I'm exploring new ways to publish.
Yesterday I was working with my Wundhammer file which is large. In the file is an original catalog, unpublished pictures, ads, articles and tons of pictures.
I'm thinking (always dangerous) how great it could be if I could publish one book per maker.
Has anyone worked with the new "Publish on Demand" or "Print on Demand" companies? One such company is the link below.
http://www.lulu.com/publish/books/?cid=us_home_nav_bkTo keep the one-book one-maker idea economical for both myself and the customer there is always the CD. I don't like CD-books but they might sell.
What say you all?
I'm ready to start Petrov's Page on my site, if you are?
I have no answer for book publishing except a few gunsbooks are starting to appear...
Mike, I am not able to help you on the Publish on Demand, but I do NOT like CDs. I think they are worth about ten percent of what a book is worth, or less. No comfort holding them in your easy chair. I think the guy's name was Skinnerton and he published miliatary type books with a slick paper cover and nice appearing inside paper with color. I talked to him years ago and he said he could deliver such books under ten bucks with overseas publishing. Times have changed a bit, but ??? There are a few gun related books that broke up a list of makers into alphabetical or regional order in order to get all information in two or three books. Seems like such partial books might sell better than books on one maker, only. Just my two cents.
I think it is a great idea, particularly if the alternative is for the book to not ever get published due to the cost. I think we would all like to see a large coffee table type book with good quality color photos, but they are kind of hard to read if you have a lot of text. How about one large color book, with photos of all the makers work, then several other smaller text books if you will, sold as companions to the big book. Each smaller text book could contain text and other hard data on several makers with references to particular photos in the big book. Just thinking out loud here.
Whatever you do, hurry up with it, I got the first one memorized. :-)
John
Mike,
I have been taking a very hard look at them. Seems there are several models out there now. One model is print on demand, POD. Another model offers to do POD and ebook.
The problem I have seen so far, is that most are not setup to do multiple color plates. The other has to with binding, although I consider rather minor.
I found one, can't remember the name at the moment. That would do POD and marketing via Amazon, etc.
I certainly have enough material to publish. Just not sure if I want to tackle all the work involved....
I do believe that EDM told me he explored idea for his last book. But the offerings at the time were not what he wanted.
You may be interested in this NY Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/books/28selfpub.html?_r=2&ref=businessPete
Mike,
A different perspective. The guy behind saving the Gordon Setter, Norm Sorby, once published a book Called the "Black & Tan Bombshell, The Gordon Setter." He had to mortgage his home to do it. He eventually sold them all. When he wanted to reprint it he used one of the POD services. I purchased a book from them.
As the purchaser....
The book IMO is not as nice quality as a normal book, but close; however, without the service, Norm would not been able to afford to print the book again and I might never have gotten a copy of it! So from that perspective, it is great.
Although I haven't experienced an e reader yet, also I do not like books on CD that much. I have bought a few magazine re-prints on CD from Wolfe and typically I print them out and bind them myself so I can read them in my easy chair.
I did by my handicap daughter a nook for Christmas. She seems to enjoy it a lot, so maybe that media is something to look at.
Just my 2cents
Jerry
Please,Please no CD's. Whitey
What Whitey said, no CDs.
Regards, Joe
A friend has put together two self-published books on some things he did in Africa. They are very nicely done with great color photos. I think they were soft cover however. Not super cheap but I can't quote prices.
One thing about CD's - 50 yrs from now CD readers will be extinct. 5 yrs from now they may be endangered. A plain ol' book will always be readable if it is reasonably taken care of. Think long term, and go paper. It is still the only real archival medium.
Thanks for all the feedback, more welcome.
I think there is a place for CD-books and for E-Books. A friend had an unexpected financial windfall and bought all her friends Kindles. It took me a while to warm to the Kindle but now I like it. I read a large amount of fiction and in this regard it shines. I got a couple books for it with pictures in it and it's not what I would want.
I think there is a lot to learn about the new Print On Demand so I'll study that for awhile.
Every time a new auction catalog shows up with all the color pictures delivered to my house for $35 I think there might be a chance to be able to make this work. I have piles of paperback reference books so that may be one way to go.
I got a Kindle for Xmas and took a while to get used to it. It has its uses, especially when traveling light. You can take what amounts to a small library along with you in a carry-on. These days that's important. (There are also no noisy pages to turn and drive your spouse crazy when she's trying to sleep in the usual cheap hotel rooms I frequent....).
