(and no, this has nothing to do with GUD, I promise)
Thought: open up the slushpile. First N of the story (half of what anyone could consider as making something "published") free, as soon as a person submits it (maybe vetted by an editor, but probably can make do without that). Anonymous. Rights remain with author entirely at this point.
Anyone who votes for the story gets to read the next N of it (so we're still calling it unpublished... just a longer teaser for the piece).
If there are enough votes for the piece, it's considered published, released on the main page, comments allowed + voting ala EDF ... and the submitter is cut in for a slice of the pie (advertising + any micro donations).
Micro-donations: for fifty cents, you can drop more love on a piece == more votes on it == more likely to be published.
The submitter could even pick how long they want the piece "considered for publication", and pull it at any time.
[[thoughts sparked from a conversation over at freakangels' whitechapel]]
