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book publishing/manufacturing

ContinentalPrintingSuppliesContinentalPrintingSupplies subscriber Posts: 7
edited May 2006 in Marketing
OK everyone, i have another strange question and really don`t know which catagory is best to put it in, so i`ve opted for `category stew`.  i hope that is right.
anyway, i have been wondering for some time how to get a book from pen and paper to the stores shelves.  even if i self publish it - what is the process it needs to go thru.  i have a great computer program and an awesome printer, so i can easily type it into being.  then, let`s say, i take it to kinkos and have it bound - then what?? 
do i have to go thru the sending it to the publishers, only to get rejected like 1000 times, or is there a way to avoid all of this and go from printer to store shelves without the middle man.
i know there are authors in this group -  so i`m asking - how did you do it??  how can i??
thanks!!
oh yeah, and btw, my son`s school`s yearbook company is terrible - mistakes galore and the pages are just crappy looking - maybe i could become a yearbook publisher - other than conflicting of time and effort, what would i need to know about doing this??  how would i convince a school that i would do a much better job than who they have now??
thanks again

Comments

  • theswaynestertheswaynester subscriber Posts: 15 Bronze Level Member
    I`d check out www.lulu.com</A>. As one possibility for self-publishing without a lot of up-front costs.
    Matt
  • EllayEllay subscriber Posts: 6
    Yes...Lulu.Com...I second that!!!
  • thank you for the sites, and direction . . i checked out lulu.com more right now than para publishing, only because of time.  now i have another question.
    if i prepare the book myself, like lulu.com does, can i get it on amazon.com, or in the bookstores myself??  last summer i put together a great looking paperback copy of a roster-style yearbook for the baseball league, complete with autograph page, photos, binding and the like.  just like what i saw at lulu.com.  now, how do i get it (my book) to the bookstores??
    if i can do what lulu does to prepare the book, what steps are they taking to get it to the bookstores??  can i take them myself and eliminate the middleman??
    thanks again.
  • LogoMotivesLogoMotives subscriber Posts: 15
    I would recommend that anyone considering writing a book get a copy of  [url=ttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582973946/qid=1147894388/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-2215155-5419338?s=books&v=glance&n=283155]Writers Market: Where and How to Sell What You Write[/url].  It`s a valuable resource about many aspects of the publishing industry - including submitting book proposals to publishers, agents, marketing and promoting, etc. (It`s also published by a division of the company that published my first book)I was very lucky in regards to getting my first book published.  A couple authors I knew kept hounding me about writing a book of my own.  One gave me the name of her favorite editor at a publishing house and told me to call.  I called the firm, asked for the editor and was told she was no longer with the company.  The receptionist asked if I wanted to speak with the new acquisitions editor and I said "sure."  The woman came on the phone and said "Jeff Fisher? I know who you are. I`d love to do a book with you."  It`s not usually that easy.Since my first book was released, in December 2004, I`ve had three other U.S. publishers and one in Singapore contact me about writing books for them.  I`m currently writing my second book for my original publisher with a September due date for the finished manuscript. I was also lucky along the way as several friends who are writers and editors, including the author of the novel Fight Club (among many others now), have been a great source of information and suggestions in dealing with the odd world of publishing and marketing/promoting a book.  It`s great to learn the necessary lessons from the mistakes of others.  One of the biggest thrills for me was seeing my book for the very first time - on the shelf of my favorite bookstore, Powell`s City of Books.I do know several authors who self-published their books and promoted the hell out of them personally.  Initially they had a great deal of luck getting the books into independent bookstores.  A great source of contact info on independent booksellers is BookSense.com.  Word of mouth, well-placed positive reviews, television and radio appearances, speaking engagements, web sites and blogs - in addition to the independent bookstore sales and customers asking for the book - resulted in the big Internet booksellers taking on the books as a sales item.  Even with a lage publishing house behind me, my book is just one of hundreds they produce each year and much of the marketing has been my responsibility. I was warned about that fact by other authors published by the same company.Kevin Carrol, author of Rules of the Red Rubber Ball, (and another author I know) initially self-published his book.  The buzz created by the media resulted in it being picked up and reissued by a publisher able to get it sold by any bookseller, including the online biggies.iUniverse is a well-respected "vanity press" company that often advertises in The New York Times Book Review.  They are somehow affiliated with Barnes & Noble.  They also claim that "all of their books can be ordered through local bookstores, their own web site, and any e-retailer including bn.com and Amazon."  Other such companies are probably able to provide the same types of services.- J.
  • stevesteve subscriber Posts: 14
    One possibility is to produce an e-book that you can sell online (eBay,
    your own website, etc.). That way you don`t have to pay for publishing,
    distribution, etc. If the e-book sells you can decide if you want to
    approach a hard copy publisher. At least then you`d have a track record.

    As for becoming a yearbook publisher, you seem to be all over the map
    when it comes to business ideas. Just because someone else is doing a
    poor job doesn`t mean you should go into that business. If you`re
    anything like me, you have limited time, energy and resources. It`s
    better to choose one thing and do it really well.
  • Jeff,
    Thank you for your information.  I will have to take more time to research all your ideas and websites.  I am familiar with the Writers Market, as I have taken writing courses in the past.  I figure it will be best for me to self publish my material, as it may not be too well received by the mass media markets.  And I guess that is the assistance I am seeking.
    Again, you have provided me with a lot of work and will require some time for further research.
    thank you.
    tracy
  • CalgaryPixCalgaryPix subscriber Posts: 2
    Another resource you might check is blitzprint.com One of the cool things they can do is have versions dependant upon whatever characteristics you decide on - one of the samples they showed was a childrens book that would include the individual childs name, plus colours would change for boys and girls, some of the illustrations would change - and it doesn`t cost any more to set that up.Imagine creating a business resource book with sections specfically designed for different industries / markets without having to print a separate run of books for each. Blitz print can do one at a time and drop ship for you.(PS - no I don`t work for them but am very impressed by their work.)
  • workfactorydaveworkfactorydave subscriber Posts: 0
    Tracy,
    You could sell on Amazon by joining their "marketplace" program to sell books. Getting it listed in the traditional book wholesalers (Ingram, Baker & Taylor) is usually difficult for a self-published book. Do lots of research before you self-pub to make sure that`s the route you want to go. Takes a lot of work and self-promotion, but can be worth it.

    -Dave
    Palari Books
    www.palaribooks.com
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