Why we should all Flattr...

There will now follow a short commercial break…

pathetically small

You may have noticed (or not) a couple of additions to the sidebar on this blog. No, not the shameless plugging of my books or The Bibble but the Flattr button and the Pay a Blogger Day logo.

Should bloggers be paid for their writing?  It’s an argument that goes round and round and usually involves heated debates about advertising on blogs, on sponsored posts and pay per link rates.  For the record I haven’t done any of that stuff myself (well, not so far) but I don’t have any beef with those who do. Life’s tough.

I’m writing my blog a lot at the moment because, let’s be honest, I ain’t got a whole lotta paid work going on. Also I love the freedom of being able to say exactly what I want, what I feel; to shout out about the people and things I love and admire. Independence, I guess. Should I be paid for that?  To be honest, it’s never even crossed my mind.

I am a waiter  -give generously!

Then Frankie said I should sign up for Flattr – a kind of online tip-jar. It's not just for bloggers but for anyone who creates and shares content online  - it can be words or pictures or photographs or music or vids, or podcasts or  apps or whatever. If you like it, you can Flattr it by clicking on a button. Basically you pay a small amount each month and Flattr.com divvies it up amongst the people you’ve Flattred.  Social micropayments, they call it.  Big change though small payments.  But anyhow, Frankie has blogged about it with far greater passion and eloquence than I could ever muster so I’m just going to suggest you haul your arses over to the blog and read... 

Why We Should All Flattr…  J  

I confess, after reading that, I went from being mildly sceptical to nodding vigorously. Because really, we say we want to foster the arts, to support artists but do we?  Really? Nah, the more I look around, the more I think we rip them off.  So this is a simple, cheap, non-exploitative way to show your appreciation for something you’ve enjoyed on the web. 

"Flattr me," says the Oracle

Flattr have a new initiative called Pay A BloggerDay. It’s asking that on November 29 you give back a little to the blogs you love.  I like that idea.  I read so much fascinating, thought-provoking, darn right brilliant stuff online, it’d be nice to give a little back in return.  So they’re asking you hit the donate button (do people really have donate buttons on their blogs? I must be reading the wrong ones!) or buy the T-shirt or print or whatever (sorry, no Desperate Exmoor Woman merchandise available at this point though I reckon a Beagle Oracle range might have some mileage). Or, of course, you can Flattr.

Anyhow. Change the world, one micro-payment at a time? I think it’s a neat idea. Will people do it?  I dunno.  I hope so. Anyhow, because Frankie nagged me mercilessly, I have put up buttons on the blog and on the individual posts so – if you feel so inclined –you can Flattr me too.  J

Of course, typically, the one on the sidebar isn’t functioning right now…their best people are working on it, I understand.  But the others are.. ;)