How We…Make Art And Photography Books
Since 2006 we’ve authored books….hardback books, street art books, gifts and gift books. We’ve developed stationery, sticker packs and our well known sticker book series, Stickerbomb.
Now, it’s not always the case that authors make good publishers, but already as we make the move from one side of making books to the other, we’ve come across a lot of advantages that we as authors bring to the publishing process. This includes:
Understanding the process. As we’ve authored a lot of art books, we know the process of compiling, getting the right feedback and formatting.
History. We’ve put in the time with books and, naturally, we’ve built up a few connections. This has helped as we crew-up across the business.
Empathy. More than anything, as authors and as artists ourselves, we understand the challenges and struggles. We know the pain points that start from the basic ‘need to make some money’ to the more nuanced ‘need to raise my profile’, ‘need some more work out there’, ‘difficult to find the time’, ‘need a break’ etc. This allows us to be flexible and pragmatic but also know how and when to push.
Other factors include: having a solid creative vision, being entrepreneurial and getting a project over the finishing line, which is something we pride ourselves on and have taken into making Soi Books work.
What It Takes To Make A Book
Making a book requires time, effort, and attention to detail. You need to have a clear idea of what your book will be about and who you are speaking to. This helps determine the content, the range of content, your tone, the style and format, and ultimately how many copies you should print.
Next is all about the research. You have to gather the necessary information. This can include interviewing experts, visiting key locations and amassing visuals. Here is where you also want to sort out your clearance and rights issues and making sure your legals are in order.
Once you have your content, you need to organize it in a logical and visually appealing way. This may involve creating an outline, selecting fonts and layouts, the general flow of the book and deciding on the size and format of your book. It’s also likely that during this process you will need to work with editors and designers to refine your content, ensure its accuracy, relevance and quality and thats where the cohesive visual style is really cemented and this can take time.
Finally, you will need to make sure all the files, pictures, and text are at a good quality. Then it moves into the production stage where you work with a printer and/or distributor to produce and distribute your book. This often involves negotiating contracts, arranging for printing and shipping, and marketing and promoting your book to potential readers and retailers.
For publishers, there are a lot of extra considerations, from marketability, artist/author reputation, the quality of the work, what it represents and of how much money can be made.
Making a good book isn’t easy. But with hard work and perseverance, you can create a beautiful and impactful book.
