My cut-guides work perfectly, and I might say better than trim-lines, but I got grief from one of the printers because they are not accustomed to the cut-guides I designed and want things different than I have it. I don't need grief. That may have an effect on my decisions as to who ultimately prints the end product, but just to avoid other run-ins, I'm doing another version of the print layouts.
With all that in mind, I also am beginning to return to Book One. Since, after I finish this trim-lines variation on the layout, all the books will be ready to print (sans finished art) I can return to publishing Book One.
Book One is the introduction and the Gnome-sized books are what I will use for promotional purposes. Of course, in the more important instances, the Big People books will be used, but basically Book One, being the introduction, is perfect for pitching the project within the industry.
I have not done much of that directly, because of legal details and the fact that the entire series of seven books has needed to be postured for publication and distribution. The books are not quite there, but they are getting closer. As I said elsewhere; Books One thru Three are finished, Book Four is short about fifteen finished illustrations, Book Five is not illustrated at all yet (although sketches are underway), Books Six and Seven are mostly done, but together are missing (I'd guess) about forty illustrations.
So with the illustrations moving forward (as well as some activity with sculpting, 3D CGI, and music) and having the print files ready to submit, I can develop a schedule for the release of the books.
I am not yet ready to approach the public release, but I can do an Industry release. I need to develop the on-line sales of the hard copy books and in order to implement that, we need to have inventory of the finished book up to an acceptable level. So publication and binding of Book One will proceed in order to reach appropriate inventory levels in order to meet possible demand.
It's hard to say what that might be, but that will likely be affected by what kind of external marketing and distribution may take place. That will most likely involve a distribution contract and pre-sales. I'm setting up a two tiered system of distribution. Internal, being Limited Editions and External being Unlimited Editions.
All books are sold on a prepaid basis only, irregardless as to the quantities. There are two basic editions; Hand-stitched (Limited Editions) and machine bound (Unlimited Editions).
Both editions can be purchased at the Wholesale level from IMS by resellers.
Only the Limited Editions can be purchased at Retail from IMS. The Unlimited Edition purchases require bulk quantity, with a Purchase Order and either prepaid or a Letter of Credit from the buyers bank, depending on the quantity. Minimum order at this stage of operations is 5k units per book. This will not provide a full keystone, a full keystone in this instance is offset by 10% in favor of the distributor. I have set the MSRP to accommodate a full keystone, but I need to hit minimum of 25k to achieve that. Distribution costs come into play in calculating the margins and some of that is presumed at this point. The larger quantities required for full margins could come from one or more distributors. There are quantity discounts, but it bottoms out at a full keystone at the retail level.
Limited Editions involve IMS Hand-stitched books inventoried in lower quantities and provided exclusively by special order via on-line sales.
I'll continue this in another post.
AG
