Loving IBPA and Things to Consider Before Publishing in China

I thought I'd share this tip from my SharingwithWriters newsletter. It started out being a tip about joining an organization but ended up being more than that-especially for those who have heard about the amazing printing costs when one publishes in China.  BTW, you can subscribe to my SharingwithWriters newsletter here and get a free booklet while you're at it. (-: And read some past newsletter. You'll love the tips.

 

Join at least one professional organization for authors/publishers so you get information that can make a difference in your writing/publishing career. I found this article on what you should consider before publishing in China in an article by Peter Goodman in IBPA’s Independent magazine (Independent Book Publishers Association) and I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t been a member:

 

Things to consider before choosing to publish in China:

 
1. Fuel and freight costs have gone up and that may offset any savings you may get by publishing in China.
2. Many North American printers are more efficient than ever before.
3. Does the Chinese printer you are considering care about the environment (China is one of the most polluted countries on earth)?
4. Does the Chinese factory you are considering pay their workers well—and treat them well?
5. Do you want to be sending American dollars overseas?
6. Are you on a tight schedule? Printing in China takes considerably longer than printing near home.
7. Have you compared costs and benefits carefully? Goodman says there may indeed be times when printing in China is right for your book in the quantity you need. And he goes on to show you exactly how to assess that with charts and more.

I suspect that if you joined IBPA and told them you wanted a copy of their August, 2013, issue, they would send it to you. They have always been very responsive to my needs. Find them at www.ibpa-online.org. As you can see, their magazine (and organization) isn’t only for publishers; it’s for anyone who wants to know the whole publishing story. We’re writers. This is our industry, after all. 

 

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including the award-winning second edition of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor .