April Winchell

Dear Mr. KABC

Before I go any further, let me welcome any new readers who came by way of the link in The Toronto Star yesterday.

My friend Gina, who up until today ran snarkcity.com, insists I should start billing myself as "International Sensation April Winchell". She came to this conclusion after seeing a referral from my site to hers a few weeks ago, and decided my reach was longer than either of us previously thought.

I wasn't sure that a hit from some lonely Slav in his mother's basement on the outskirts of Vukovar was enough to merit such an upgrade, but the Toronto thing has pretty much pushed it over the edge for me. So consider me an international sensation.

More importantly, here's a letter of furious complaint to Mr. KABC that is so fantastic I had to scan it and share it with you. The sentiment alone is priceless, but I especially like the crabbed and trembling handwriting. To me it says, "Yes I'm old and medicated, but I'm still angry", and you have to respect that.

I Need Help

No, not like that. Although I certainly wouldn't turn down a prescription for Attavan. Just to make the voices a teeny bit quieter.

No, I need technical help. Web help.

Here's the thing. I'm all set up over here with a home studio, in anticipation of the show I may be doing for Sirius (more on that in a few days). I'd like to take advantage of that, and do a podcast of sorts.

I want to do some compilation shows featuring some of what I think is my best stuff, along with some stuff you've never heard, and some new stuff. I want to make these shows available as mp3s, so you can burn them onto CDs and listen in your car or whatever. Maybe have one playing when you end your life in a seedy motel room somewhere. I always thought that was my demographic.

Here's the catch though; I want to sell this crap. And I have no idea how to make that work.

Don't tell me it's not possible. Look at Wing, for God's sake. She sells her crap over on her site and she's making some serious coin. And her stuff is at least as bad as what I'm cranking out.

Anyway, it looks like her site is powered by a company called 2Checkout.com. If you have something going with these people, can you send me an email and tell me what your experience is and how you got started?

In fact, if you have any experience selling music or downloadable files online, would you share your knowledge with me?

And if you're really savvy about all this e-commerce stuff and want to actually, physically help guide me through this process, that would be stunning. I haven't got a whole lot to give in return, though I would be happy to give you free ad space and pimp you out. And you know that means at least one sale in Croatia.

I really think this could be a lot of fun, and I figure I make enough content available for free that selling some new material isn't terribly greedy. I'd just lke to make something approximating a living doing this, and I think this could be a nice start.

Thanks for your help!