Book
People is published by Chappell Thorne
16 Chilham Way, Bromley, Kent BR2 7PR
Telephone: 020 8462 5000 • Fax: 020 8462 9993
ISDN: 020 8462 8076
Email: bookpeople@chappell-thorne.com
Sub
Editor: Paula Arkell
Production: Liz Bingold
Advertising Sales: Jenny Kearl
© 2002 by Chappell Thorne. All rights reserved. No part of
this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher.
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SELLING
IN NORTH AMERICA
Stewart
Cass of Frank Cass Publishing, points out some of the requirements
and pitfalls of distribution in the US. As well as being MD of
Frank Cass Publishers, Stuart is also a director of ISBS. A full
list of client publishers can be found at www.isbs.com.
While the internet has made it easier for overseas publishers
to gain visibility for their books in North America, without a
local distributor it is difficult to generate sales beyond determined
and dedicated specialist readers who are also prepared to pay
the high costs of international shipping. Trade buyers and resellers,
including the online bookstores, rarely get involved in importing
books. Therefore, if you want to sell your books in North America
you need to find a local distributor. Most American distributors
also service the Canadian market so for most publishers one distributor
will usually be sufficient.
As you would expect, there are many distributors to chose from,
and most tend to focus on particular sectors of the North American
market place. In selecting a distributor it is therefore important
to make sure that the one you choose focuses on the right sector
for your books, and that they also provide appropriate sales and
marketing services. Simply appointing a stockist almost always
results in disappointment unless you are prepared to undertake
the task of marketing and promoting your books from the UK –
a difficult and expensive task, especially where you have a small
publishing programme.
One of the oldest specialist North American distributors is International
Specialized Book Services (ISBS) of Portland, Orgeon. ISBS has
been providing marketing and distribution services to academic
and specialist publishers from around the world for almost 30
years. Its client publishers cover a range of different subject
areas including the social sciences, humanities, law, natural
sciences, medical sciences, literature and religious studies.
Many of the client publishers are based in the UK, but others
are based in Ireland, continental Europe, Asia and Australia.
To help reduce the cost of getting books to the US, a consolidated
shipping service is available from the UK with shipments going
more or less weekly.
Recognising that its clients produce specialist books ISBS, has
developed a range of services geared to its publishers and their
customers including extensive direct mail campaigns, displaying
books at academic conferences and specialist trade events, sending
books to review media, teleselling to specialist book sellers,
supplying data in a range of formats to various online bookstores
and books in print databases. Some direct mail campaigns utilize
the publisher’s own catalogues, others are based around subject
catalogues ISBS produces to bring together similar books from
different publishers, and smaller highly focused subject flyers
all of which are widely mailed to audiences that include specialist
bookstores, wholesalers, library suppliers, librarians as well
as individual academics, professionals and other specialist book
buyers.
It is probably worth noting some of the distinguishing features
of the ISBS approach that it believes have made a significant
contribution to the spectacular sales growth and name recognition
that many of its clients have enjoyed. Firstly, ISBS always tries
to emphasise the publisher’s name in promotional materials,
so that over time the publisher gains a clear identity in the
North American market and with potential authors. Secondly, ISBS
encourages and welcomes input from its client publishers and their
authors, and thus tries to maintain a close working relationship
with both. Thirdly, unlike some other companies providing marketing
and distribution services, ISBS does not publish its own books
and is thus free from potential resource conflicts to focus on
its client’s titles. Another point of note is that ISBS takes
the credit risk so publishers get paid even in situations where
ISBS cannot collect from the customer.
For most English language publishers North America is a market
that should not be ignored. However, in assessing opportunities
it is important to be realistic about potential sales. Just because
a book sells well in the UK it will not necessarily sell as well
in North America. Obvious examples include school books, books
about minor British political figures and events but there are
many others. Finally, success in North America requires the commitment
of time, energy, inventory and to a lesser degree money. Signing
a contract is just the beginning!
