Jo Malone Weighs in: How Can Poetry Translate Into a Gift People Will Buy?

In the latest installment of her Evening Standard column "Ask Jo Malone," perfume maven Jo Malone responds to a reader's question about poetry, marketing, and value. The reader asks "I think I might have stumbled across an idea. I have a collection of poems I’ve written, penned with the idea of making them into an elegant white vintage book intended as a wedding/bridesmaid gift. On doing my research, I’ve discovered that what I have in mind currently isn’t out there. I have contacted well-established high-end companies that have expressed an interest. However, I haven’t a clue how to go about getting a book of high quality (possibly leather-bound) printed and made up. Where do I start?" We pick up with Malone's response there:

This is a situation I understand very well after 18 months of bringing a book to market. There are so many things to consider including first draft, first manuscript, who will publish it and how many you should print. Then there’s the question of who is going to sell the book and how do you promote it? There are a lot of questions to take on board and think about.

My first bit of advice would be to get the concept and first draft together, as trying to get a publisher’s attention can be very hard work. You have to make yourself stand out from the others with something different and original.

I always find it helpful when people come to me with their business ideas actually to see a product first-hand. Therefore, perhaps consider using an online programme to print the book yourself so the publisher can visualise your idea.

Poetry, an elegant enterprise! Read on at Evening Standard.