Reprints: Paperback or HTML?
Looking forward, I have many more potential reprints than actual new material, in the pipeline. This is mostly because it's only a few days' or a weeks' work to get the scanning and OCR done, while months of research may go into a brand new title.
But, of course, not all reprints have a ready-made audience. Just because I find them interesting doesn't mean that anyone else will (or that my low-key low-cost marketing will attract anyone who might). Take for instance a reprint of a small booklet of philatelic cartoons from 1916 (I used to collect stamps, so still carry a slight interest in the subject); there might possibly be two or three philatelic historians who'd shell out for a copy (the cartoons are only mildly amusing today, as they appear to be riffing on people long gone...), but there wouldn't be much else. So, should I forego the print copy (which would cost me about $75 to produce via normal methods) and just reprint it on some pages on the CoachwhipBooks site? Maybe publish it as a paperback through Lulu, where there are no upfront costs, but wouldn't be distributable elsewhere and would have a higher print cost...
There are a few possible titles for alternative publishing routes, but will have to decide what's worth spending time on and what should be left to other salvagers.
But, of course, not all reprints have a ready-made audience. Just because I find them interesting doesn't mean that anyone else will (or that my low-key low-cost marketing will attract anyone who might). Take for instance a reprint of a small booklet of philatelic cartoons from 1916 (I used to collect stamps, so still carry a slight interest in the subject); there might possibly be two or three philatelic historians who'd shell out for a copy (the cartoons are only mildly amusing today, as they appear to be riffing on people long gone...), but there wouldn't be much else. So, should I forego the print copy (which would cost me about $75 to produce via normal methods) and just reprint it on some pages on the CoachwhipBooks site? Maybe publish it as a paperback through Lulu, where there are no upfront costs, but wouldn't be distributable elsewhere and would have a higher print cost...
There are a few possible titles for alternative publishing routes, but will have to decide what's worth spending time on and what should be left to other salvagers.
Labels: publishing
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home