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DRM
– THE ROCK UPON WHICH DIGITAL COMMERCE WILL BE BUILT
A brief report on piracy and digital rights
management from Michael Collins, Marketing Communications Manager,
Webgenerics
At a recent PPAi Forum, attendees were given a House of Horrors
run-down on the effects of online piracy in the music, publishing,
games and software industries:
– 39% of CD-single sales lost in the US
– 10,000 English language book titles available illegally
online
– US$3.2 billions lost from pirated games
– 9 out of 10 software auctions selling pirated copiesGrave
concerns over brand security and data protection were also added
to this list.
In response to a recent PPAi survey sixty-five per cent of members
confirmed they intend to charge for online content ‘in the
near future’, and to do so successfully they must know that
they will need to protect their content, before attempting to
distribute and sell it.
Simply protecting content in storage and transit will not be good
enough. With customers, employees and partners able to share content
with impunity on intranets, extranets and the Internet, the prospect
of developing online sales carries with it an implicit requirement
for persistent protection to travel with documents, all the way
down the line. Nothing less will suffice.
Publishers now have to take DRM seriously, and at the recent ePubLondon
conference at Olympia a Who’s Who of senior publishing figures
and analysts ran through checklists of desired states of preparedness,
potential business benefits as well as precise vendor requirements,
with something akin to a sense of urgency.
As one new DRM user, Haynes Publishing, aptly remarked in the
Internet World cover story last month: “….it’s
not that we see piracy as a major problem, more of an annoyance.
But one of our problems is that if material does get out there,
it can get all round the world very quickly.” And when it’s
gone – how do you get it back?
For more details on Webgenerics and a report on their recent seminar,
'Secure Digital Publishing and Data Protection’, go to: http://www.dotencrypt.com/events.htm.
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THE SUE THOMSON FOUNDATION PUBLISHING AWARDS
Two awards valued at £750 each were offered
for the sixth successive year for the best dissertation at undergraduate
and postgraduate level respectively, on a book publishing-related
topic by a student at a UK university.
All institutions offering publishing-related degree courses were
invited to make preliminary selections and submit one entry in
each category. On 6th February 2002 the judges, David Kewley,
President of the Publishers Association and Managing Director
of Scholastic; Gordon Graham, Editor of Logos; and John Mitchell,
publishing consultant, made the following awards.
Undergraduate Award: Cerian Edwards, Loughborough University,
for Old Paperbacks and Pipe-Smoke: the Secondhand Book Trade.
The judges were impressed with the quality of the written work
and the depth of primary research of the subject. References to
the use of the internet in the field of secondhand bookselling
give the work topicality and relevance beyond its familiar bricks-and-mortar
environment. The judges made special mention of The Harry Potter
Phenomenon by Janice Booth, Robert Gordon University, which was
highly commended for relevance, readability and thoroughness.
Postgraduate Award: Sinead Lawton, University of Stirling, for
Moral Censorship in Ireland and its influence on the Irish Trade
Publishing Industry. This is a well-written study of a clearly
defined area of a subject which goes to the heart of publishing.
It includes an examination of the roles of church and state in
imposing censorship which give it international relevance.
The scheme is administered for the Sue Thompson Foundation by
the Publishing Training Centre, from whom copies of the award
winning dissertations are available at £10.
There are some thirteen UK institutions offering publishing degree
courses; ten of them submitted a total of thirteen entries this
year. In view of this level of interest, the Awards are being
offered again for 2002/03.
Further enquiries to John Whitley, Chief Executive, The Publishing
Training Centre, 45 East Hill, Wandsworth, London SW18 2QZ. Telephone
020 8874 2718. Email john@bookhouse.co.uk
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FOYLE
COMMUNITY CENTRE COMPLETE
We
hear from David Hicks of the BTBS that the Foyle Community Centre
at The Retreat is finished and that some accommodation is now
available. They have one and two bedroomed bungalows available
to let for anyone working/retired from the book trade and aged
over 50 and several one bed-roomed flats (above the Foyle Centre)
available to younger people working in the trade.
The Retreat is right next door to Kings Langley Railway station
(two trains per hour straight in to Euston, travel time less than
half an hour); very reasonable rents.
The BTBS would be very pleased to hear from anyone interested,
telephone 01923 263128 and ask for further details from David
Hicks or Jackie Bright.
