Working at Working

The book continues to progress through the various stages of pre-production, production, proofing and galley-proofs etc. Nothing gets done except it requires detailed and careful work before anything can be signed off.

Every day or so, the Publisher sends requests or documents to be edited or approved.

For those looking to walk down the path to getting in print, times have changed.

Decades ago, the routine was to get articles and short stories published so that the name of the author was out there. In fact, a whole Industry of monthy publications existed to cater to that sort of supply and demand.

People used to read in those days. A lot!

Over the years, authors have continued to write and people have continued to read but much of the mass-market has been absorbed into the audio-visual media. The public tend to spend more time today looking and listening rather than reading.

This is changing.

As usual, technology is the master.

The advent of e-books is in the process of revolutionising the book publishing industry.

Today a person can purchase an e-book reader, Kindle for instance in conjunction with Amazon.com, and be able to read books in something like 75 languages so far!

The market is exploding, and in particular, the market is exploding into Asia. How many people in the old days, hoping to get a small article published in Woman’s Day, targeted China or Taiwan? The growth of the reading market is growing exponentially.

Our publisher is connected with the Asian market, plus the Frankfurt Book Expo in Europe and similar Expos internationally. The purpose is to sell international rights to books which will be sold in languages far different to the ones in which they were written.

So despite the age of technology making revisions and corrections of text etc., seem easier, the fact remains, everything must be set in concrete before each stage of production an be signed off. A lot of emails get sent and correspondence between authors and publishers scattered anywhere in the world are quite rapid but every step is required so every particular step must be taken.

We have signed off DARK Me3 to the stage where the Book has been blocked and proofed. The Cover Text has been signed off and the specifications for the book itself have been agreed-even the Price, although nothing there will be final until the book is available for sale.

The publisher reminded me-no marketing before we have the book out there with the price attached.

So now we are waiting for the Art Gurus to come up with the Cover Art.

Then they print off one copy of the book and mail it to us via snail mail.

Then, and by then it would be very expensive to make changes, when we sign-off the print proof, it’s go for production, marketing and sales.

That also will call for the book, which in pdf format is effectively an e-book now anyway, to be professionally set up for online sales as both an e-book and a Paper Print Book.

At that point perhaps, the author should encourage friends and relatives to purchase copies. We will explain what to do with the copies once they are available for sale!

Drama is essential.

Chris

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