Making Sense From Nonsense
I took a big step during the last few weeks: I got myself a publisher and signed an agreement to release my formerly self-published nonsense poetry book “Making Sense From Nonsense”!
I thought it might be interesting for any of you out there who have never done this to be able to follow me along on this journey as it unfolds, and so I’m planning to do maybe one blog post per week here as I go through the stages and release the final product.
Just to rewind for moment though: I completed this project back in May 2023, sent it to a printer in China (where I live), and printed out 200 copies as gifts for/trades with other interested parties in the city. I held a release party, where I performed some of the pieces, and have pretty much been sitting on it ever since.
My plan was to try to get it on the bookshelves anywhere possible in Winnipeg, my hometown, when I returned there in summer 2023. My first choice was McNally Robinson, a local bookstore that also has an outlet in a neighbouring province.
But, of course, with independent media of all kinds being produced in such large quantities, bookstores don’t want to just take a book from any random dude walking in off the streets. They need products guaranteed to be of a certain quality at least. And so they pointed me to Friesen Press, the service they use to guarantee that desired quality.
I was immediately drawn in by their statement on the home page: “Self-publish your book with the world’s only 100% employee-owned publishing services provider”, and the telephone call I had with one of the employees also made me feel really good about them. However, it was going to be around $3000 dollars Canadian to get it all done, so I decided to think on it for a while.
Well, I’m back in Winnipeg for Xmas, and I decided to finally do it.
Here’s what they’re going to do for me for my hard-earned $3000:
Launch Publishing Path
The Launch Path provides essential book publishing services in the areas of manuscript preparation, design, production, distribution, and promotion.
Production Features: Custom Layout (Inside, Front & Back Cover) (up to 60k words) and 1 Revision Round
Editing Features: Editor’s Manuscript Evaluation up to 60K words
Book and Printing Features: 3 ISBNs, Paperback and Hardcover Edition, Full Color or Black & White Interior, Full Color Book Cover, and up to 1 Paperback Promotional Copy* (*Max Value CDN — Paperback: $13 | USD — Paperback: $10 — Note: shipping charges are not included)
Distribution: Online & Wholesale Book Distribution, FriesenPress Online Bookstore, Online Royalty Reporting, and eBook Channels — Google Play, Amazon Kindle, Apple iTunes
Promotion Features: Marketing101 Toolkit, Book Marketing Basics Webinar
Extension of Service: 6 Months
Premium Book Cover Design
A professional cover to make your book stand out. Our highly skilled designers will work with your ideas and/or develop their own cover art concepts. Your designer will create 2–3 custom cover concepts from which you can choose elements to be developed into your final stunning book cover.
Extension of Service: 2 Months
Expanded Distribution eBook Bundle
Your title is made available for purchase on the Barnes & Noble Nook and Rakuten/Indigo Kobo eBook networks.
Standard Back Cover Copywriting 2
Standard Back Cover Copy includes marketing copy for the “About the Author” and “About the Book” sections, written by the Editor who read and evaluated your manuscript.
Extension of Service: 1 Month
Book Promotion Plan
A strategy guide written by your Promotion Specialist providing you with the coaching and resources you need to market and promote your book effectively, both online and traditionally. Your plan is supplemented by our Marketing 101 Toolkit and Book Promotion Plan Toolkit, containing guidance and instructions on marketing for today’s author.
Book Return Insurance — Two years
For bookstores to stock a title, it must be sold to them with returnable status. 2 years of Book Return Insurance provides two years of returnability with the Ingram Book Company.
Design Hourly Charge
Technician’s Hourly Rate
So that’s the first step completed! I have to say that so far, I have been impressed with their professionalism and down-to-earth attitude, and I’m looking forward to going through the next steps together.