-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On 14/12/11 10:43, Anthony Campbell wrote: > On 14 Dec 2011, Rainer M Krug wrote: >> > [snip] >> But then the distribution has to be done through somebody - >> which might not cost money, but time. >> >>> >>> More generally, I think that self-publishing printed books for >>> sale, unless to a very clearly defined market, is unlikely to >>> yield much if any profit. The future, I'm sure, is in ebooks. >>> Don't use Lulu for that; Smashwords is better. I have 6 books >>> on Smashwords, including most of those I published with Lulu, >>> and all are selling regularly. >> >> Profit is not an issue here (although I would not mind...). ebook >> only is also not an option, as the target user need to have >> something printed. >> > > I'm still not very clear what it is you want to achieve.
OK - I'll try to clarify. My requirements are: 1) have printed copies available for small target audience in SA. It is difficult to determine the number, as the target audience includes conservation managers, land owners and academics. 2) have a free electronic version available for readers who would prefer to have an electronic version or who just want to see if they would like to have a printed version. As I do not know the number of printed copies needed, I think that printing a certain number is a problem, as if more are needed, it becomes necessary to have again a larger number printed - organizational hassle. Therefore the idea of print-on-demand: a) post a bulk-order based on known readers who will buy the book b) possibility to place additional bulk order c) individual orders possible The electronic version is no problem - pdf, html, other ebook formats can be provided on website for download. I don't see a global market being interested in the printed version - global interest might be academic, but academics are usually OK with electronic versions, and if not, there is print-on-demand. I definitely see your point of local printing - and problems as you describe below would not be nice... Thanks a lot, Rainer > If it is to have a book printed AND have it distributed widely, > possibly globally, via Amazon and other online retailers, Lulu is > probably the best way to go. There is a fee for this service. See > this link for details. > > http://connect.lulu.com/t5/ISBN-Distribution/How-does-the-distribution-process-work/ta-p/33620 > > > > If you just want to print a number of copies which you will supply > yourself to students or something like that, it would probably be > better to have it printed locally. You would need to inquire about > prices, minimum print run, etc. Antony Rowe, for example, has a > setup fee, but thereafter their prices are lower than Lulu's and > you can print from one copy upwards without penalty for smaller > numbers. > > Another advantage of getting local printing is that you can be sure > of quality. I have been lucky with Lulu myself, apart from one time > when they printed someone else's book in my cover, but you will > find people in the Lulu forums who have horror stories of > unacceptable books resulting in long email arguments with Lulu. I > like to deal with a firm that I can ring up and grouse to if I need > to. > > Anthony > - -- Rainer M. Krug, PhD (Conservation Ecology, SUN), MSc (Conservation Biology, UCT), Dipl. Phys. (Germany) Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology Stellenbosch University South Africa Tel : +33 - (0)9 53 10 27 44 Cell: +33 - (0)6 85 62 59 98 Fax : +33 - (0)9 58 10 27 44 Fax (D): +49 - (0)3 21 21 25 22 44 email: rai...@krugs.de Skype: RMkrug -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.11 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/ iEYEARECAAYFAk7oep4ACgkQoYgNqgF2egrtOgCfb5HITO4O3LdF33LsINvCoKSx h+sAoIlvWgzchGLmsKKV15Xhlm2zS1+z =GvV3 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
