Got a publishing project?
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    I've just completed another book and realized that there are bound to be people on this list who have something they have written or hope to write, either a book or music, that they would like to publish.

    While it is possible to get a contract with a major publisher, many people start out by going to a vanity press where you pay them to publish your book. Over the last ten years I've published, with my editor/composer friend and by myself, 60 books, mostly of organ music, that sort of thing, for a small niche market and using modern publishing, known as on-demand, we have always been in the black. (in publishing it is Hope for the Black, Avoid the Red - apologies to Fr. Z)

    On-demand means that if you can put the book together and the cover as well to their standards, they will put your book in their works, provide a website for it and also list it on amazon.com. For free.

    It's up to you to publicize it and get sales.

    It is a lot easier to court a major publisher/distributor if you can send them, not a manuscript, but a book.

    Before you hit the button that says COMPLAIN ABOUT SPAM ON THE CMAA Forum....

    I'm volunteering to help anyone get their project started and underway. Email me at noeljones@usit.net

    The most important thing to do in any of this is not to assign your copyright to anyone else unless they give you a lot of money. If you do not need help but want to know what company I have dealt with:

    www.createspace.com
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I've used createspace to publish my own (not related to music or church) book. They're awesome.

    On a related note (and forgive the plug) my wife is a skilled graphic and layout designer, and anyone looking to assemble a book for publication will need that profession. She does excellent work, and charges very reasonably.
    (PS- We do blog and website design, too).
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    There once was a time that you could not publish without paying a professional for design and layout work.

    Those days are gone as people and software become more sophisticated.

    My post was intended to offer to help people for free, in the spirit of this forum, rather than generate income. While it is helpful to know that there is professional help available, no one "needs that profession" and no one should think that their book is something that cannot be published because they cannot afford it.

    I have found that the most difficult thing to design is not the page layout of the book, but rather the cover. And that's why Lulu and Createspace offer a free cover design program. I can stumble through InDesign and do my own layout and covers, the latest one incorporating a graphic provided through the generous work of composer and list member Francis Koerber. [THANK YOU, FRANCIS] that he posted for free on this group.

    So I have done my own designs but at first used the free cover design program.

    Publishing is now possible when you have no money. So don't be held back by the thought that you have to pay to publish anymore.

    Look at Francis Koerber's site. I'm 100% sure that he himself did all the internal book design of him music and I think even the cover himself. While you are there consider using his music in your Catholic church with your choir. It's good stuff.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Sorry if the mention offended anyone or was not in the spirit of the forum (you bunch of hippies).
    It's not as if I started a thread to promote my wife's business- I just thought I'd mention it because it seemed related.

    Anyway-
    I completely agree that one can do pretty much everything for free, and that content creators should find ways to distribute their wares as broadly as possible. CreateSpace is pretty amazing, and I highly recommend them.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    The Social Bootstrap Guide to DIY Thought Leadership

    This is a very well-designed web-book that I assume is also available as a printed book. The design work, by Nikki Wood, has an innovative bottom-of-the-page menu which is something I have not seen done before and presents the page on the net as a real book, very effectively keeping the navigational guides below the sight line while reading.

    The format chosen helps focus the reader on the issues that are covered.

    While the site is concerned with being a thought-leader, it goes far beyond that into how you may market yourself (what's the use of being a thought-leader unless you can reach people to lead) including advice on using the internet to create yourself.

    It's a quick read, with lots of ideas to help you as a chant-maven, to get the word out about you and your schola.

    Read it. Link to it. Buy copies for Christmas Presents for relatives who are always borrowing money. Teach them how to make it instead.

    Adam, please post links about this great book you have written and great compliments to Nikki for her graphic work!
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    The main page for the book is here:
    http://thoughtleaderbook.socialbootstrap.com/

    Links from there to read it for free or buy it on Amazon.

    Since I moved from Boston to Fort Worth I haven't kept up the marketing of that business, but we still do some consulting and design work.



    Thanks, FNJ, for the compliments!
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Also, by the way-
    and, really - sorry if this is too self-promotional...

    I believe very strongly in the work that organizations like CMAA and CCWatershed are doing, and a great deal of it is "Thought Leadership" based.
    We (my wife and I) will work for a pretty decent discount for any non-profit organization working in the Sacred Music arena.
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