If you wish to find out more about the BTBS why not visit the
website,
www.btbs@booktradecharity.demon.co.uk or email an enquiry to btbs@booktradecharity.demon.co.uk.
(Date for your Diary: BTBS Walkies – Tuesday 9th July)
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BOOKFAIR
APPOINTMENTS SERVICE LAUNCHED
Soho-based publishing consultants Publishing Services Network
have launched a new flat-fee service to help publishers make the
most of their time at book fairs. “We all have a nagging
feeling we could have made more appointments, seen more people,
done more deals,” says PSN’s Gwyn Headley.
“But we never have quite enough time to arrange it all. Even
when publishers know who they need to talk to, there’s all
the time and trouble of getting in contact with up to sixty people,
comparing diaries, checking dates and agreeing where to meet.”
PSN is offering a fair appointments facility to assist any type
or size of publisher. They will ensure that appointments with
existing or obvious contacts are agreed well in advance, then
suggest other contacts and 'cold call' to arrange meetings with
new clients within specialist subject areas. In order to set up
the meetings they require a synopsis of the range of books published
and subject areas on which the publisher means to concentrate
at the fair. The service will initially apply to the BEA, Frankfurt,
London and Bologna book fairs, but it may be extended to cover
other venues.
PSN will build up profiles of publisher contacts for each client
from fair to fair, so they can arrive at subsequent meetings fully
briefed.
Contact Gwyn Headley or Claire Lister at Publishing Services Network,
43 Frith Street, London W1V 5TE. Tel: 020 8348 1234, or email:
FAST@pubservices.net
PSN’s F.A.S.T. (Fair Appointments Schedule Team)TOP
FRANKFURT
IN NEW YORK POSTPONED
Some sanity has surfaced over the FNY proposal
Frankfurt in New York (FNY), the proposed project of a new rights
forum to be held in New York for the first time in 2002 has been
postponed.
The Frankfurt Book Fair approached BookExpoAmerica and the Association
of American Publishers with the offer that FNY should be a cooperative
project and start as part of the BEA event in 2002. The Dutch-British
Reed group, as the organisers of BEA, quite understandably, rejected
this proposal arguing that, among other reasons, that they are
best placed to meet any need in the market.
The Frankfurt Book Fair has decided to postpone the project. The
economic conditions for the American publishers and bookseller
were tense before September 11, but now have grown even worse.
Budget reductions for both income and expenses are projected well
into the third quarter of 2002. Therefore, the Frankfurt Book
Fair organisation states that it does not want to force any publishers
to choose between FNY and BEA.
There is no alternative date yet, but the organisers still feel
that a 'spring' event is called for.
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READER'S
LETTER
Frankfurt in New York
• READER’S LETTER •
To: paul@book-people.net
Subject: Frankfurt In New York
My view is that the timing of this new event makes absolutely
no sense at all coming as it does hot on the heels of LBF and
Bologna and just before Book Expo. My main concern would be that
it will stop US children's publishers coming to Bologna and at
the moment the majority of them do attend.
It would make much more sense to hold this event in the Autumn
as many, many US children's publishers do not come to Frankfurt.
However, I would say that from a right's seller's perspective
book fairs are never as informative or as productive as a sales
trip direct to the publisher's office. We always do a pre-Frankfurt
sales trip to NY and would not want to replace this with yet another
fair.
Best wishes,
Claire Hurst
Director of Rights & Special Sales
Orchard Books and Franklin Watts
At
the moment, the organisers are in discussion with ‘interested
parties’ and the possibility re-scheduling the event is on
the agenda. A little market research would have been a good idea
in this instance.
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ALPSP
TRAINING
The Association of Learned and Professional
Society Publishers provides a programme of specialised training
courses which are practical, interactive and specific to the needs
of academic and professional publishers, including
both not-for-profit organisations and commercial publishers.
Topics covered include journal production, journal marketing,
electronic marketing, copyright, journals fulfilment, electronic
publishing strategy, design for marketing and financial management.
For a copy of our 2002 training programme, please contact Lesley
Ogg (telephone 01245 260571; email members@alpsp.org.)
ALPSP also runs a programme of informative and stimulating seminars
on topics of current interest, together with more informal workshops
and round table events. For further details, visit the ALPSP website:
www.alpsp.org
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SOCIETY
OF INDEXERS CONFERENCE
This year’s conference will take place in
Cheltenham on 16th – 18th July 2002, at the new conference
facilities of the University of Gloucestershire’s Park Campus.
Called ‘The Cotswold Wayzgoose’ the conference takes
the publishing process as its theme.
The next workshop from the Society is on ‘Business Aspects
of Indexing’ on Wednesday 12th June 2002, 10.30 a.m. to 4.30
p.m., at the Society of Friends, 40 Bull St, Birmingham. The workshop
leader is Derek Copson. Also in June, ‘Beginners in Indexing’,
on Wednesday, 19th June 2002, at the City Library, Princess Square,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Tutor: Mark Miller.
Contact the Society for further details and information on the
Society’s distance learning course, leading to accreditation,
which has just been updated. Full details on the website. Telephone
: 0114 281 3060, Fax: 0114 281 3061, or
Email: admin@socind.demon.co.uk
Website: www.socind.demon.co.uk. TOP
THE
FALL AND RISE OF PUBLISHING STANDARDS
National
Occupational Standards in Publishing. OK, maybe I’m just
an incurable cynic, but I can almost hear the collective yawn
from here. Granted, it’s not a phrase to set the world on
fire. Descriptive – yes; catchy – no.
But the standards are here.
What’s more, they could be of vital importance to you and
your career. Before trying to say why, it’s probably worth
taking a step back and answering some key questions – like
what are the Occupational Standards in Publishing anyway?
Occupational standards provide a benchmark for competent performance
in a given area of work. They are not unique to publishing, but
exist across a range of industries. In essence, they tell you
the knowledge and skills you need to have in order to do a particular
job effectively.
Previous versions of the National Occupational Standards in Publishing
were linked with an attempt to introduce National Vocational Qualifications
(NVQs – SVQs in Scotland) into the industry. The standards
provided a defined set of criteria against which competence could
be measured for these workplace-based qualifications.
But NVQs were something that the industry was simply not prepared
to embrace. There were a number of reasons for this, ranging from
the level of administration inherent in the NVQ / SVQ structure,
to the perception that NVQs simply didn’t have the value
of, say, a degree level qualification.
Whatever the merits of the venture, it failed. And the standards,
which were seen as inextricably linked to it, suffered as a result.
It was clear at this point that the publishing industry didn’t
want NVQs. But this didn’t necessarily mean that it didn’t
want or need occupational standards in some shape or form. So
a new project was started. The Publishing Training Centre, with
the support of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA),
set about simplifying and streamlining the standards and, after
extensive consultation with industry practitioners, a revised
version was produced.
The new standards were approved by the QCA and the SQA (Scottish
Qualifications Authority) in July this year. Clear, concise and
easy to use, it remains to be seen whether they are set to rise
phoenix-like from the ashes.
But the signs are hopeful.
The Publishing Training Centre, supported by the Publishing NTO
(National Training Organisation), is engaging in a campaign to
increase awareness of the Occupational Standards in Publishing,
and it’s starting with a number of seminars around the UK.
Two have already taken place (one in Oxford and one in London)
and the response from the industry has been overwhelming. The
events include a short presentation from Barbara Horn, one of
the contributors to the standards, and set about explaining just
why they are so important.
The answer? Well, the best way to get the full answer is to come
along to the next event, but one of Barbara’s key points
was that occupational standards help you to avoid avoidable mistakes.
It sounds so simple – and it probably is. But unnecessary
mistakes do happen and they can be frighteningly expensive. What’s
more they could be easily avoided if managers and staff were always
clear about what they needed to know and what they had to be able
to do, in order to be effective in their work.
The occupational standards are potentially a very valuable tool
– but only if people use them. They are also free. You can
download an electronic version free of charge from www.train4publishing.co.uk.
If you’d like a printed version, there is a small charge
(unless you come along to one of the seminars, in which case you’ll
be given a free copy).
