Should I self-publish my poetry?

Re: Instant Publisher

You have to remember Instant Publisher is just that, a publishing company. Before you submit to them you have to make sure you have your stuff really together and if you want an ISBN you have to get it. Their tool is very useful in letting you know what the quantity of books per order does to the price however. First plug in 100, 250, 500, 1000, then 5000 copies. You'll see why POD books are so expensive trying to sell them a single copy at a time.
I've been at this for awhile now. My book A Poet's Last Stand was released last September. It is an uphill battle, especially when you are talking promoting a poetry collection but the rewards far outweigh what it has taken so far. Few writers ever get the chance to know that something they have written has changed other people's lives much less saved a few. It has made me measure success with a whole new ruler.

Re: What about InstantPublisher

Yes, I checked them out. It doesn't really look like something I'd like to go with. I definitely wouldn't send them something that wasn't copyrighted yet.

...

But everyhting you create is copyrighted... although I guess it helps to have a way of proving that available before you send something out...

Re: ...My Book

Well, I said I would return and comment when my book from lulu.com arrived, so here I am. I received the package on Thursady afternoon. Two weeks exactly from when I ordered it. I had it shipped via US Postal Media mail, the cheapest method. Whe I got home the box was waiting for me. I held it for a while, a bit nervous about what I might find. When I finally opened it, I was pretty surprised, but in a good way. The book looks great. I did notice a few formatting issues, but that was because of the way I formatted my own document. I already kew about the changes I wanted and before I received the first copy, I had made those changes and uploaded the new content document. Overlooking those things which were my own fault, I must say that I am completely satisfied with the product I received. The cost for my 45 page book came to $7.20, including shipping. The total cost for the new version, which is now 52 pages with the changes I made, is $7.34 including shipping. Before ordering, I set my royalty to $0.00 in order to decrease the selling price, then I reset it back to the level I wanted. The book currently retails for $7.13 (before shipping charges of $1.77 for media mail). I can adjust my royalties at any time, to increase or decrease the selling price. I can also buy my own at bulk prices, which I may do in the near future in order to have copies available at readings.

So, all in all, I am pretty happy with what I got. Basically, I consider it a good quality chapbook. It looks very professional. Perfect bound instead of staples and has a color glossy cover. The best part is that I own all the rights, can do whatever I want with it and it cost me nothing upfront to create. I look at lulu as a publishing service, a printer for my book. I don't necessarily expect to sell many copies through their site, but for now, I can get what I consider to be good quality copies of my collection, as I need them. I know some here have heard some not so great things about lulu, but I must say that I am pretty happy with the product I got. You just have to be careful, and have everything prepared exactly as you, the author, want it before submitting it. One nice thing about this method of self-publishing is that I can change the content any time, by removing previously submitted documents and submitting another. In my eyes, beats having to come upp with a couple hundred bucks upfront. Lulu also offers additional services, like ISBN's, Editing, Custom design, etc, but I chose none of those.

Again, I look at this project as a chapbook, with them doing the production work. The quality I got , in my opinion, looks way better than some of the other chapbooks, some with less poems, that sell for $6-$8 at readings.

My total ivestment so far in this project = $14.54 , for two delivered copies of my book, plus time (a fair amount) for preparing my book just as I want it.

Re: ...My Book

Hi,

I'm glad things went well for you for your book. It does have a nice cover. But you need to get an ISBN for your book (in addition to a bar code, LCCN, etc.) if you want it to be stocked and sold.

I don't want to go with a POD, though. Just a self-publishing company that gives you the books because not everybody I know can order off of the Internet and they still balk at getting an "Internet book" and not the real thing. (shrugs)

The search continues.

Re: ...My Book

have you talked to anyone at a local printer? they might be able to help you out. Of course, it's more expensive than kinkos, but the quality is something you can control...

Re: ...My Book

I did indeed. They want $900+ for a first run (200 copies) :eek

Greenwolf

Dear Greeny,

How many pages are you printing for each copy? Is there a link online that shows the quality you are trying to achieve? I 'm getting a good idea

rt

Re: Greenwolf

Uh-oh.

The last time rt had one of those I got some on my shoes.

lol

lol

Re: Greenwolf

Hi, rt,

The book has 70 pages (including a table of contents and title page). The only quality that matters is that it looks good and doesn't have a plain old cover, like white cover with black words. Also, not a saddle stapled book, either, because my first one was saddle stapled and I got some negative comments about its look. Oh, well.

What is this idea of yours?

publishing poetry.

Was searching internet tonight, and came upon this website. Registered because I saw this conversation board.
Dawn, we have to talk re: publishing.
Please email me at [email protected] as soon as you can, to establish a contact base. I am interested in working with you, and publishing your work. I'll explain in greater detail shortly.
All rights will be retained by you, don't worry, I'm a writer too....If anyone else is interested in having their work published at a lower rate, but just as good of a quality, please contact me at that address. Subj headingublish my work.
I(we) intend to publish three books per month, beginning with poetry. A website is forthcoming.
Thanks!
Tim.

Update

That didn't work out for me, folks. I'm just going to do it all myself and have Kinko's print them up, like I did with my mag. Good thing my sister's an artist!

Re: Update

I'm surprised nobody mentioned a state-funded grant (unless I missed it). I think all states have an arts commission. And as long as you're not studying for a degree or certificate of any kind, you can apply. Google [your state] arts council, and lots of stuff should come up.

I think you just show the committee your work, and they'll decide to approve you or not. I remember my poetry professor mentioning that he got lots of grants when he was writing his book. I don't know how easy they are to get though. But I know a lot of writers use them to pay their living while they're writing their book. So I'm sure they'd help with publishing too.

Might want to check it out. That is, if you're still looking to publish.

Re: Update

THANK YOU, Laura! That was very helpful. I'm definitely looking into it. There's a lot of resources there...

The only things I got a problem with are:

1. The cost of producing the books myself. Until I can get my hands on a certain software and a saddle stapler, I'm stuck with Kinko's. I'm not interested in going through a publisher, just through self-publishing. But printing companies cost too much for me.

2. Selling them through my Web site. Sure I can sell them through postal ordering, but I can't set up something where people can buy the books through PayPal, or something similar to it.

Re: What have you heard?

What was the last book of poetry you actually bought? (Other than a classic collection?)

The truth is, people don't BUY poetry.

If you want a collection of your poetry to give or sell to family and friends, the cheapest route is a printer.

Honestly, I wouldn't bother with trying to self-publish and distribute poetry unless you are a known name. Poetry just doesn't sell.

What you might try, if you write rhymed inspirational poems, is the greeting card market--and that's a market that actually pays for poetry.

Re: What have you heard?

Thanks, skylar. But I haven't decided yet if I want to get into the greeting card market.

The most common poetry books I've bought (especially recently) are the classics: Plath, Poe, Shakespeare, Yeats and Blake. Anyone else, it usually depends on if I know them.

Dawn

In an earlier thread, long ago, I said I had an idea and never told you what it was, sorrry.

I was negotiating for new equipment in my 10,000 sq ft POD as one of the departments in the business where I run the operations.
For a while I was pushing for harcover / paperback capabilities. In the end we stayed with glossy, brocure and magazine type quality because of the price of the equipment. Also, we are very expensive on purpose and my business won't cut me a break yet as we still pay maintenance on the equipment based on click-rate.