Comments on: Indie Publishing: Two Questions and More Answers http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/10/indie-publishing-two-questions-and-more-answers/ Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:40:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Susan M. Schultz http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/10/indie-publishing-two-questions-and-more-answers/#comment-26242 Susan M. Schultz Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:02:05 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=6091#comment-26242 So many places to comment! I like the idea of listing titles in the backs of books, though I hate the way lists tend to make things static. Presented in alphabetical order, or chronological order, they don't show the more three-dimensional graphic nature of the conversations being encouraged. So perhaps a diagram of the press's book list? Something that indicates the fluid nature of the links. Will have to think on this! So many places to comment! I like the idea of listing titles in the backs of books, though I hate the way lists tend to make things static. Presented in alphabetical order, or chronological order, they don’t show the more three-dimensional graphic nature of the conversations being encouraged. So perhaps a diagram of the press’s book list? Something that indicates the fluid nature of the links. Will have to think on this!
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]]> By: Barbara Jane Reyes http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/10/indie-publishing-two-questions-and-more-answers/#comment-26221 Barbara Jane Reyes Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:08:30 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=6091#comment-26221 Susan, thanks for your responses. We're (Pam Lu, Craig, and I) talking about you on my blog! http://bjanepr.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/poetry-community-questions-all-over-the-map/ Anyway, one thing we're talking about is publishers who list their titles (and mission statement) as the end text of their books, and whether that makes the reader think about the publisher's ongoing work as a curator, and the one title in question as a part of a larger body. I do like what you say about mixing up live poetry performances with participants from multiple communities (we try to do this with PAWA to varying degrees of success). Susan, thanks for your responses. We’re (Pam Lu, Craig, and I) talking about you on my blog!

http://bjanepr.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/poetry-community-questions-all-over-the-map/

Anyway, one thing we’re talking about is publishers who list their titles (and mission statement) as the end text of their books, and whether that makes the reader think about the publisher’s ongoing work as a curator, and the one title in question as a part of a larger body.

I do like what you say about mixing up live poetry performances with participants from multiple communities (we try to do this with PAWA to varying degrees of success).
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]]> By: Susan M. Schultz http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/10/indie-publishing-two-questions-and-more-answers/#comment-26220 Susan M. Schultz Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:01:35 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=6091#comment-26220 Excellent question, BJR. If I could figure out how to sell books to poetry readers, that would be a start! But here's a thought. Here in Honolulu, Aiko Yamashiro, Ryan Oishi, and Emelihter Kihleng (who is based now in Guam) are putting together a collection of poetry about TheBus in the form of a bus map. They plan to put these "maps" near the route maps on stands around Honolulu. The map will have ads (bus style) running along the top. One of these ads will be our logo and website address. Who knows, something might come of it! And there's also performance. Really crucial to get voices heard. The popularity of slam can teach us something valuable there. But mix the performers up so they aren't all from the same community (as it's usually conceived). Any thoughts on your end? Excellent question, BJR. If I could figure out how to sell books to poetry readers, that would be a start! But here’s a thought. Here in Honolulu, Aiko Yamashiro, Ryan Oishi, and Emelihter Kihleng (who is based now in Guam) are putting together a collection of poetry about TheBus in the form of a bus map. They plan to put these “maps” near the route maps on stands around Honolulu. The map will have ads (bus style) running along the top. One of these ads will be our logo and website address. Who knows, something might come of it!

And there’s also performance. Really crucial to get voices heard. The popularity of slam can teach us something valuable there. But mix the performers up so they aren’t all from the same community (as it’s usually conceived).

Any thoughts on your end?
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]]> By: Barbara Jane Reyes http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/10/indie-publishing-two-questions-and-more-answers/#comment-26198 Barbara Jane Reyes Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:06:06 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=6091#comment-26198 Thanks for your comment, Francisco, and for the link to Tianguis. Certainly, the indie bookstore is a vital place for the indie publishing industry. I actually have a question for Susan/Tinfish: how do we get non-writer populations to subscribe to a press's offerings? I ask this because my impression is that book buyers generally buy books because of who authored it, or what community identification of the author is. Thanks for your comment, Francisco, and for the link to Tianguis. Certainly, the indie bookstore is a vital place for the indie publishing industry.

I actually have a question for Susan/Tinfish: how do we get non-writer populations to subscribe to a press’s offerings? I ask this because my impression is that book buyers generally buy books because of who authored it, or what community identification of the author is.
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]]> By: Francisco Aragón http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/10/indie-publishing-two-questions-and-more-answers/#comment-26127 Francisco Aragón Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:10:24 +0000 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/?p=6091#comment-26127 So glad to see, in particular, these two indie publishing projects profiled. Of the various small press initiatives I'm come across in the past few years, Achiote and Action are the most interesting, in my view. And they also happen to be run by cool folk, who have inspired me. One thing I forgot to mention about Momotombo Press and I feel bad about omitting this is that a few years ago I made the conscious decision (and perhaps not the wisest one from a "distributing" or "commercial" angle) to give exclusive book selling and distribution rights to a small community-based enterprise in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago called TIANGUIS BOOKS. Poet, book seller, and cultural activist Irasema González, has been someone else who has inspired and continues to inspire me. She has a wonderful reading series called PROYECTO LATINA. And she has been a diligent, and faithful book seller and distributor for Momotombo Press. If anyone inquires about our titles, I send them to TIANGUIS: http://www.tianguis.biz/ So glad to see, in particular, these two indie publishing projects profiled. Of the various small press initiatives I’m come across in the past few years, Achiote and Action are the most interesting, in my view. And they also happen to be run by cool folk, who have inspired me.

One thing I forgot to mention about Momotombo Press and I feel bad about omitting this is that a few years ago I made the conscious decision (and perhaps not the wisest one from a “distributing” or “commercial” angle) to give exclusive book selling and distribution rights to a small community-based enterprise in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago called TIANGUIS BOOKS. Poet, book seller, and cultural activist Irasema González, has been someone else who has inspired and continues to inspire me. She has a wonderful reading series called PROYECTO LATINA. And she has been a diligent, and faithful book seller and distributor for Momotombo Press. If anyone inquires about our titles, I send them to TIANGUIS: http://www.tianguis.biz/
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