Pete the publisher
Jun. 3rd, 2004 03:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
skyringA couple of weeks ago I got an inquiry from a customer about a few books. I won't say I hate inquiries, but I don't like them as much as firm orders. For one thing, the question of payment is an issue - they generally want to pay by credit card and I don't take credit cards, or maybe a cheque in foreign currency which is all but useless to me as my bank charges me $7 to convert and there goes the profit and then some.
I have to go look up the book, which usually involves unlocking the storeroom, shicfting a few crates, returning, weighing the book to make a postage quote and then what do I do with the book? Return it to stock knowing that I might have to drag it back out again, or keep it out and I might lose track of it if an order doesn't follow? Most of these inquiries vanish into thin air anyway. They want me to post them a book for the price of a letter or something. Half the time they get a better rate by just ordering the dam' thing through ABE. ABEbooks handles the credit cards for me and provides all sorts of tracking and protection tools that are lacking when I send off a book by myself.
Anyway, I left this email open while and I had to reboot the computer shortly thereafter and I forgot about it.
The customer didn't, and she sent me another email to remind me. Ulk!
I drug out the books - three books at about $3 each, plus postage in a 3 kilo satchel (an Australian customer), used my standard template to send off the info, and she came back saying that she wanted them and would pay by direct deposit on Monday (this being on Saturday). I scrolled down to see if she had included a postal address, as in these cases I usually send off the books immediately, but I generally don't tell the customer I'm doing so, as they might "forget" to make the deposit/send the cheque, but if they think they got to send the money before I post the books, they'll pay me as soon as possible, and I'd rather have the money quicker rather than later or maybe not at all.
I couldn't find an address, but I did find out that she was in the publishing/editor business, helping people tell their life stories.
Hmmmmm. I've been needing advice on my writing future. I think I may be able to tell a story in an entertaining fashion, and I like writing about Bookcrossing, especially in distant places, and if the writing paid for the travel, why, I'd be getting free holidays. Or at least discounted ones - can't see thousands of people lining up to fund luxury trips to exotic locations.
So I said that I'd waive payment on account of me forgetting her order, if she'd comment on my book and my plans.
Comment she did, and reckons I should shut up in public 'cos it's a good idea, and she also gave me a few pointers. The upshot was that she reckoned that trying to find a publisher was going to be difficult and probably more trouble than it was worth and this Lulu lark was the go of the future. I should ditch my first chapter and it made no commercial sense to give it away as a free download.
She provided her address and I sent the books off, but she also said she'd pay and she did, the dear lady. My chance at revenge came when she asked about a book she was having trouble finding. I quickly found a copy on Bookfinder and just now I've paid for it to be sent to her from California.
I'll follow her advice - drop my existing first chapter, write a new one describing the wild glacier release, put that up as the freebie "teaser" and charge for both book and download. Not a lot. A dollar on top of the existing prices, which that will be 80c for me and 20c for Lulu.
I'll have to start promoting the book myself, and I can't say as I like that particular bit of public wankery, but if I'm to make a go of this, I'll have to do it. The New Zealand book is just a bit of fun, really, but there's a small market amongst Bookcrossers and maybe people with an interest in the country. "Bookcrossing Through OZ" is a more serious effort. Sure, I'm going to have fun, but I've got some observations to make. And I'd really like to do the London thing - been reading up on the topic and thinking about how to do it.
I have to go look up the book, which usually involves unlocking the storeroom, shicfting a few crates, returning, weighing the book to make a postage quote and then what do I do with the book? Return it to stock knowing that I might have to drag it back out again, or keep it out and I might lose track of it if an order doesn't follow? Most of these inquiries vanish into thin air anyway. They want me to post them a book for the price of a letter or something. Half the time they get a better rate by just ordering the dam' thing through ABE. ABEbooks handles the credit cards for me and provides all sorts of tracking and protection tools that are lacking when I send off a book by myself.
Anyway, I left this email open while and I had to reboot the computer shortly thereafter and I forgot about it.
The customer didn't, and she sent me another email to remind me. Ulk!
I drug out the books - three books at about $3 each, plus postage in a 3 kilo satchel (an Australian customer), used my standard template to send off the info, and she came back saying that she wanted them and would pay by direct deposit on Monday (this being on Saturday). I scrolled down to see if she had included a postal address, as in these cases I usually send off the books immediately, but I generally don't tell the customer I'm doing so, as they might "forget" to make the deposit/send the cheque, but if they think they got to send the money before I post the books, they'll pay me as soon as possible, and I'd rather have the money quicker rather than later or maybe not at all.
I couldn't find an address, but I did find out that she was in the publishing/editor business, helping people tell their life stories.
Hmmmmm. I've been needing advice on my writing future. I think I may be able to tell a story in an entertaining fashion, and I like writing about Bookcrossing, especially in distant places, and if the writing paid for the travel, why, I'd be getting free holidays. Or at least discounted ones - can't see thousands of people lining up to fund luxury trips to exotic locations.
So I said that I'd waive payment on account of me forgetting her order, if she'd comment on my book and my plans.
Comment she did, and reckons I should shut up in public 'cos it's a good idea, and she also gave me a few pointers. The upshot was that she reckoned that trying to find a publisher was going to be difficult and probably more trouble than it was worth and this Lulu lark was the go of the future. I should ditch my first chapter and it made no commercial sense to give it away as a free download.
She provided her address and I sent the books off, but she also said she'd pay and she did, the dear lady. My chance at revenge came when she asked about a book she was having trouble finding. I quickly found a copy on Bookfinder and just now I've paid for it to be sent to her from California.
I'll follow her advice - drop my existing first chapter, write a new one describing the wild glacier release, put that up as the freebie "teaser" and charge for both book and download. Not a lot. A dollar on top of the existing prices, which that will be 80c for me and 20c for Lulu.
I'll have to start promoting the book myself, and I can't say as I like that particular bit of public wankery, but if I'm to make a go of this, I'll have to do it. The New Zealand book is just a bit of fun, really, but there's a small market amongst Bookcrossers and maybe people with an interest in the country. "Bookcrossing Through OZ" is a more serious effort. Sure, I'm going to have fun, but I've got some observations to make. And I'd really like to do the London thing - been reading up on the topic and thinking about how to do it.
