One of the joys of coming back from a cruise is the pile of post waiting to be dealt with ... especially if it contains a package of books and a wargame magazine.
One of the downsides of coming back from a cruise is the pile of post waiting to be dealt with ... especially if it contains a package of printed proof copies of your latest book.
The good news is that the books look good in almost every aspect, and I could easily release the paperback edition for publication today. The bad news is that the photographs in the hardback edition seem to have come out several shades darker than they have in the paperback edition, and in certain circumstances it is almost impossible to make out what they illustrate.
This difference in print quality is partially due to the fact that the paperback version is printed on white paper whilst the hardback edition is printed on cream paper. It is also down to the different printing processes used.
I therefore have a dilemma. I have several options:
One of the downsides of coming back from a cruise is the pile of post waiting to be dealt with ... especially if it contains a package of printed proof copies of your latest book.
The good news is that the books look good in almost every aspect, and I could easily release the paperback edition for publication today. The bad news is that the photographs in the hardback edition seem to have come out several shades darker than they have in the paperback edition, and in certain circumstances it is almost impossible to make out what they illustrate.
This difference in print quality is partially due to the fact that the paperback version is printed on white paper whilst the hardback edition is printed on cream paper. It is also down to the different printing processes used.
I therefore have a dilemma. I have several options:
- Release both editions for publication now, and hope that the purchasers of the hardback edition don't object to the darker photographs;
- Release the paperback edition now whilst I try to correct the problems with the hardback edition;
- Try to sort of the problem with the hardback edition so that I can release both editions at the same time.
Option 1 is obviously unacceptable so the choice is between 2 and 3 and you should do whichever you are happiest with. Given your comment this will be 3 and it is certainly the "cleanest" option.
ReplyDeleteYou do not mention an e-book but I assume that there will be one and would suggest that the release need not be at the same time as the paper copies as, even with a simultaneous release, they'll probably eventually appear on line at different times (at least for those wanting a Kindle version). Myself, I'll once again get the paperback and the e-book but am not worried about any short term delays in publication, if only because I strongly suspect that Santa will be delivering a bunch of military history hardbacks come Christmas morning so I'll have plenty of other reading to do.
Mike Hall,
DeleteThanks for your feedback.
There are problems with producing an eBook edition at present. The software used by Lulu.com to convert the text to a suitable eBook format is currently being replaced. I've tried the alternative software they have suggested I use, but it doesn't like the formatting that is embedded in my Word document. As a result, I've opted to produce a PDF edition in the interim.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mike. 'Nuff said.
Best wishes,
Arthur
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteCheers! I'll work on solving the problem over Christmas and with luck the book will be published early in January.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteWith having trouble with the quality of the printed pictures- I sympathize- as I find similar problems with my Digital Camera- it is very hard to photo exactly what you see...the colors are never the same from camera to camera- even with out the flash 'on' - my camera tends to eliminate the shadows...its is frustrating to obtain a quality photo- so I hope that LULU can fix or remedy the 'darkness' of printed photos that you have experienced. Best Wishes. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteIt has been a problem I've had with all my books, but in this instance it seems worse than before. I think that it might be due to some changes to the software I use to crop and enhance the photographs. I hope to sort out the problem over Christmas so that the book can be published in early January.
All the best,
Bob
Welcome back from your cruise. Strongly support Option 3. I'm sure all your potential buyers will be happy to wait until January. It will be nice to have something to look forward to in the New Year. Happy Christmas.
ReplyDeleteDavid Bradley,
DeleteThanks for your feedback and welcome home.
Option 3 will enable me to publish all the editions of the book at the same time ... which seems to be the most sensible thing to do.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, go with option 3, take your time. I have seen so many instances of black & white images that are way too dark, the worst being a b/w reprint of the original Fire & Fury rules which I bought for £20.00, the reproduction was terrible and it was really only fit for the bin! I spent many years specialising in printing half tones to professional photographic quality when I worked for Walkerprint in London, they did the cards for most of the film and model agencies in London and had to be spot on or they were rejected by the clients and had to be reprinted, literally the slightest speck or mark, let alone being too light or too dark so I probably have a very good eye for such things. I 'did' Linda Lusardi among many others in pre digital days! Merry Christmas Bob.
ReplyDelete'Lee,
DeleteThanks very much for your feedback.
I've spent some time this morning adjusting the photographs I have used to make them slightly lighter in the hope that when I have the next proof copy printed the images will be light enough to see clearly but not so light as to be indistinct. As you know, it is a fine line between being too dark and too light ... and I am no professional, just an amateur trying to do the best that they can.
May I wish you and your family a great Christmas,
All the best,
Bob
PS. Linda Lusardi eh? I always thought that she was a cut above the rest, and having seen recent a photograph of her, she looks just as great now as she did back then.
Hi Bob, I doubt that I would need your photographs to understand the rules as I've never had a problem with understanding your previous rule books from the text itself. Nevertheless I'm happy to wait for you carry out Option 3. Very best wishes, Anthony.
ReplyDeleteAnthony Morton (Anthony),
DeleteI'm sure that you are right ... but quite a few of my readers like the assistance provided by the photographs so they will need to be improved.
Have a great Christmas,
All the best,
Bob
Bob, a heart-felt Happy Christmas and New year to you and yours. Waes Hael! (or as is more common these days, Wassail!), Anthony
DeleteAnthony Morton (Anthony),
DeleteMay I return your best wishes ... and I'll try a quick waes hael if the opportunity arises.
All the best,
Bob
Perhaps you will be ready to publish for Old Christmas Day.
ReplyDeleteChristmas seconds?
Happy Christmas!
BC.
Barry Carter,
DeleteIf Lulu.com manage to print and deliver the new (and hopefully improved) proof copy in time, it might just be possible.
All the best,
Bob
Hi there
ReplyDeleteDo the electronic versions of the Portable WG and the Developed PWG have colour pictures in them ? and can they be enlarged at all when viewing ?
regards Paul
Paul_n (Paul),
DeleteUnfortunately the images in the books are all black and white and I'm not sure if they can be enlarged.
All the best,
Bob