A serious question ref Hovis' friday diary

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Hovis_and_SidsMum

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Okay..
As some of you know I have played about with publishing Hovis' friday diary (the whole lot of entries from the very begining of it starting) but never tried with any particular dogged determination. Mainly because I can't be doing with the rejection at the moment with everything going on with Dad, plus I work as a consultant doing stupid hours so the time to do it is not great.
However........... I have always wanted to be published (just once!!) and I'd like to do something for charity.
So my question - if I self published with all profit going to charity (I was thinking the BHS and Bransby) do you think it would sell?
I'm not asking for lots of "oh yes you're wonderful" comments I want a honest appraisal and if the answer is "no" I won't be offended. At the end of the day I would have to pay all the upfront costs so I don't want to end up with hundreds of pounds worth of cr*p in my cupboard that no one wants!
What do you think?
Honest, blunt answers on a postcard please
 
I would say that cost would be important. <£6 & I'd get one for a stocking filler.

Not sure how much profit that would leave for the charities, as you'd be doing a small first edition which is costly.
 
DollyDolls said:
I would say that cost would be important. <£6 & I'd get one for a stocking filler.

Not sure how much profit that would leave for the charities, as you'd be doing a small first edition which is costly.
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I'd be aiming under £6 to appeal to the "nice little extra pressie" market and I can get a decent deal to mean that the charities would get a couple of pounds per book. Its not going to set the world on fire but its something.
 
I love Hovis' friday diary and I would definitely buy myself a copy and one for my friend as I know she would love it too, as long as it was a sort of reasonable paperback price. Sadly I don't know anything about publishing so I can't offer help with the practicalities but I am pretty certain there would be a market for it!
 
Yes... would definatly buy that for not only me, but as gifts.

there is a publishing house that does this kind of thing as my old sharer has got a book of poems and pictures published. I will try and find out for you
 
I believe there is something called Print-on-demand that you could use. Basically they print to order and save you paying for a 'cupboard full of books'!

I am just off to work or I would try to find it for you.
 
I'd buy it, both for me and as presents for my horsey friends. I always look forward to Friday for the next installment.
 
I think the 'being inside Hovis's head' is your writing's greatest strength. I feel like I really know (and like!) your horse! I have bought the Tina Bettison little books in the past and those kind of books (her "100 ways for a horse to train a human") work so well as it's coming from the horse's perspective. She managed to get Hodder & Stoughton to publish hers so they might be worth a shot though a big publisher like that might not buy into the charity contribution angle I don't know. Her books sell for £3.50 and they are the size/price of a stocking filler. Go for it!
 
Why not approach the BHS first, they may be able to help you get it published if they are getting a cut. With them behind you you might be able to get a cheaper deal which would enable you to give the charities a bigger cut. They do have some of their own books in print already so must have a publisher that they use......
 
I've only just read them after seeing this thread and they are very good. I think with a little polishing you could pitch them to H&H magazine (they need something to put between the adverts!). I know this isn't quite what you had in mind but it's worth a try.

On the subject of self-publishing, I don't think you need go to the expense of going through a self-publishing company. Cut out the middle person and go straight to a digital printer who has an in-house designer, they'll be able to lay out your manuscript and design a cover for you. Get your work edited and proofread before you hand it over to the printer.

Good luck.
 
I would most definitely buy it for me and as a gift for horsey friends. I think its a fantastic idea, no experience of this sort of thing so no idea how viable it is, but a lovely thought and fab idea!! Good luck to you.
 
For self publishing I've no idea - although I have a friend at work who self published a book so could ask her what she did.

Otherwise it could be work purchasing a copy of The Writers and Artists Yearbook - lists all publishers and what they are looking for etc.

In answer to your question would I buy it - YES, YES and YES :-) Tbh - if it was a decent sized book (with pics etc and hardback) I would be prepared to pay up to about £15. If it was a paperback with no pics, I'd pay up to about £8. Would get a copy for friends too.

I really think you should go for it - the equine community hasn't seen anything this interesting or amusing since the days of Thelwell!

