HOW
IT ALL BEGAN.
April……..1999.
I made my
morning sojourn to the mailbox. As always, I prayed it wouldn't
be there. But it was! The pink slip. More mail to collect.
How many was that? Twenty eight? Twenty nine? I'd lost track.
This time I had really held out hope. At a publisher's suggestion
I had sent my manuscript to their recommended appraisal agent.
Their evaluation stated my work was publishable.
'Adventure
and mystery. Good descriptive writing. Keeps the reader turning
the pages.'
I felt my $420
had been well spent. The reader had also pointed out my grammar
and punctuation was a bit rough. I thought publishers had their
own editors who took care of those minor details. That was all rectified
with the help of a good friend before I sent it back.
Without a favourable
appraisal the publisher had made it clear that my work wouldn't
be considered. My board of control discreetly busied herself as
I entered the house. This latest, and now familiar outcome, was
plain for all to see in my countenance. The cats gave me a wide
birth as I thumped down into my office chair loudly, and slammed
the all to familiar package on my desk. I ripped it open savagely,
disgusted by the great unfairness of it all.
They hadn't
read it.
Not all of it
anyway. I knew, because I had discreetly spot glued selected pages
together throughout the manuscript. Just tiny spots that wouldn't
interfere with reading or turning of the pages. The glue, like the
appraisal, had been a waste of money. The publisher informed me
they had two to three years work scheduled.
My work didn't
fit in their program.
I considered changing
my name by deed poll to someone famous. A mass murderer or serial
killer maybe? A great sporting icon? Perhaps jump from a plane and
parachute into a palace? That was old hat. I'd probably have to
do it without a parachute to make an impression. That didn't appeal.
I knew I had
a worthwhile story that people would buy and enjoy reading.
I came to the inescapable conclusion that, as an unknown and previously
unpublished author, I was never going to get my book published.
I began looking at other options. All the quotes I obtained indicated
that few printers were interested in short runs or costs that didn't
run into five figures. So I did it myself. I had some problems that
I won't bore you with, but by the completion of my third book, I
knew I had it right.
Library suppliers
brought them, friends and acquaintances brought them, and I'm selling
them on the Internet. I have sent them out for reviews and entered
competitions. It's not the grand beginning I envisaged but it's
the first step along the way. The books on this site have been done
the same way. Up loading is free, there is no commission on sales,
and customers use the individual order form, mailed direct to the
author's address. If you are stuck in the same frustrating situation
that I was, I would like to help. Check the prices below and compare
them with any others you have obtained.
Be sure to take
into consideration all the costs involved. I found some offers that
initially looked good, resulted in a very expensive end product
when all separately listed costs, e.g. layout, cover design and
printing were tallied up.
Finished book size is 200mm x 140mm (approximately A5). Black text
on white bond. Full digital colour cover. Prices are for 100 books.
50 pages will equal about 13 -15,000 words.
Up to 100
pages $10.95 each
101 to 150
pages $11.95 each
151 to 200
pages $12.95 each
201 to 250
pages $13.95 each
251 to 300
pages $14.95 each
Cover design
and layout $125.00
These prices include
typesetting and layout. Books are perfect bound. These costs represent
the final finished cost of your book and, as such, should allow
you to sell your books at a profit. It also provides you with a
finished product to obtain reviews, conduct a launch, lodge with
the national and state library as required, lodge with D W Thorpes
for listing, enter literary competitions and become a published
author.
Please
note - they don't include editing or proof reading.
Find a clever
friend like I did. Your manuscript needs to be on a disk. Please
contact me for other details. You could have your book sooner than
you thought possible. It doesn't need to as complicated as some
would have you believe.