]

Know all about those. I used to travel a lot, quite a few times Heather and the kids didn't see me for more than a week.

However you've got fans that would probably be willing to help. Why not ask?

You aren't imposing if people volunteer to help.

OCD? Been there. Done that. Chewed my fingernails off up to my elbows. Guess what? It doesn't help. But it can be beaten.

Sometimes you have to sit back and let someone else do things. After all, Alice needs her mummy time. It's hard to let go, but if you don't, it will eat you up. I know OCD. I drive Heather crazy. A place for everything, and everything in it's place. She drives me crazy. She's luck if she knows where are car keys are for more than five minutes in a row.

We make a great pair, and have for the last 24 years.

Tell you a secret. When we are cleaning, we clean different rooms. Otherwise we'd kill each other ;)

"why not ask?"

Are you really suggesting that a creator should ask some random volunteer to take on a unpaid, untrained, unsupported career in the hopes that something good would come of it? Because that sounds like a very bad idea.

Publishers (big and small) have their problems, but they provide a lot of vital services not easily replaced - one of many reasons why so many creators would like to have one.

No, you're the one suggesting a random volunteer. I suggested that she talk to her fans. They can do things that publishers can't (or won't). And they will do it with love.