TightWind is written by Kyle Baxter. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Mandy Brown:

Moreover, it is an opportunity for readers to vote—with their cash—for a better reading experience on the web. Even readers who are skeptical that it will raise enough money should participate, inasmuch as it publicly and financially demonstrates your hope for the future: a web designed for reading, not a web where reading happens despite the design. No reader can argue with that.

Exactly right. When readers support their favorite writers directly, rather than through intermediaries like advertisers or sponsors, incentives are ideal for the reader. When writers and readers have a direct relationship, the writer’s only incentive is to delight themselves and their readers. There’s no one else to worry about. And that’s a good thing.