Good luck - and I look forward to seeing a copy nestling in my xmas stocking :-)
 
I think it's a brilliant idea, although maybe slightly too late for this Christmas - although you might have time to "test the water" with an e-book version - given the advertising push on Kindles, selling via amazon could work: anyone can sell their hard copies of books on there (one of my boyf's clients self-published and sold on there), so I assume anyone can sell e-books too.
Not exactly what you were looking for, but maybe worth a try to see how popular it proves.

In terms of the hard copies of books, as Katt said I would definitely approach your charities first - they may well be able to help you with the publishing process, after all the lower the production costs, the more profit, and so the more they benefit.

Go for it I say, and Good Luck!!
 
I work for a digital printer in Hampshire!
We have published small run books for people, as we have the machinery capable.
I also edit a breed society newsletter which gets published quarterly from here, I have also just 'done' the appaloosa calendar for 2011 which we are selling (to promote the appaloosa horse) from here. (See my profile).
Can't tell you any more at moment but I love Hovis's diary - the book really needs to be illustrated I would add. Have an engineer champing at the bit to add something to my Mac so gotta go - let me know if I can help further.
 
I definitely would...I still keep chuckling at Boglands Quaver!!

I would also buy one for my OH for Christmas; he is Hovis' biggest secret fan (I got him an adoption at redwings for Christmas last year and picked the horse that looked like Hovis!).

He also waits for Friday and sneaks on HHO to check when his diary is up....

:D :D
 
I published a book years ago :D. Was great fun :D. Mainstream publishers wanted it, but wanted to charge for all the entries: it was a help book for pregnant peeps, I wanted all the charities, etc. to be in it, which I knew wouldn't happen if they had to pay, so I did it myself :D. In effect I became a publisher - think I still have some ISBN numbers allocated to me lol

I've pm'd you with more (bar-coding, British Library, etc.).

Yes, I'd definately buy the book. I think, like someone else has said, get it illustrated - pencil drawing type.
 
Another "yes" vote - I'd definitely buy a few - one for me and other's for friends - especially if out before xmas - as other's have said - a great stocking filler.
 
Why not approach the BHS first, they may be able to help you get it published if they are getting a cut. With them behind you you might be able to get a cheaper deal which would enable you to give the charities a bigger cut. They do have some of their own books in print already so must have a publisher that they use......

This.
Keep it sensible price.
And choose a good reputable 'general' charity that everyone knows/likes. :)
 
Yes I would definitely buy it as a stocking filler especially if it was under £8 or so. It is nice when you know something will go to a good cause too.

I have no idea how many copies you could sell but with some good publicity (H and H Horse Magazine etc) I am sure you could do nicely with it. Also agree re some illustrations.
 
I self-published a little book about my horse, with all proceeds going to an equine charity. Had 100 copies printed and they all sold, not megabucks but everything helps. I would definitely buy a Hovis book!
 
I would buy at least 3 copies, one for me, mum and at least 1 horsey friend :)

I think to be honest it will depend on marketing and how much publicity you can get, as obviously apart from HHO users you and Hovis are completely unknown. If you got a big publisher behind you all the marketing and promo would be taken care of - by experts, with the right contacts, and with a much bigger budget than you. For that reason, I'd say hold out until you are ready to speak to publishers etc. I think its too good to do a half-job and make a pound or two for charities now, when if you hold out until you are ready, you can sell much more and still make a sizeable contribution to those charities (and keep a great deal yourself) if you so wished.
 
Naturally said:
I think its too good to do a half-job and make a pound or two for charities now, when if you hold out until you are ready, you can sell much more and still make a sizeable contribution to those charities (and keep a great deal yourself) if you so wished.
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Thats a really lovely thing to say so thank you.
I just guess I'm not feeling tough enough at the moment to go through the pain of try, try, try again and get rejected everytime by the big publishers.
I don't really want to do this to make money for myself - I write because I enjoy it and I love reading peoples response to what I've written. Hubby laughs at me because all friday I flick of and on HHO to see whos read it and whats been replied to - lord how sad does that make me sound?! What I'm trying to say is my "reward" is seeing other people respond to my work.
I'd just like to fufill a childhood dream of being published and help out charity at the same time. Obviously HHO has good links to the BHS and Bransby is a) close to where I live and b) was so involved in the HHO carrot and Spud rescue.
Maybe its a pipe dream but its my pipe dream!!!
 
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