Market Closing--- Sniplits

I have been waiting for the formal announcement of this having seen Anne recently mention on Facebook that this was in the works. Sad day as another market is going away......

Dear Sniplits Members,

Is there ever anything harder to say than “good-bye” to someone or something or some dream that you have loved?

Seven years ago, Sniplits was just a dream to create audio short stories for what was then still a relatively new MP3 player market. And, perhaps most important to me, to create a market that would pay short story authors for their work.

I know that there are those who believe everything on the Internet should be free. And those who believe that an author’s only reward should be the pleasure of writing. Nonsense I say. Writing is work, and a writer whose work is appreciated by the market should be able to make a living at their writing. No one asks doctors, actors, engineers, teachers or professional athletes to do their work for free just because they enjoy aspects of their job. That is not to say that everyone who wants to write or thinks that they have a story to tell has the ability to turn out a product worth paying for. Not everyone who loves basketball will make it beyond league play and pick-up games. Not everyone who loves biology can be a good doctor.

At Sniplits, I tried to publish authors I thought were worth betting on. And I am incredibly proud to have been the first to buy some of their work. I will continue to faithfully follow and read their stories, and I hope you will too.

I still believe that there will be a market for professionally narrated audio short stories, and particularly for eShorts enhanced with audio. Unfortunately, Sniplits does not have the financial wherewithal to survive until that market develops. Sniplits will be closing on December 15, 2012. If there are stories you have been meaning to download or gift certificates or coupons to use, please do so before then.

The publishing industry is at one of those messy turning points that all industries periodically go through as technologies, business models and market desires change. That is not a bad thing, just messy. The market—i.e. all of us—will help sort out which publishers and authors will thrive and which will fail. I hope we choose thoughtfully and well, and reward those authors and publishers by buying and introducing our friends to their work.

I have given up trying to find the right words to thank Sniplits authors, listeners, narrators, and friends for all of your support over the years. You will be forever in my heart.

Anne S. 

founder/publisher