PDA

View Full Version : Self Publishing



Donald Miller
19-Jan-2011, 10:14
It seems to me that there are at least two distinct avenues available when self publishing. The first seems to be a limited run of a book of very high quality and high cost aimed at a distinct segment that will pay hundreds of dollars for a limited photo book. The second way appears to be a larger press run that involves marketing the book to book stores and other venues that would sell these books. I have several questions that others may have encountered and answered for themselves in this matter.

I know that there are a number here that have self published using various POD printers. My question is has anyone here printed a larger run of a photo book? I know that these have been done because I see these books in Borders and Barnes and Noble.

If so what are the obstacles to gaining wide spread distribution? I realize that an ISBN number is vital to book recognition. Have you obtained an ISBN number in your own behalf? Have you formed your own publishing company in order to obtain a number? How costly is obtaining a number? I realize that doing a self publishing one must market their own book. Is this an obstacle that many find beyond their means or are there other obstacles?

Thanks for any information that you are able to share on this.

Kirk Gittings
19-Jan-2011, 10:48
IME the trick is to get a regional or local book distributer (not publisher) to handle distribution-they will take care of supplying book stores etc. Then you can concentrate on marketing the book and direct sales to individuals etc. If you can get a museum to hang an exhibit along with the release of the book, that will go along way towards launching the book. At one such opening event, in my home town at a local museum, I think I sold over 100 books. Those sales were handled through the gift shop-so they got a piece, but it was still tremendous.

William McEwen
19-Jan-2011, 11:31
Donald, for what it's worth, you have to devote a lot of time to promoting your book. Driving sales requires a lot of time and attention.

Warning: A book turns the author into a publicity wh*re.


By the way, don't miss:

People and Portraits: Reflections and Essays

People and Portraits: Reflections and Essays contains behind-the-scenes anecdotes about photographing people, peppered with manifesto and tips.

Praise for People and Portraits: Reflections and Essays

Landscape photographer Robert Adams:
“The book is just as much of a pleasure to read as I thought it would be because of your straightforward, eye-to-eye presentation, and your unabashed enjoyment of people and life in general.”


Life magazine photographer John Loengard:
“Very entertaining.”


Retired photography professor Elliott Parker:
“If I were still teaching photography, I’d make it a requirement for every class.”


Normal person/non-photographer Catherine Loveless:
“If I’d known how much I would enjoy it, I would have read it sooner.”


It’s a great choice for photographers, for people interested in the creative process, or anyone looking for a fun quick read.


Ahem. See what I mean? :D

Moopheus
19-Jan-2011, 11:34
IME the trick is to get a regional or local book distributer (not publisher) to handle distribution-they will take care of supplying book stores etc.

Good luck with that!

I haven't done photo book publishing but I have done general book publishing, both as a small press and working at large companies. Getting distribution as a small publisher is very hard (but not impossible, depending on what sort of services you need), and getting distributors to pay is also hard (at least, a couple of mine went bankrupt--I don't even know now who is still even in business). If you're just doing a book or two, expect that you will have to do marketing and sales work on your own if you want to get books into bookstores.

ISBNs are managed by Bowker, and nowadays they have a website, isbn.org, that handles all of that. Anyone can get one, but it does cost money.

Getting CIP cataloging by the Library of Congress will help get library sales. This is free (as I recall) but kind of a PITA.

myoptic
19-Jan-2011, 11:45
I noticed that options like Blurb were not mentioned.
Blurb appears to have some very nice books (http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/pbn) that have won some of their awards, but I have never held one so can't compare it to Sally Mann's books or others I have read.
Does anyone here have Blurb or similar experience and is willing to share their thoughts?

William McEwen
19-Jan-2011, 11:58
Hi, David:

I have Frank's book, and also a few other Blurb titles, and the quality is pretty good.

I also did one of my own, as a gift to a friend, with color snapshots. It was easy to put together and the quality was good.

As long as you don't expect Lodima Press (or the like) quality, you will be happy with it.

William

Ed Kelsey
19-Jan-2011, 13:35
If you don't need stunning graphics, but just good image quality, Lightning Source is the way to go. Good prices, consistent quality and a world wide distribution chain through Ingram (including Amazon listings).

