We’re always stoked when someone uses his or her wits, and the technology at their crafty fingertips, to subvert, or at least tweak, a traditional media model—especially when it’s in support of their craft. Michael Thomas Ford and his Dollar a Word project are doing just that. Ford, a published author, will write his new novel one word at a time for each buck that his fan base sends in. He intends to write 100,000 words, which sounds like a pretty sweet payday if the community coughs up the dollars, right? Could be. And ultimately, the proceeds from the project will go to help other writers in financial need. At each $20,000 milestone, he’ll dole out 10K to writers and writing projects in financial need. So is the book any good? Decide for yourself here here. Check out his compelling FAQ, and then ask yourself what he’s asking: what is art worth?

Tip of the hat to Aaron from the NY Writers Coalition, who told me about Dollar A Word this morning before the caffeine had really kicked in.