Finally, one other important thing about the standards is that
they will continue to evolve – with the publishing industry
changing at such a pace, it could scarcely be otherwise. Perhaps
the most imminent change will be the addition of some publishing-specific
marketing standards, which are currently under development.
More events on the occupational standards are due to take place
in the near future. If you’re interested in attending, please
email marketing@bookhouse.co.uk.
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NEED
AN INDEX? ASK AN INDEXER
Books need indexes – and indexes need to be
created by somebody.
If you are a publisher, editor or author wanting to commission
an index but unsure where to start, then the Society of Indexers
(SI) could be the answer to your problems. The Society promotes
standards of indexing, provides training and professional development
for indexers, and publishes guidance, information and ideas about
indexing.
To help you find the right person for the job, have a look through
the Society’s directory, Indexers Available. It is obtainable
free of charge from the SI office, and is now also on their website.
Members advertising their services include specialists in more
than a hundred subjects, from accountancy to zoology. Of course,
it is not only books that need indexes, but also journals and
indeed any collection of information, whether paper-based or electronic.
Whatever the area or medium, there is probably an SI member who
is an expert in it. If you have a detailed query or need more
advice on finding an indexer, then the Society’s Registrar
can help. Most indexers now work on computers with specialized
software to automate routine processes such as sorting and printing
to ensure greater accuracy, while they themselves determine the
wording and content. Increasingly, publishers require indexes
to be supplied on disk.
There are two Society of Indexers qualifications. Accredited Indexers
have successfully completed an open indexing principles and practice.
Registered Indexers have further training and experience. To demonstrate
their competence in a range of skills, they have compiled a sample
index, which has been assessed to exacting standards. Members
are also encouraged to keep their skills up to date by attending
workshops and seminars.
This year’s annual conference – Indexing at the Cutting
Edge – took place at Sheffield Hallam University at the end
of June. The aim of the conference was to go back to basics, looking
at index users’ needs and asking what makes a good index.
Speakers included the Chair of the House of Commons Select Committee
on Information Technology and a representative of the Plain English
Campaign.
As well as Indexers Available, publications include The Indexer,
a twice-yearly international journal, and the quarterly members’
newsletter SIdelights. Both these contain learned and lively news
and debate about current indexing issues. Last but not Least is
an important guide for editors and others, designed to make your
life easier. There is also a series of Occasional Papers giving
practical and accessible information about aspects of indexing.
Any organisations which use or commission indexes, or which have
an interest in indexing, are welcomed as corporate members. Benefits
include subscriptions to the SI journals and discounts on courses,
publications and conferences, as well as opportunities for publicity
and promotion.
For more information please contact the Society’s Administrator,
Wendy Burrow, on 0114 281 3060, or visit the website at www.socind.demon.co.uk
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READER'S
LETTER
Dear
Book People,
Though perhaps rather eccentric in subject-matter
and general approach, I feel little doubt that what I do is “publishing”,
yet not publishing, Jim, as many people know it. I see that there
are some strange specialist trades, such as Rights Manager or
Sales Manager, which I have to attempt to manage to do myself.
As for the geographical spread, one would be forgiven for thinking
publishing is a specialism of the South East. Just as secondhand
bookshops might be commonplace in the Home Counties and a rare
bird elsewhere, so these strange trades seem drawn to an over-crowded
place like London, while, presumably, readers live everywhere.
A few minutes in almost any town will confirm the second part
of Amy Carroll’s observation, “Too many books and too
few outlets.” It seems that retailing from a single shop
because of a love of books is not very viable. I myself have complained
to the Welsh Arts Council that their policy of supporting production
and not distribution puts more good books on the shelf a long
way from the potential reader who, as stated above, lives everywhere.
Perhaps one specialism we lack is someone traipsing round those
substantial settlements in the east Midlands and elsewhere without
a single independent bookseller between them, and coming up with
a plan for putting books in the hands of readers who MAY NOT EVEN
KNOW OF THEIR EXISTENCE. These readers are, surely, the wasted
resource that publishers big and small are apparently content
to ignore.
Yours faithfully, Joseph Biddulph, Publisher
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