David Sedaris toys with a tip jar

David Sedaris talks in an interview how and why he used a tip jar at his book tour, raising $4000 from fans. Here is how David answers the question - You put a tip jar at your book-signing table?

Oh, yes. I would get there two to three hours early, and would sign books until 15 minutes before the reading. And I talk to everyone so I don’t sign that many books in two and a half hours. And then just before you start the reading part you go to the back of the room and you say I will sign your book right now for $5. And that’s how you really make your money because any one in their right mind, if they have a choice between paying $5 and waiting for four hours, would choose to pay $5.

Then once I started doing that, there was no stopping me. Because a lot of time at book stores there’s only one chair in the room and it’s behind the podium. I used to give it to a pregnant woman. I’d say if there’s anyone here who’s on crutches or pregnant, you can have this chair. But then I thought I’m giving away something I could be making money off of. So then I would say, for $20 dollars you can have this chair and be the first person to get your book signed after the reading.

…. It was like a Robin Hood thing. If I said to people, “Oh give me this money, and I’ll give it to charity,” they’re not going to give it to me. I tell people that I’ll spend it on crazy things on myself, and I do do that. But sometimes you go to a public-radio station and there’s an intern who is not getting paid, so you give them $100. Or you’re signing books and there’s someone who looks like they could use $50. So you say, you look like you could use $50, and you give them $50.

Read the full interview where David talks about the tip jar gimmick here on Newsweek (thanks to “Collection Developments” for pointing out the interview).

Now, if we translate this gimmick to the Internet and imagine an musician instead of an author. Where would you use the Karmafan tip jar? Next to where your music is available? Will you mention your Karmafan home page during a concert? On gig posters? On the back of CD covers? With the mp3s that you are making available on the Internet?

Time for a poll on our forum. The question is, “Where will you put your Karmafan home page address?“