I have read several gun books in a Kindle ebook format. OK but hard to get warm to. Diagrams and b/w photos are OK but not very inspiring. I think gun books with lots of data and a few, simple graphics would be OK, ESPECIALLY if the alternative is no book at all!
For a full-bore treatment of a maker or smith and his guns, maybe the narrative text and data (and b/w repros of ledgers and records and newspaper articles and such) could be in ebook format and the color photos provided on a separate CD????
Along these same lines does anyone use adobe pagemaker?
Is there another product that has a respected following?
Auction catalogs - great example. High quality photos and pretty good paper. I like the idea of a book with subsequent add ons. I think the old gun catalog books are done that way. Buy the books get monthly email updates. Keeps the customer engaged at least monthly that way. The way new stuff turns up all the time it could almost be like a subscription. Id pay for a years worth of semi-monthly cds of pictures that we are all duplicating efforts in copying off the web anyway. If cds become obsolete it could transition to whatever is next. I remember as a kid having the option of 8 track or cassette in mail order music.
Adobe while still selling Pagemaker has abandoned future development. They are now selling InDesign. There is also Microsoft Publisher and QuarkXPress. A free open source alternative is Scribus. Scribus gets good reviews. For the most part, any software that can output PDF is workable. Depends on what you need.
In addition to Lulu.com there is also CreateSpace.com (AKA Amazon). I have not compared prices and services. With CreateSpace you can publish directly to kindle.
No matter what is choosen, there is a learning curve. I found that out the hard way. I never intended to learn video editing software, much less have to make the cash outlay for it.
I guess I need to say this. I am all for a bound book in my hands. I prefer it. The problem is costs. With POD it is possible to have the best of all worlds at the moment. That is, you can offer both a bound book and an ebook. You let the buyer choose. Ultimately, we are talking about a niche market. Self publishing through a vanity press becomes very expense. There are very few, some are present here, who can go to a publisher and not have to pay them to publish.
Pete
JMO I vote on Michael doing as big a book as possible,with as many gunmakers and as much info as possible in it,printed at the best price possible (for him) on prepaid order.It is worth it to any of us, that really get into this stuff.Just quit buying those $4.50 lattes for a while, you'll make the money up in no time! Michael go for it! Jerry
The overall view of things are that the first book is still selling and on the second printing. Last year was kind of a bust sales wise but to be expected.
Precision Shooting published the book which works well for me because they already paid me for the articles and now I get four checks a year. Financially I do much better on the books I sell myself that I buy from PS.
In a year or so we should be able to publish book number two. This is good for both PS and myself so I hope this goes forward.
What these books do not address and what I want to see is a lot more information on each maker and COLOR pictures. An article that runs around two-thousand words just does not reflect the years of research I have into each maker.
The down side is the BIG-BOOK done right would cost a lot of money, the up front kind.
I have offers to publish the book but right away I saw that my vision and theirs are not the same. I do have choices, just thinking out loud as it were.
Thanks for the feed back, lost of things to think over.
Web magazine Michael,
21st century publishing, just an idea, maybe you already get this but have a look.
If each and every one who expresses a passionate interest simply ponies up about $1500 up front for a signed and numbered first edition it might help get started. Still tough to make it a financial success. But it almost worked for Audubon.
I've done it both ways with three books.
First was Krause Pub. 1998 Johnny on the spot Fine Gunmaking: Double Shotguns, sold about 8000 in two editions and I actually got reasonable royalty check for the first year, although not enough to bank. First printing of 4500 sold out in 14 months. Second printing kinda died. I bought the remainder.
Self published Custom Rifle in B&W ($25,000 - 1999) amortized 90% in first 18 months, last 10% took another year, to break even... now it's a cult classic and not financially worthwhile to reprint. A lot of work besides writing and photography.
My most recent royalty check on Double Guns & Custom Gunsmithing, 2007 was $140, for the last (Christmas) quarter, whoopee!
No matter how loudly a few clammer, gun books are simply not money makers, a flat lot of work to break even. Now if you are willing to put some money up front....
Steven,
The really of your experiences, although not surprising, should hit home hard to anyone reading about it. We thank you and Michael for your efforts, I only wish that could have equated to a financial success for you.
What ever Michael does or for that matter you also in the future, I for one will be appreciative. I AM NOT PARTICULAR... paper, CD, DVD, e-book will all work for me I just would like to here what you have to pass on.
