Paulo Coelho (seminal author of books like, “The Alchemist” and “Veronika Decides to Die”) gave a great, compelling keynote at DLD, which for me, was one of the highlights. The man simply oozes charisma and wisdom.
Unlike Martha, he’d thought about his audience and gave a speech that we would find both relevant and interesting.
His main theme was that copyright is a lost battle and that we should accept that and live with the consequences in the new world. Moreover, this isn’t something we should grieve over and regret, but that all content creators could use this to our advantage.
He doesn’t just pay lip service to this sentiment, but has used the philosophy very astutely to create considerable commercial advantage for himself (and his publishers).
His learning went like this. First, he published a free downloadable book in 2001; “Stories for parents, children and grandchildren” showing quite an early awareness of the web and its possibilities for a non-geek. He describes it as his least read book, despite getting millions of downloads. People download, but don’t read he thinks and no one has ever talked to him about the book!
Next, he found a pirate version of The Alchemist in Russia, where we was selling only 1,000 copies of the book each year. With nothing to lose, he used the pirate version himself to create a free download. The next year, he sold 10,000 and the next 100,000 copies of the book itself. Nothing else had changed, so he sees the free download as a sampling exercise. People download, read a bit and if they like it, they go buy a book.
These days, he’s more structured in his approach. He finds pirated versions of his work in different languages and tells people about them via his alternative blog “Pirate Coelho”, which he promotes via his official blog. He also allegedly leaks drafts of official translations onto Pirate Coelho too.
He claims this has dramatically increased worldwide sales and as a best-selling author with 100 million books to his name, it’s hard to see how his blase attitude to ownership of his intellectual property has done him any harm. Besides which, the goal of most writers is actually to be read first and foremost. Any money you make (or “lose” through piracy) is mostly secondary.
He also told an amusing story of a blog post he wrote, inviting the first 10 readers who emailed him to a party he holds every year on March 19th. The party was held in an obscure corner of Spain, so he was surprised to get replies from places like Japan, Qatar and Iraq.
He wrote to the ten people clarifying that it was just a 2 hour party and that he wasn’t paying for flights or accommodation or expenses in any way. But they all came anyway – the Japanese lady had never even left Japan before!
A great man.
Posted by Russell Buckley
Paulo Coelho @DLD 08
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear Mr. Paulo
How can I make my heart as my friend cause I’ve done a mistake that make my heart suffers for months
I’ve been lying to my dearest people
And how can I fix that
I search your email address but only find this blog
please help me if you will
thanks
Dear Paulo!
I’m writing to express my thoughts about the book I read. I have just finished reading “ The Alchemist”
I heard a lot about this book in the past but had no occasion to come through it.
A week ago a friend of mine offered me a number of books and I chose this one, because I felt I should read it and my feeling was absolutely true. I was deeply involved in the book from the very first pages.
I liked the way it is written and the way you illustrate your ideas. I admire your talent and your wisdom. Besides thanks to how you descried desert’s life I was fascinated with the beauty, attraction and mystery of Arabic world. Their lifestyle and how they look at life. I feel like travelling to Eastern countries now, even though it’s not quite safe for a young single lady.
Your book inspired me to follow my way stronger – to go on writing. Imagining, diving into the past and writing bring me lots of pleasure, energy and insight. Step by step I’m writing a book about my life in my blog. I’m just 23 years old but I had some experience behind my shoulders. It was hard and it was different. So I spent some time analyzing it, as I wanted to find the answers why I met such people, why such events happened to me. I came to a conclusion that everything around me suited me and was right for me. For my development as a personality. And now I feel so much desire to write about my life, to share it with other people. I’m describing how I grow up and what made me become who I am.
So your book motivates me now to do what I’m trying to do. I want to say thank you for your book and for everything you have done in the world. Finally it’s a real happiness – to know and follow my way!
I am sorry for my English – it’s not perfect. My native language is Russian.
I’m going to watch your video cast attentively and maybe would learn something from it.
With my very best wishes, Anna
hello sir!
i just want to thank you for writing such a wonderful books..
i never write anyone any thing. so its my first time ever!
thank you again….
Hello, I’m a fifteen year old egyptian girl
I read the english version of your books and I simply love them.
It’s always been my dream to be a writer.. Hopefully someday I’ll reach my goal
Your work really inspires me ..
I would like your email if possible.
Thank you so much for your time!
i would really like a link to download veronika decides to die..
Dearest Paulo..
Can i just say.. The Pirate Coelho website is very cool. :) personally i love the feel of holding a book and reading it, but having it available to download is awesome.. Because besides reading off the computer, i can read it off my phone :) its pretty handy :) i used to download books from mirc as well, they have a huge selection :)
its also good, bec people who can’t afford to buy the books have a chance to read it as well..
I admire what you did for those 10 people Paulo :) and i hope to meet you one day. You should come to South Africa :) In fact, i’d love to meet many of the people here.. Maybe we should have one huge get together of like 75 people or something.. And we all meet and chat for like a day.. Or something. Be so cool :)
Thank you for being
Yajna
Great man indeed. But ingenious idea take place in spirit, he seems to live in.
I agree with Monika. Even if I don’t especially read in bed. Something’s happening with me and the book, I hold in my hands. As a part of the author he would have given to me. Something that can not be compared to the net’s screen.
There’s desert in reading a book, there’s not with the machine.I like it!
Also, nowadays, a book is on the way to becomme an archaeological piece. Even if publications are more and more seen.
Happy sunday to all!
Paulo! hmm…:-)
He’s so inspiring!!!
So…., brilliant!
I cannot find the words.
love
Agnieszka
The man simply oozes charisma and wisdom. Wow!
What did you have to promise the author of this entry for writing this sentence?
What? He did it voluntary. He is a great fan of you.
I have sympathy for him and feel delighted for you!
I’m not astonished, that your had advantages by copies of your books in internet. I think it is exactly the effect you assumed – many people read a part of the text and when interested, they buy the book. I also like better reading a book instead of reading on the screen – especially because I prefer to read in bed.
You will also this year invite 10 readers to your party by random?
If fate would have it, I would not dare to refuse – I would obey and come to your party!
There will be only one little snag – I never leave a party after two hours.
You maybe are not willing to believe me (knowing me only through my posts), but I’m shy!
Two hours is the time I need to warm up and get in a good mood on a party.
Best wishes
Monika
“Pirate Coelho” yes is a Pirate. Like Ulisses in your ship, make posible your dreams.
He can make the diferece, he tolk with the fans and not to be afraid.
He tolk many levels.
He can change the world.
Thanks ,it gives me some ideas!! and yes you are a clever man ,and just to do a pirate I may invite 10 random people to my birthday party lol…why not ..if paulo coelho can get people across the country than dammit so will I ! IM not paying of course..lol… but there would be plenty dancing ,drinking and eating much like a mardi gras party .thankyou Tania
a great man he is!
:D smile
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