What’s the solution? Banding together. Medium has today announced a partnership with Random House to deliver new types of content and audience interaction to Medium. The writing-centric social network will exclusively license large portions of a yet-to-be-released sci-fi humor novel by author Rob Reid.
How It Works
The novel, After On, will be published on August 1st. The first excerpt is already available to all, and two more will follow to give free users a look at what they’ve missing. Nine additional excerpts will be available to paying members, all prior to the book’s release. It’s not just excerpts, though: They’ll be paired with eight audio podcasts in which Reid interviews tech and science experts including Steve Jurvetson, Sam Harris, and Adam Gazzaley.
Why Medium’s Interested
It’s a good fit for the site. Medium knows its audience is tech-savvy: The Ev Williams-led site attracted so many early adaptors in the technology and startup communities that it still can’t shake a reputation as a site for marketing advice and startup manifestos. And Reid founded Rhapsody music before turning to novels. And in the fact that it’s sci-fi, a popular genre among tech enthusiasts, and this move seems like a relatively safe way for Medium to dip a toe in the general entertainment category.
Why the Author’s Interested
Writing on Medium (of course), Reid explained his thought process for the deal. The big bit of information? It was all his idea. Reid’s pitch mentioned the concept of a book excerpt appearing a popular U.S. magazine, and positioned his book’s excerpt on the Medium platform as the 21st century equivalent. He also points out that “Medium is perfect for maintaining author/reader connections between book releases.” Smooth move, Medium. Now you just need to buy Patreon and I’ll have full faith in your pivot into subscriptions. Read more about creating the ultimate blog at TechCo
