tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19099492.post114778043750233633..comments2023-09-24T12:56:56.332+01:00Comments on Roger's Plog: A tale of two platforms.Roger Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08071467030127707462noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19099492.post-1148231798954157332006-05-21T18:16:00.000+01:002006-05-21T18:16:00.000+01:00Cheers Roger, Well with the appearance of POD the ...Cheers Roger, <BR/><BR/>Well with the appearance of POD the distinction between self and vanity publishing has become hazy. But a self publisher who wants to use POD (print-on-demand) would use a company like Antony Rowe, and do all the graphics and typography themselves. Many big publishers in fact also use Rowe as the printer for their books. Vanity outlets have taken on the 'package deal', submit the typescript and they'll do the rest, even if it does end up in an awful typeface, on poor paper, and overpriced.<BR/><BR/>On typography, I looked at the PDF sampler of your own book and was surprised Macmillan hadn't used typographical ligatures (fi, fl, ff, ffi, ffl). I hope you will point this out to the Publisher, because good books need good typography.<BR/><BR/>(I used to live in Crouch End, incidentally).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19099492.post-1148226034353965722006-05-21T16:40:00.000+01:002006-05-21T16:40:00.000+01:00Hi Joel, thank you for visiting. As for the self v...Hi Joel, thank you for visiting. As for the self versus vanity publishing, I'm only following the terms used by the Oxford Publishing society, whose event it was. It was they who invited Marcelo from Trafford, presumably because they believed his firm offered a self-publishing service. I don't really know anything about them as I had never heard of them before that night. I suppose it depends what imprint the books have, and who is listed as the publisher? <BR/><BR/>Having said that, not everyone who writes is as confident with typgraphy and design as you so evidently are judging by your stunning and very interesting website <A HREF="http://www.biroco.com/" REL="nofollow"> biroco.com</A>.<BR/><BR/>Actually, a point I made, which I think may have been lost in the evening as these things usually are, is that the internet <I>is</I> publishing. I talked about blogs and ezines and online writers' communities. A lot of brilliant writers are using these as outlets.Roger Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08071467030127707462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19099492.post-1148136348388985242006-05-20T15:45:00.000+01:002006-05-20T15:45:00.000+01:00I'd like to echo that there is a big difference be...I'd like to echo that there is a big difference between self and vanity publishing, mainly that the former does away with the middleman, that's why it's called SELF publishing. Vanity publishers appeal to those who are rather clueless about print, typography, and graphical matters, and have more money than sense. The idea that somebody (anybody) is willing to publish them, even at a large cost to themselves, appeals to their vanity. Self publishers may also be vain, of course, but they don't need someone one step up from a confidence trickster to create for them the illusion of being 'a published author' (the point at which any writer becomes a bore, should they self-identify with that conceit). <BR/><BR/>This is not to say many conventionally published authors are not vain...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19099492.post-1148057529750568122006-05-19T17:52:00.000+01:002006-05-19T17:52:00.000+01:00Hi Skint Writer! Thanks for looking in. Yes, well,...Hi Skint Writer! Thanks for looking in. Yes, well, vanity or self... I don't know. Thanks to print on demand technology, even if it is vanity publishing, it's not the same as the old model of vanity publisher, where the author would be stuck with a garage full of unsellable books. With POD, the books don't actually exist until somebody orders one. <BR/><BR/>As for why you have to have a blogger account, sorry about that. I must have configured it not to get anonymous comments. Can't quite remember why I did that. If I can work out how to put it right I will do. I don't mind who comments!Roger Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08071467030127707462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19099492.post-1147803753961344782006-05-16T19:22:00.000+01:002006-05-16T19:22:00.000+01:00Thanks. Oh yes, I did mean them! So, theoretical...Thanks. Oh yes, I did mean them! So, theoretically, for the second book, you should be treated like any other author i.e. get an advance?! <BR/><BR/>Don't worry too much about the exact figure - it was just idle curiosityElspethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385613621281021295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19099492.post-1147797656080638622006-05-16T17:40:00.000+01:002006-05-16T17:40:00.000+01:00Hi femme,For me to break even? The question doesn'...Hi femme,<BR/><BR/>For <I>me</I> to break even? The question doesn't really make sense as I haven't invested any money in Macmillan New Writing. If you mean for <I>them</I> to break even, (ie Macmillan) then I think I did know the answer to that, but I've forgotten it! I'm not very good at figures. It's in Mike Barnard's book, Transparent Imprint, I think. (I'll try to remember to look it up for you, if you like - don't have it on me at the moment.)<BR/><BR/>The deal on the second book is that Macmillan UK have the option. If they like the book and your first has done well, then they will publish it under one of the other imprints - eg Pan Macmillan, or Picador, depending on which is appropriate. It will not be published by Macmillan New Writing, quite logically, as you will no longer be a new writer.Roger Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08071467030127707462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19099492.post-1147796046749715952006-05-16T17:14:00.000+01:002006-05-16T17:14:00.000+01:00Hi Roger,Boring questions but - how many books do ...Hi Roger,<BR/>Boring questions but - how many books do they have to sell for you to break even and is it a one book only deal? What next?!Elspethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385613621281021295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19099492.post-1147790603534247092006-05-16T15:43:00.000+01:002006-05-16T15:43:00.000+01:00Sadly, Steve, it wasn't an open gig. You had to be...Sadly, Steve, it wasn't an open gig. You had to be a member of the Oxford Publishers Society to get in. I did think of you, seeing as I was in your manor (or is it 'on your manor'?).Roger Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08071467030127707462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19099492.post-1147787479998486622006-05-16T14:51:00.000+01:002006-05-16T14:51:00.000+01:00Dang, if I had known you were speaking at Oxford B...Dang, if I had known you were speaking at Oxford Brookes I could have popped along after work. Never mind. Glad to hear it went well.Steve Kanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11242098704029677197noreply@blogger.com