01 May 2011
Finally!
02/05/11 22:09
I started shipping books yesterday. The long wait is finally over. First reviews are encouraging. Had I realized what it takes to produce, market and ship the book, I would never have started the project. But innocence sometimes is best to jump ahead. Writing the book is the easiest part. Next to that is learning to use a DTP program (in my case: Indesign) and trying to produce a decent PDF for the printer. Do not think this is easy! There are troubles at every step. Then the selection of pictures, scanning the pictures and making the right CMYK files (much help here from Graphic Converter). The final step is to send the files to the printer, chapter for chapter and making sure that the content table does not change and the page numbers stay as they should be.
After receiving the books (problems with big trucks and logistics) you have to start packaging the books (find a good book wrap) and then you need a program to send books with bar codes, tracking and tracing information and customs information. Every step in the process has to be learned and alas costs money. Sending the books is another logistic problem!
I thought, naively, that writing the book was the complex part, but it turns out that the writing part consumes only ten percent of the total exercise.
Another topic: today the last manufacturer of mechanical typewrites (in India) stopped production. Much brilliant literature has been produced on a simple typewriter and many are still in use. Another icon of creativity is now dead. A pity,
After receiving the books (problems with big trucks and logistics) you have to start packaging the books (find a good book wrap) and then you need a program to send books with bar codes, tracking and tracing information and customs information. Every step in the process has to be learned and alas costs money. Sending the books is another logistic problem!
I thought, naively, that writing the book was the complex part, but it turns out that the writing part consumes only ten percent of the total exercise.
Another topic: today the last manufacturer of mechanical typewrites (in India) stopped production. Much brilliant literature has been produced on a simple typewriter and many are still in use. Another icon of creativity is now dead. A pity,