Premature Releasing

Somehow, while surfing through life, I missed the Harry Potter wave. That said I do have some thoughts on the premature releasing.

Put simply, premature releasing happens (just ask Dan Vierling). And in today's digital, fast-paced, uber-connected, Internet-crazed, insert-the-buzz-word-of-your-choice, world, where someone at the CIA knows who you are calling before you are connected, I must say, 'Hats off to Ms. Rowling for keeping her secret as long as she did.' She's been working for years, and until Thursday, say 18-hours before the release, no one knew the ending.

I think that if I had a top-secret book, I would take the same approach as Seth Godin. Simply, don't put it ALL in paper! For most, books have transformed into trophies. We read them, enjoy them, some-times talk about them, and then they sit on the shelf as show-off items, hinting at who we are.

If I wanted to keep my book a secret, I too would create a hybrid book. First, type it. I say, 'type it,' because everyone knows books are no longer written, they are typed. Second, have it published, less, say, the last three or four chapters. On release day, the last chapters would be put on-line. Every buyer then gets a code for access. It's that simple. You get the trophy for your shelf, and I keep my secret.

I guess the only drawback is that instead of spending $20 M on book security like J.K., I should plan to spend $20 M on computer firewalls.

That's my thoughts. How do you keep your secrets?