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Publishing
with Passion-and with Pictures
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Pam
Taylor Copeland
July, 2003
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I wrote
my first book, I Liked You At Ten… I’ll Like You Again,
in late 1998, about parenting, treasured moments, and the struggles of
growing up. Writing is a passion; publishing was a dream. Like many
novice writers who believe they can, I simply wrote the book and then
tried to get a publisher. Attempting to sell it via the usual channels,
I was turned down by 15 traditional houses. Nevertheless, I was
determined to see the project through to fruition. I believed in my
book and knew it would do well given the chance.
However I
was a writer not a publisher, and a new writer
at that. What if the publishing houses were right to reject it and no
one liked it? After careful consideration, I threw caution to the wind
and took on the scary role of a "self-publisher."
�
Plenty of Control Perks
Fortunately
I had the savings and time to begin my publishing adventure. But where
should I begin? There was so much to learn so fast.
The first
thing I did was define my audience. What was my niche? Who fit into my
target market? I gathered a diverse group of retailers and booklovers
to help me answer these questions and decided that I had a "gift
book" on my hands. Then I explored similar books to learn about favored sizes, layout styles, compatible prices,
and appeal in general.
Because I
realized how important illustrations would be for my book, I paid
special attention to finding an artist --someone in sync
with me, someone who would be able to color
in my words. I interviewed several illustrators before I found
the talented Suzi Bliss Kyle. Not only was
her art perfect for my project, she "got" what I wrote.
With the
illustrations complete, I moved on to finding a designer. I
looked for one who was not only skilled and able, but who could also
explain the design process to this inexperienced publisher.
Recommendations from those in the know led me to just the right person.
While
finalizing the book, I enlisted friends, critics, and an English
professor at the nearby college for proofreading. The last thing I
wanted was to be humiliated by unfound typos or punctuation errors.
The next
step was to print the book. I investigated printers and obtained bids
from those I selected. Since it was important to me to be involved in
the entire printing process, I chose a local, cost-competitive printer.
This allowed me to approve the colors,
endorse the final layout, and go to press checks. All the while, I was
able to learn about printing and its methods. I soon realized that
control is one of the many perks of independent publishing.
Now my
book was ready to sell. Wrong! I hadn’t considered
distribution. I thought I could sell the books directly, distribute
them myself, and everyone would be happy. I soon learned that most
bookstores and some gift stores require an outside distributor. I also
learned independent bookstores prefer small distributors, chains prefer
national distributors, and gift stores prefer gift distributorships
(such as Cogan Books and Dot Gibson). The good news is that
distributors offer marketing help along the way, and they have reps
that reach various outlets nationwide. The bad news is that it’s
costly. The standard split puts 55-60% of the retail price into the
distributor’s pocket; a direct sale puts 50-60% of the retail
price into my pocket.
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Getting that Unit Cost Down
My
book’s first press run-5,000 copies-cost $7.35 per
book, including printing, illustrations, design, and miscellaneous
expenses. The book is 56 pages, full-color,
5-3/4" x 6-7/8", hardcover, with a
jacket. It retails for $14.95, which translates into $7.47-$8.97
wholesale. Obviously I didn’t make any money on that first
printing.
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I soon
realized, though, that I could save money by printing elsewhere, and that
I could save the most money by printing overseas. After lots of online
searching, I found a U.S. print broker to represent me to the overseas
firms. My second printing-also 5,000 copies-cost me $2.55 per
copy. What a savings! Being a novice, I never considered the
"rule" that the cover price must be eight times production
costs to publish profitably. I used the "what similar books
were selling for theory" to price my book and hoped I would sell
enough to at least break even.
Marketing is
the hardest part for me. It’s tough to open yourself up to
rejection like that. I began by pitching my book on familiar turf. I
introduced it to every fitting retail venue in our small town.
Thankfully, I can report that it’s been embraced locally and that
determination and word of mouth continue to increase its sales on a
national level. The book is now available online through Amazon.com and
Barnes & Noble. I continue to make myself easily available for
book-signings, school appearances, and book fairs. I attend conferences
and seek radio/TV/print interviews as much as possible. And I never miss
an opportunity to present my book to a retailer in a community I might be
visiting or a store I might hear about.
At this
point, I’ve sold more than 9,000 copies of I Liked You At
Ten… I’ll Like You Again, and the book is ready for a
third printing.
�
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Testing Two for Kids
Meanwhile
I’ve written and published two children’s picture books.
Production costs for Just You And Me (2,500 copies, full color, hardcover, jacket, 12" x 9-1/4", 28
pages, published 5/02), were $6.73 per copy, including overseas printing,
shipping, illustrations, design, and miscellaneous expenses; it retails
for $16.95. Costs for Let’s Make-Believe (2,500 copies, full
color, hardcover, jacket, 9-1/4" x
9-1/4", 32 pages, published 11/02) were $6.05 per copy, and it also
retails for $16.95.
Although I
knew from experience that a larger print order offers greater opportunity
for profit, I still opted for a smaller initial printing. Since
children’s books are a new experience for me, I felt it necessary
to test the market first. Now that I’ve sold more than 1,500 copies
of each book in just a few months (most to established customers), I plan
to print a larger volume soon.
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Taking Stock
As I write,
publish, edit, grow distributor relationships, increase retail sales,
continue to market, and act as my own publicist, I keep learning by
doing. I wear two hats-one creative and one publisher/business
owner. Am I glad I self-published my first book? Absolutely. Have I made
money? Yes, but it has taken time. Do I continue to sell my books? Yes.
Do I have any concerns? Yes, I have too little time to write!
The main
lessons I’ve learned that warrant passing on are:
�1 Gift
books get lost in bookstores; they sell better in gift stores.
�2 Print
overseas.
�3 Make use
of your distributor’s marketing and sales help and nurture your
relationship.
�4 Promote,
promote, promote…
And last,
but most important, never give up on your dream!
P.
"Pam" Taylor Copeland writes easy, simple verse from the heart.
Inspired by her first grandchild and the success of her first book, she
developed her publishing company, Grammy Time Books. For more
information, visit www.Grammytimebooks.com
or e-mail [email protected].
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