[AdminKeymaster]

As you guys may know, we want the NS site to be self sustaining. Luckily we have been earning some income from ads and now we want to motivate our writers by paying them a larger number. Previously we had depended on contest prizes or cash for points rewards. Now, each and every writer will be eligible for payment, and will be paid in arrears from the beginning of 2011. What do you think of the idea, and how do you suggest we go about it?

We will like discussions along the following options;

- publishing stories as eBooks and paying writers a percentage of sales.

- Pay per view (CPM) on stories as they are currently on the site.

- Conversion of activity points based on an agreed rate

- Once a year writing contests with larger prizes

- Pay for referrals to the site from new registrations

Any other suggestions?

[kayceeParticipant]

Wow! This is extreme.
On funding, NS should try to get sponsors and donations. I bet a lot of established writers and publishing houses would be interested. NS should also consider registration fees and posting fees from writers.
Now that pay has been mentioned NS would be getting serious traffic. Let me be the first to send my account number.

[EletrikaParticipant]

This is going to be very motivating.

Concerning the e-book publishing, it’s going to make a lot of sense. It won’t only earn some money but would also spread NS wider.

Concerning paying per view, I don’t think it’s going to make much sense for now. Unless that would be done for some specially selected stories. May be with time, when NS grows more.

Concerning paying according to activity points, it’ll lead to ‘abuse’ of activities to earn points.

Concerning annual contests, that’s going to be another nice suggestion. Contests would spur writers to take writing more serious.

Concerning paying to register, I doubt if that’s a wise suggestion. Whoever wants to join should be free to do that. Only specific activities would determine whether one earns something or nothing.

All in all, well done, Admin.

[AdminKeymaster]

Thank you Kaycee and Electrika.

@Kaycee, we’re not planning to charge writers or registrants. We rather want to pay them. Our advertisers are currently our main source of income.

@Electrika, thank you so much for breaking it down. On the last point, we won’t charge for registration. Rather we pay people based on the number of people they refer to the site, but only those that go on to register.

[EletrikaParticipant]

Okay. That would also be very good. In that case, I’ll soon become a multi-millionaire because I’m going on NS fishing now…… Almost half of Nigeria must follow me on NS…hehe

[howyoudeyParticipant]

I already thought that NS was the bomb: See, you guys drew me out of my self-imposed hiatus (I had to go tend to bom boy). Since NS, I’ve been stealing time to write. Bom boy doesn’t mind now.

With this, you guys rock!

Now to the points-of-discussion:

-The e-book thing is a great idea.
-The pay-per-activity thing is not a bad idea, but one should watch out for abuse, as mentioned by @Eletrika.
-Why not make internet or brick-and-mortar movies from the stories? Why not? Move over, Nollywood. Here comes NaijaWood! Seriously, I think that this should be considered, if the structure and financing are doable. The idea is to create a brand or BUZZ for Naija Stories.
-E-books for schools.
-NS-sponsored book readings at bookstores all over the world.

Sorry, but you guys got me started.

[kayceeParticipant]

Hahahaha, each time I hear “bomboy” I get thrown back to a very silly and funny harmattan evening in 1989.

Am thinking up something for NS, I will let you know soon, when I have made some verifications.

[RaymondParticipant]

Hehehe… @Howyoudey, make we waka first na. I agree with Eletrika on d activity ish. Howyoudey get some points, but that na something for down d road. Naijawood…e go make sense die! Better stories…
Chei!!

NS, I love U with all my heart and ink!

[AdminKeymaster]

Thanks Howyoudey, we especially like the book readings angle. Naijawood will be quite expensive but we have podcasted stories before and may resume in time. That is audio stories.

[Emmanuella NduonofitParticipant]

Would this ‘business thing’ include all NS members, both active and inactive, those members that actually did the four Rs Naijastories.com is known for: Read, Rate, Review, Recommend, and those members who did one or two of the Rs?

Paying for what NS showcases here makes whatever is showcased here very worthwhile for both readers and writers (contributors). I thank you guys for ‘seducing’ me into this young, prestigious literary website.

And another thing: Would we NS members get paid for all the categories of writings that NS showcases or for just some categories? Would we NS members also get paid for our active, and inactive, NS group participation? And, eh, when does this payment begin? I hear ‘money’ and my ears stand at attention…

[Seun-OdukoyaParticipant]

Concerning the e-book publishing, it’s going to make a lot of sense. It won’t only earn some money but would also spread NS wider.

Concerning paying per view, I don’t think it’s going to make much sense for now. Unless that would be done for some specially selected stories. May be with time, when NS grows more.

Concerning paying according to activity points, it’ll lead to ‘abuse’ of activities to earn points.

Concerning annual contests, that’s going to be another nice suggestion. Contests would spur writers to take writing more serious.

Concerning paying to register, I doubt if that’s a wise suggestion. Whoever wants to join should be free to do that. Only specific activities would determine whether one earns something or nothing.

All in all, well done, Admin.

I ditto ELektrika word for word.

NS…you ARE the BOMB…on some positive tip though.

[Gboyega OtolorinParticipant]

I’m all for e-books (i.e. stories put together and published as short story collection e-books) which people can buy via links here on NS and elsewhere on the net.
Also like the idea of money for referrals who go on to register but not sure how that would work. How would you know who sent who to the site?
Also like the writing contests thingy but a suggestion on this is maybe there should be more than 3 winners (as in not only 1st, 2nd, 3rd) but other top stories (like say 5 or 10 more apart from the winning three) should get small amounts too as consolation prizes.

As for pay-per-view, and conversion of points, not sure they would work out so well..

[shaifamilyParticipant]

Now, how this is going to work I will leave to others to try and device. For me, publishing works as e-books seems to be the surest way. Of course, maybe that will have to be based on some pre-selection/pre-qualifcation or something, this detail I will also leave to others to help shape.

[shaifamilyParticipant]

So, I av been reading and all I av been seeing is *stories??? People!!! There are other genres.

[AdminKeymaster]

Thank you all for the further thoughts on the issues raised.

@Emmanuella, everyone would be eligible to be paid as far as they are active. That is why we’re looking at various prongs (the 4 Rs) on which to hang the rewards.

We hope to have the regulations consolidated by the end of the year, but we will pay in arrears.

@Seun-odukoya, we will not charge for registrations, but pay those that referred the registrant.

@Gboyega, we will have a space in the registration form where the referrer will be specified.

@Shai, all genres of writing on NS will be eligible for conversion into eBooks and sales.

[Author]

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