cartoon book to help brain injury survivors

Dear Sarah,

This reply will pop up in your e-mail, and it's the only way that I can think of to contact you, unless you accept my "connect request". We have now registered our publishing company and have 97 ISBNs waiting to be assigned to books. We'd honestly like to have a look at your cartoons... or at least some of them. You can either "connect" to me and send me one message, telling me that you're not interested, then disconnect; or - if you ARE interested - you can visit our web-site http://la-granota.com/press.htm and use the address there to contact us.

(Frankly, I'm a bit worried that something might have happened to you. You asked for advice and then didn't reply to the replies. Please write and put my mind at rest.)

In Hope,

Jimmy

Hi, Sarah!

I've sent you a "connect" request. I assume that this means that if you accept, we'll be able to send each other private messages via this web-site.

I'd be interested in seeing some of your cartoons. Tomorrow some friends and I are going to start the process of registering a "publishing hut" (too small to be a p. house). My first book has already been printed in 2 trilingual versions (i.e. 6 languages), but once the p. hut has been officially registered, we'll be able to order ISBNs, set up a company bank account (with Triodos, an ethical bank)... and apply to be included in the WAYB listings.

We're interested in publishing the work of other people. Long story short: Think of a "self-publishing agency" but one that doesn't charge you 500 pounds without turning out any actually physical copies of your book. Because it'll start small, the first run will be only 25 copies, but... well, short story long:

I've just been reading [in another Q+A] about a rip-off editing/publishing agency, so my advice to you is to be wary of us (that's just common sense). But here's a run-down on what we're about (copied from the in-construction web-site) [I'll get back to a personal message to you after the line of +++++++s]:

1) Book projects are NOT to be chosen on the basis of "What´s in it for us?" i.e. "Is it likely to sell really well and make us a lot of profit?" but on "Do we REALLY like this book?" We will only consider publishing books that we will be proud of.

WE WOULD RATHER FUNCTION ON A SHOESTRING THAN PUBLISH SUPER-SELLERS THAT VIOLATE OUR ETHICAL AND/OR QUALITY STANDARDS!!

2) We do NOT buy all the rights to book/writings/illustrations. In fact, we don´t buy ANY rights. The creators maintain copyright and full control over their creations. We work as partners of the creators. And if we can act as a springboard, bringing a book to the attention of a major publisher who then offers the writer a juicy contract, we will be happy that a book that we are proud to have published makes it into the big time. The only condition that we impose on the termination of a publishing partnership is that a publishing contract with another publisher will NOT bar us from selling our remaining stock of already-printed copies.

3) Given that we´re quality-obsessed and ethics-obsessed as opposed to profit-obsessed, we will be eternally damned (unless a runaway best-seller author decides to remain with us, turning us into the publishers of a best-seller) to working on a shoestring budget. This has its drawbacks:

a) We cannot offer an advance on royalties to ANYBODY. You have to be clear about that right from the beginning.

b) We will only have the finances to afford to bring out small editions to begin with, until sales convince us that we can risk ordering a larger print-run for further editions of this particular book. In these early days, the first edition is going to be LOL, ROTF, ridiculously tiny: 25 copies. (Hopefully, future collectors´ items!)

c) We will try to self-finance, but an author and/or illustrator may decide to risk some of their own money and help to finance the first print-run, making a larger edition possible. There is NO obligation to do so. If we decide to publish your book, it'll be because we're enthusiastic about it. And that means that we'll be willing to bet OUR money on it.

d) After the first edition, we play it by ear. What sells will be re-printed, what doesn´t will lie around in storage. (We WILL make an effort to "push" the book! It isn´t our AIM to lose money.)

4) We advise authors to get an agent or somebody else to help "polish off the rough edges". We are absolute beginners in this field. We´re looking for great ideas. We don´t consider ourselves gifted editors... though we WILL give our advice/opinion if something occurs to us. This means that

i) Your book is more likely to be published just as you envisioned it, without a lot of changes imposed by our editing staff.

ii) It isn´t likely to sell as well, because of slip-shod editing.

5) After publishing costs (incl. printing and p&p) have been dealt with, the actual netto profits will be divided as follows:

50% to the creators (writer, illustrator, translator[s] – where applicable). How this 50% is to be divvied up between writer and illustrator (and translator) will be decided on a case-by-case basis, with the creators actively engaged in the decision-making process.

25% to the publishers to finance future projects (incl. further editions of the same book)

25% to worthy causes. (Amnesty International will be a constant beneficiary. Others on a case-by-case basis with suggestions by the creators.)

6) Sales are mainly to be via Internet. We will try to keep costs down, both to offer value-for-money and to stimulate sales. Creators will be consulted re: book price decisions.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Back to YOU, Sarah:

To be blunt: if your cartoons are crap, we're not interested. We want to build a reputation for quality that can be relied on by readers.

Having said that, and pending consultation with my partners, your project seems just the sort of book that we'd be interested in. We want to specialise in books that make readers THINK, especially to consider what it's like to be in somebody else' shoes. (One of my personal dreams is to publish a book with main characters who have Down's Syndrome.)

I can imagine that you'd want the "25% to worthy causes" to go to some charity for brain injury victims and we would respect that wish.

You can order as many of the printed books as you wish at 60% of sales price... and use them as dummies (prototypes of a book to be sent to literary agents and publishers in order to get their interest), as gifts for your friends, or to sell at full-price [or discount, as you wish] which will increase your royalties take. That's only fair, because it'll be YOU selling those copies instead of us.

Since these are cartoons, I can imagine that words will be few. (Of course, I could be wrong: there are some cartoons with HUGE speech bubbles.) In which case, you/we might consider bringing out a multi-lingual edition which - theoretically - could be sold in more than one country.

I've put a deal of energy into this reply, so I do hope that you'll consider my proposition and get in touch... and I hope that your cartoons will live up to my hopes.

All the best,

Jimmy

Hi Sarah

I used to work with a lady who had suffered a very severe traumatic brain injury and attended training associated with her care. A friends son too. Well done you! You've had an awful lot to deal with.

Sorry I haven't any specific answer to your question but I would think there's certainly room for your book and I wonder if it would be worth you contacting an organisation such as Headway https://www.headway.org.uk/home.aspx? They might be able to point you in various directions or give feedback as you develop your idea. Of course you may already be familiar with them.

Best of luck I think it's a great idea, especially as it would also help friends & family of those affected because, as you say, so much of the damage is invisible and can come out in the most unsettling and bizarre ways.