really pleased and privileged to be in such exalted company of creativists...on paper and on the web... I cannot name them as it would be big chain.... I think after Aadiperukku greetings this pongal has seen the greatest spate of mails...
SPS That was great vision for 2020....but I am a dreamer.....a sissapointed dreamer who is still waiting to see the light of Madhurai on paper...
With the nuber of writers in our fore...should we not consider a private enterprise...(not socialist a capitalist venture) a publication house ?... I am not trying to be Gail Wynand...
Publishing is not that difficult having been involved in publication of college year books and sovieneers and scientific conference booklet...
May be next year we can have a stall of ponniyinselvan pathipagam.....selling books written by our own members
Thoughts welcome
KR
Sri
If I can stop one heart from breaking,I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching,Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin, Into his nest again, I shall not live in vain. Emily Dickinson
Hi one thing i have always thought about is from the customer point of view the bookfair has a fair number of stalls selling audios, softwares and this year T shirts too. many a time its tough for a customer to reach the book he really wants.
a well minded enterprise would be a 4 stall( 38000 rs) stocking all historical novels in print as well as historical research books. we would really make a profit too which could be taken out in form of books donated to a school or a library.
if we plan ahead we could pull it off. we could talk to most publishers for a higher discount and credit. perhaps one of them could manage the show for us on a profit sharing business. venketesh
This is a good idea.If All the writers join and do.
We otherswill provide backup - Take leave for 2-3 days and man the stall, guide people through the stall, etc.
A dedicated inventory team also can join.
If we add Tamil Litrature also - will add value.
We can also market that - through our contacts, Office Notice Board, Intranet etc. I have been telling members that every 3rd person in the office is interested in PS.
Was just pondering the musing of a publisher on Chetan Bhagat and shared with some members.
Need non Intrusive, Non offencive but agressive marketing. I as an marketer find that customers need both buying experaince as well as an agressive info/reminders. That part and maning the stall can be supported by members like us
One more thing - This counter should have a card swiping machine. The nearest ATM is across the road and i find very difficult to cross and take cash. Impulsive purchases should be supported with ATM card.
aggressive marketing would help for the concept of a common stall but individual books, especially tamil historical ones the buyer really ponders for long
I was little away from our group due to construction of my home and writing a little longer historical novel. Forgive me for that. I request to give me a little place in a corner in this proposal. I think I can do some little work.
I am having another version of this and discussed to Venkatesh too at the time book release function
The plan is:
We can form a co-operative society.
Do the publication work with the contribution from the set of team members for the following activities:
DTP WORK - WE CAN DO THIS PROOF READING WORK - WE CAN DO THIS NEGATIVE SETTING - HELP FROM DTP OPERATOR / WE CAN DO THIS LAYOUT SETTING - HELP FROM DTP OPERATOR / WE CAN DO THIS ART WORK - GET IT FROM EITHER ONE OF OUR GROUP MEMBER OR OUTSIDE
When I work out this cost for 1000 copies it is coming to 3 lakhs.
Make the marketing - our selves and marketing agencies
The cost of production + administrative cost + 5% margin will go to the society
Rest of the amount will directly paid to the writer's account once in a month.
Apart from that we required storage of printed book or the writer can keep this.
Please share your views. One year 3 books publicasion plan will get the BEP.
> With the nuber of writers in our fore...should we not consider a > private enterprise...(not socialist a capitalist venture) a > publication house ?... I am not trying to be Gail Wynand...
Dear Sri
The world we see around us today was once a dream of few people. That's why Dr Abdul Kalam always encourages children to dream.
See the amount of response your mail generated. Seems the group was waiting for such an idea!
Whatever we do, we should handle it in a professional way. Sundar's suggestion of co-operative is excellent and Venkat/Shankar/others suggestions are also very positive.
Let us see if we can take it to next level. I welcome this idea.
Thanks Gokul, That mail was an expression of frustration after having the previlage and pleasure to read our Venkat 'Madurai' in English which if I am right is still not out due to publisher issues...
With the aount of talent and expertise we have in our group, we have a distinct oppurtunity to take things forward.
I really like Sundar's coop society idea We all have edited manuscripts, proof read so it is doable
I am really pleasaed with the response we have had really
KR
Sri
If I can stop one heart from breaking,I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching,Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin, Into his nest again, I shall not live in vain. Emily Dickinson
I am not a writer, but I can talk about Marketing !
We can use our website to market these initiatives. I wouldn't say we have huge presence, but we are growing, we are No. 2 in Google search for 'Ponniyin Selvan' from nowhere 4 years back.
With respect to the statistics I have been observing on the visits to our website, it is increasing and we have been getting huge traffic from the day Book fair Started. To promote those I have been showing the Book Fair and Vikatan's Ponniyin Selvan novel information for the visitors randomly and people are visiting the sites.
We can show case all current works our group Writers written in a nice way (cover page, intro, sample chapter/page if required) and provide information when/where the visitors can purchase will be good. Then we can also show the current work in progress novels also to get some attention.
We have lot of tools available for collaboration and also can protect the with necessary access rights etc.,
As the link provided by Venkat said, let the Writers do the best they can do to and let the Marketing team does its best to do the presentation etc.
Ref: DTP WORK - WE CAN DO THIS PROOF READING WORK - WE CAN DO THIS NEGATIVE SETTING - HELP FROM DTP OPERATOR / WE CAN DO THIS LAYOUT SETTING - HELP FROM DTP OPERATOR / WE CAN DO THIS ART WORK - GET IT FROM EITHER ONE OF OUR GROUP MEMBER OR OUTSIDE
Your excellent mail is very positive and encouraging. I'm going crazy with ideas.
While showcasing books we can have an audio podcast or videos of writers expressing their intimate feelings with their work - why they wrote it how they wrote it etc. This will make the website very engaging and rich.
Also may I suggest you to register ponniyinselvan on tweeter on behalf of our group? This way tweets can be sent
> As the link provided by Venkat said, let the Writers do the best > they can > do to and let the Marketing team does its best to do the presentation > etc.
this is a excellent idea. i have completed my book on saivasiddhantham almost an year ago ( wrote in small bits and pieces but now accumulated into a 100 page book)and iam willing to donate it free for the group, if it can be published on the group banner. gandhi