I was wondering about what percentage of ku books are self-published, and if it is frowned upon in the community. Also, can they be sent to journals for review and entered into first-book contests (I know every contest has its own rules). I've noticed that many people are using Lulu.com to publish books that look quite nice.
HaikuCowboy
Minneapolis
like you I will read any replies with interest. I have no experience in this but having read a few others experiences I would urge caution. and do a little research.
I have looked at the publishing association, others experiences, marketing and promotion, which seems to require commitment if self publishing. In US i believe it helps to obtain a publishing number IB.....something.
Or like one self publisher I read about you could end up only selling the few you buy ::)
Hello, Cowboy and Gael,
Gael, I believe you are referring to the ISBN, the International Serial Book Number which is how the book is referenced for a variety of purposes -- including sales, inventory, and cataloguing.
A POD company like Lulu has a very slick and easy system for obtaining one, as well as dealing with all the other steps of self-publishing. (My school publishes our yearbook through Lulu.) If you are self-publishing, POD (print on demand) is the way to go because there is little or no up-front money involved and no inventory of books to get rid of.
cat
Lulu is a real viable way to go. Their system is solid with lots of guidance ... and affordable set up. Once your book is complete, it remains in their system to produce on demand. Robert Wilson publishes his books through them. I have one of his books and it looks wonderful. Also, I was published in a book from them, produced by another author/editor. It looks wonderful too and regarding ordering ... they send the book out within a few days of the order. It's amazing.
Watch out for the rest though. They are expensive times 12. They are publishing for vanity only. Lulu is a true publishing company that wants to see your book succeed.
jmho,
Don
Hi Lucas,
Within the general poetry community, many, many books, especially first books, are self-published. It's a reality that cookbooks are best sellers and poetry is not. The major publishing houses dropped poetry completely (apart from reprinting classics with copyright run out, and the work of a few very successful and well-known poets) It's not frowned upon if you self-publish, and it's certainly far more sensible to self-publish than to fall into the traps of the various 'vanity publishers'.
The options are various. Lulu, as has been mentioned, a local company who will edit and publish your work for a stated price or doing it all yourself. Not so difficult: work out what you want, how you want it to look, how many pages, cover illustration & layout, apply for an ISBN number, go to printing stores and price paper, find a local, congenial printer and get a price for the job, send the final version of your ms to people for back cover 'blurbs'. This is, after all, how most poetry magazines and journals do it and this is how many small presses begin, too.(I'm only speaking from experience within Australia, but I imagine things are similar elsewhere...and I know it's a lot cheaper in the USA where there are many more small presses as a result)
A caution, though: I'd advise waiting until you had sufficient work published to select from and arrange into an attractive reading experience. I'd even say wait until you had three times as many haiku published in reputable journals than you will use in your book. (This doesn't apply if your intended audience is your family, friends and other people who support you and will want to help you...but that is a whole other matter. When you hear anyone brag that their book 'sold out' at the book launch or is 'in it's third edition', take it with a grain of salt and watch for a critical review or two appearing in likely places) If you want a book that has a chance of being well-reviewed and considered along with the many other books in the genre, be a little patient, because patience and forethought will serve you well.
- Lorin
Lorin, thank you for that carefully considered advice. :)
Solid advice, Lorin.
:)