Web magazine Michael,
21st century publishing, just an idea, maybe you already get this but have a look.
LRF, I appreciate your comments, tough row to hoe although the image and the judgments are quite a bit different.
Truth is, they don't have a clue where this mag. going or the true potential, no one does. A bit heavy on the adverts for me...
But... as with my own website, now including
PETROV'S PAGES , We hope for the best. Content & Photo HEAVY, no adverts!!
Thanks,
Steve
Steven,
Yes I agree on the adverts; however the purpose of my input was only for sharing another concept to generate ideas about what can be done.
Think of a book that not only conveyed words and pictures but when appropriate video clips, voice explainations or animation.
No critisism of you LRF.
I personaly prefer books, just finished reading a wonderful one, for the second time!!!
The internet possibilities are endless, I agree.
I'll use any source for info when I need it quick and/or to use on a job:CD,internet or whatever,but for my leisure use I always want a book and am willing to pay the price for the right book. I have never regretted the thousands of dollars I have invested in my library. I buy about 3-5 books a month on the average on many subjects and have for years. Getting hard to find ones I don't have on some subjects as I am into books to use and not just look at. I would be willing to put some money up front for what Mr. Petrov has in mind to publish. We simply cannot afford to lose what material he has found in his research and it should be easily available for future collectors and shooters to look at.
Although I now work with a traditional publisher (Schiffer Books), I self published a book on Tranter Cartridge Firearms, and I sold out of them. It cost about $21 each for a 200 page full color 8X11 soft back which sold from $32 (wholesale) on up. I have to warn you it is very rare to make any real money writing books, but it give you great pleasure to pass any knowledge you have gained over the years to others. On the other hand, I have made some reasonable money writing magazine articles.
Thanks for the warning
I've learned a long while ago that writing and publishing for myself is more of a money disposal rather than a money making endeavor.
I'm just lucky that I have the support of my family and in a position that I can do this.
Michael,
You might want to look at Blurb. They have their own software which can be mastered in a day or two. The only downside for you; they are more for photography books. I really had trouble formatting the text. You might want to go to their website and check it out, it's free.
Best,
C.
Thanks I'll check them out.
Michael, I used Blurb to put together my photo collection into book form. I tried lulu and was frustrated with the format. With Blurb, for a photo book, they have a program that you down load onto your computer and work on the book at your pace. when its ready you upload it and they give you a page as a store.
My book doesnt have much text, because I only included the info that was on the photos or what I could learn about the photos. I didnt find working with their text to be a problem.
I used a open source program, Gimp2, as a photo editer and was happy with that too.
Pros for me, Work at my own pace, Easy to use book creator program, I dont have to invest in a the printing or ever handle the books. They give me a base price and I set the price depending on what I want to make per book. People who want it can go and buy it. Printing and binding have been first rate.
Cons,
I lost my hard drive shortly after uploading and hadnt done a final backup. If I wanted to make any changes, Id have to recreate the the book from that point that I had last backed up. I can not down load a copy from them.
At the time I uploaded mine, they did not sell ISBNs.(I dont know if they do now, they where working on that) If I wanted to buy one now, and have it printed on the cover, Id have to redo the book, delete it from their server, and re upload it with the ISBN on the cover.
Base price of the book is high. I think it would be different for one of your books that provide information and represent many hours of research. Its easier to see the value in that. Some people find a 50.00 book of photos to be a little much
It's a jungle out there in publishing with the economy the way it is.
I've talked with a few people who have written and published a book in a style that I would like to copy as well as two publishers.
So far everyone has said to use Adobe InDesign, runs around $700 for the program. I'm also told that like other Adobe stuff not easy to learn.
Slowly working my way through a mountain of options.
You might look into Scribus as a open source alternative to Indesign.
Michael if you ever do Wundhammer be sure to nag me to get you pics of the Wundhammer Krag.
NAG, Nag, nag...
i'd love to see it!
Mark,
The Wundhammer count is at about fourteen now. One does not have a serial number and one is your Krag, the rest are typical Wonderful Wundhammers.
Truth be told I spend more time looking for Wundhammer's work than a lot of the rest. I just like how he made a rifle.
I keep thinking the next email or call be the ONE I'm looking for. That would be Steward Edward White's rifle.
I found this very interesting piece on CNET. It describes how to publish an eBook. I think it would be an interesting way to publish extended articles.
http://reviews.cnet.com/how-to-self-publish-an-e-bookPete