Writing a Book

I was very excited about writing a book as I purchased the copyright to "Quilting on a Shoestring" back in 2003. I was struggling with the cooperative publisher who delayed and delayed and then finally admitted they were in bankruptcy!!

That was a tough time for me. 

I took legal action to get my book back. I was working full time plus at the time, so the time to rewrite, re-edit, remake all the projects, get each pattern tested, then hire a photographer, I soon found my book in a hole, literally!

So I pulled back, took the horse to the barn and put it to bed! In the next 12 years I've learned more about photography, layout, publishing and networking!


I didn't realize it then, but I was a modern quilter of sorts with a crazy style and I used all sorts of recycled cloth and I wanted to empower others to do the same. 


It was a hard sell to my local area and local quilters. Except those in Women's Institute branches of the province. My local WI gals in the photo below.




Twelve years later, modern quilting arrived.

 It became popular to reuse and recycle cloth became more common place. But its still not the normal practice of most quilters. Maybe Gee's Bend quilters would welcome my ideas!


The sewing group in Glen Vowel welcomed my knowledge and one or two women finished their simple tops!


My book lay quietly waiting for its day. The day for that particular book has come and gone. The highlights of my reuse are being blogged about daily with hundreds of other bloggers. So what's new with my ideas?

The work done back then, has been lost in the sense that those quilts need to be reworked and remade! So that is another book in the wings.

Then as time went on and I learned more about blogging, I began to see the networking involved with any serious success for any one blogger. I wrote about my humble beginnings in this very enlightening post from 2012.

Then along the way, the Internet publishing opportunities for e-books has taken publisher's by storm! People are reading online with their tablets, computers, cell phones, Ipad's and more. Its now the best way for any author to make a decent living from the writing we do! Seriously!

If you search online for a publishing royalty amounts, you'll find the royalties are not listed on their websites. It takes a  bit of checking around to learn of 5-12% is standard and is that a proper compensation?


This means that if your book sells for $24.99, your take home royalty of 5% is a wee $1.25 for the hundreds of hours it took to write the book. Plus, you also hand over all the creative layout, editorial changes that make it not yours anymore. 

I know, if you are not  into making a living, and you are independently wealthy, then this won't make a bit of difference to you. You'll probably think I'm writing poppy cock!




I am focused and I feel like I can take this opportunity to get my work in digital or print if my customer wants. Its your choice and even better, my work will never go out of digital style for a download sale.

The marketing costs of your book are yours to bear for travel, accomodation etc to market your book! Yes, attending quilds might pay you if they feel its in their budget. But from what I've been able to glean on this subject is that sometimes the guild see's your print book sales at the event as your paycheck. 

And you cannot turn any further potential sales out of the individual patterns listed in your book because you are in a contract with the publisher.


I really like the simplicity and ease of doing it that has made me become an e-book publisher!

If you are already well entrenched with your crazy quilting techniques, you might prefer to buy a single pattern rather than the whole book, so then as an e-book publisher, I can sell individual patterns on Etsy or Craftsy because I am not in a contract with anyone that would prevent that.

If you want to write your own e-book, then you are in for a load of work and when you done you'll be the sole owner of the work. You will make the decisions about the layout, the writing style, the creative process and you'll be so proud of yourself!!

More on writing an e-book posts are coming along, I'll share what I've learned so maybe you can join me as an e-book publisher!

And, this is one of my Dresden Plate quilts waiting in the wings!


Here's a big thank you to the new followers! So glad you are all aboard!

Up next is the finished Pretty Petals!
 Bye for now everyone!

Comments

  1. The Dresden Plate quilt looks wonderful. Publishing a book is a lot of work and you're right, going to a publisher costs you a lot of your sale money. Self-publishing has really grown.

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  2. Interesting post. I have never bought an ebook or magazine. Old Dog, you know. However, I do buy every issue of the Crazy Quilt Quarterly that Pam Kellogg publishes on MagCloud. I have saved favorite clothes over the years to someday use in a quilt. Now that I'm retired, I'm sure that I will. I'm all about repurposing.

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  3. Such an interesting post. I'm really looking forward to hearing more about your experience as a publisher!

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  4. Great insights Caroline and I wish you loads of success. I can hear your determination in your post and think this will make all the difference for you :) That and you make beautiful quilts!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great insights Caroline and I wish you loads of success. I can hear your determination in your post and think this will make all the difference for you :) That and you make beautiful quilts!

    ReplyDelete

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