These guys are real pros, make Blurp look like the schlocks that they are

http://www.lightningsource.com/

Kirk Gittings
19-Jan-2011, 13:36
Good luck with that!

I haven't done photo book publishing but I have done general book publishing, both as a small press and working at large companies. Getting distribution as a small publisher is very hard (but not impossible, depending on what sort of services you need), and getting distributors to pay is also hard (at least, a couple of mine went bankrupt--I don't even know now who is still even in business). If you're just doing a book or two, expect that you will have to do marketing and sales work on your own if you want to get books into bookstores.

ISBNs are managed by Bowker, and nowadays they have a website, isbn.org, that handles all of that. Anyone can get one, but it does cost money.

Getting CIP cataloging by the Library of Congress will help get library sales. This is free (as I recall) but kind of a PITA.

I have done that, but maybe 20 years ago. It didn't seem hard at all, but maybe I was just lucky.

QT Luong
19-Jan-2011, 13:57
A few years back, I attended a talk by Elisabeth Carmel who was quite successful with her "Brilliant Waters" self-published book. She mentioned that finding a distributor is the key.

Kirk Gittings
19-Jan-2011, 14:17
A book turns the author into a publicity wh*re.

True, but its politely called marketing skills, something most artists are solely lacking.

myoptic
19-Jan-2011, 14:25
If you don't need stunning graphics, but just good image quality, Lightning Source is the way to go. Good prices, consistent quality and a world wide distribution chain through Ingram (including Amazon listings).

These guys are real pros, make Blurp look like the schlocks that they are

http://www.lightningsource.com/
Great tip Ed,
Have you or anyone you know published a photographic book through Lightning Source?.. if so, what do you think of the quality of the photographs?
If Blurb is a 1 and Lodima is a 10, where might Lightning Source stand in terms of image quality?
David

Ed Kelsey
19-Jan-2011, 14:42
Yes I have. On their premium paper vs Blurp's premium paper they are a little behind, maybe a 2 or 3. The prices are quite a bit less from LSI but you do have to pay some set up and distribution fees.

Don't know what Lomida is.

Richard Mahoney
19-Jan-2011, 15:01
... I know that there are a number here that have self published using various POD printers. My question is has anyone here printed a larger run of a photo book? I know that these have been done because I see these books in Borders and Barnes and Noble.

If so what are the obstacles to gaining wide spread distribution? I realize that an ISBN number is vital to book recognition. Have you obtained an ISBN number in your own behalf? Have you formed your own publishing company in order to obtain a number? How costly is obtaining a number? I realize that doing a self publishing one must market their own book. Is this an obstacle that many find beyond their means or are there other obstacles? ...

You may like to look at the printing and distribution offered by:

Lightning Source
http://www.lightningsource.com/

You may also find this useful:

Self-Publishing Review :: Publish With Lightning Source
http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2010/08/16/publish-with-lightning-source/



Best regards,

Richard

Frank Petronio
19-Jan-2011, 15:24
What is your motivation?

If you want an elegant portfolio in book form, then printing high-quality inkjets and binding them into a book is going to present the best image quality. A place like BookSmart Studios will work with you to do this. If you have ready buyers then you might do a small edition and sell them at high prices, like $600 to $1000 each.

Maybe you want the satisfaction of mass-market success? Well you better have amazing photos of a hot topic, in which case you might use something like a Blurb book to test your concept, get the sequencing right, etc. Going to a real publisher with a decent Blurb mock-up and some self-generated early sales is a pretty nice marketing tool to have.

Or maybe you want to blow $10K or more of your money into a short run vanity book to be hawked at museums and galleries for the next decade or three? Well knock yourself out! But it seems kind of pointless to me.

They don't call them "vanity presses" for nothing!

Getting an ISBN is simple. Getting a good editor and designer is ... well how many truly good books do you currently own?

myoptic
19-Jan-2011, 16:13
...dyslexia strikes again... Lodima is what I meant, not Lomida. Sorry.

CCB
19-Jan-2011, 17:04
Has anyone published their work in a magazine format?

Donald Miller
19-Jan-2011, 17:25
Thanks to each of you that took your time to comment. I appreciate your input.