The Plant (novel)
The Plant is an unfinished episodic horror novel by American author Stephen King, published in a unique format between 2000 and 2001. Instead of traditional publication, King released the chapters serially online and encouraged readers to voluntarily pay for them based on their enjoyment.
History:
The story began as a Christmas card King wrote for his friends in the early 1980s. He then expanded it into a manuscript which he set aside. He revived the project in 2000 as an experiment in online publishing.
Publication Format:
Readers could download the installments from King's official website. He employed a "honor system" payment model, trusting readers to pay $1 per installment if they enjoyed the content. The website tracked the payment rate, and King stated that he would continue writing and releasing installments as long as the payment rate remained high.
Plot:
The story revolves around a small publishing house and a manuscript anonymously sent to them. The manuscript is titled True Tales From Darkside, Maine and contains dark and disturbing stories. Attached to the manuscript is a drawing of a strange, rapidly growing plant. As the publishers become more involved with the plant, strange and violent events begin to occur.
Publication Status:
The project was ultimately discontinued in December 2000 after six installments. King cited the demands of his other writing commitments and a declining payment rate as reasons for halting the project. While King has occasionally mentioned the possibility of revisiting The Plant, it remains unfinished.
Themes:
Common themes explored in The Plant include the power of stories, the nature of evil, and the ethics of business. It also plays with the metafictional idea of the book itself having a malevolent influence.
Reception:
The innovative publishing model of The Plant generated considerable media attention and discussion about the future of online publishing and digital copyright. Its reception as a literary work is mixed, largely due to its unfinished state.