The Self-Publishing Route
Thursday, March 25, 2021
Before I even started reading the article on the topic of self-publishing, I was already concerned about quality. If I can’t convince a publisher to take on Lenny & Jan’s project, I want to make sure that what I put put will be of above average quality. I know that there is a lot out there but I wonder how many companies will represent both image and text at a high level. And what’s going to cost me. My dad’s words ring in my ears: You get what you pay for. Don’t waste time: get what you want. And one of the more famous phrases: “Deutsche Qualität!”
Here is the article I read: Resources for Self Publishing Your Photo Book or Exhibition Catalogue by Mary Virginia Swanson.
And here are the tidbits & takeaways:
Create a “test” book that you can use as a promotional text to present to potential publishers. I had read this before but it resonated more this time around for some reason. I am strongly considering doing things “my” way in the sense of putting together what Lenny and Jan had, with only an Afterword from me. Even if I do not consider it to be the ideal presentation, it is where they were with the project and perhaps I need to begin by honoring that. I can then present it to publishers.
I visited all 10 websites that the article mentioned. Here is a list of the sites I was most impressed and I need to mention that I looked not just at the pricing and the quality of the image but the content, the visuals. If Black and Brown people were not represented, I moved on. So the list is short: artifact uprising, blurb, lulu.
I was relieved to realize that almost all of the sites allowed for text to be added to each page, with some being more flexible/generous than others. I want to be able to have an image on the left page and writing on the right page, for example - since there is a good amount of writing to complement the photos.
Once I have found the right company (self publish), I can go to Photo Fairs, which I had not known existed. With the pandemic and all, things might be stalled or operate a bit differently but it offers a venue for me to present (and sell?) the book. Something to consider. Most of them seem to be based in California, with New York coming in second and one that takes place in Kassel, Germany.
I was intrigued by the number of photo book competitions that are out there but wonder whether Lenny & Jan’s book could even qualify for them, as they are not my work…It would be nice for them to be recognized in that kind of way but that is getting way ahead of myself.
I think what I did come to realize is that I want to put a photo book together, one that mirrors as closely as possible what Lenny and Jan had put together thus far. And from then, I can work on possibly creating something with the help of a professional editor at a publishing company. This would involve full access to all of Lenny’s 1700 photos.
At least I feel a sense of relief. I do still want to complete a photo book proposal PDF, as much as it has been a clunky and awkward and unfulfilling process thus far. I really suck at the whole “less is more” thing. although when it comes to poetry, I think I sometimes get it.
As much as I am dreading it, I will really have to return to those Google Slides this weekend. But what I will also do is analyze my short list of photo book self-publishing companies and make a selection. That should actually be fun, unless of course, the sites end up being smoke and mirrors - or the final item in my cart ends up costing $500+. If so, it’ll be time to buy some scratch-offs.
