What a rollercoaster it has been already...
As a photographer, I had always dreamed of publishing a photo book. My website is full of educational books, but a book you can flip through and get lost in… that had to happen for years.
Between giving workshops and guiding photography trips, there was never really much time to dedicate to it. The lockdown put all these activities on hold and gave me the opportunity to take the first step.
STEP 1 | The Needle and the Haystack
I couldn’t and wasn’t allowed to work, so besides spending time in my photo studio, I started thinking about a concept for a book. A concept that would reflect both myself and others who could relate to it. After a lot of brainstorming, I decided to bring together my three passions: black-and-white photography, Africa, and conservation.
STEP 2 | Looking for a Publisher
I contacted many publishers, and some were very interested. With every positive response, I was super excited, but that excitement quickly turned into disappointment. A publisher no longer covers all the costs these days, especially if you don’t have a "name." The personal costs would range somewhere between 9,000 and 18,000 euros, which I thought was a bit much. In exchange, as a photographer, you do get a number of copies, and you can keep the income from those, but from the profit of the copies the publisher sells, if you're lucky and have a good deal, you might get a few euros. In short, if I sold all the books, I would barely break even, but the publisher would profit nicely. So, this was not an option.
STEP 3 | Self-Publishing
Anything you do yourself, you do better—and hopefully, cheaper! The cost for 500 copies still comes close to 10,000 euros, but when you sell all the copies, you actually make something from it. That’s a better deal, but it also means you have to do everything yourself. No one will do the layout for you, no one will choose the paper, there’s no copywriter to proofread the texts, and you have to find a suitable printer, request and compare dozens of quotes.
So be it. A year later (May 2021) and I’ve found my printer. Three test prints, at 250 euros each, later, and I’ve found the perfect black density. Still need to review the layout, write the texts, and then the book can be printed. Yes!
But we’re allowed to see more people again, and for me, that also means I can start giving workshops again. Finally! After a little over a year of operating at less than half my usual revenue, something has to bring in some money. The book will have to wait.
STEP 4 | Pre-Sales
The printer can finish my book in 2 weeks. Great! I’ll start the pre-sales so I can at least finance part of the printing costs. It still adds up to a five-figure amount. An Excel calculation of costs and expenses shows me a selling price of 45 euros per book. A price that’s average for similar books among my colleagues. The people who support me during the pre-sale get a discount and a signed copy...39 euros.
STEP 5 | The Final Step
At least, that’s what I thought...
Just when I was about to send my manuscript to the printer, a publishing house contacted me. A publisher specializing in art books that wants to publish my book in three languages and distribute it abroad. An OMG moment is definitely in order here!
The book goes on hold for a bit, and meetings are scheduled. We’re nearing the end of the pre-sale when we’re informed that the paper won’t be delivered until April. Covid proves its impact once again. That’s not good news, as the book was promised for a December release. On top of that, because the publisher is printing an additional thousand copies, the book can be offered at a lower price (editor's note: 35 euros). But that’s easily solved by refunding a portion to the people who pre-ordered.
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STEP 6 | The Final Countdown
We found a new printer who could get the paper in January. The layout was reviewed, the texts were translated, and last week I approved the "print-ready" proofs for the press. The book Exit Africa is currently being printed and bound as we speak, halfway through January. The delivery is scheduled for, let’s give it some buffer time :-), the end of February.
Only 500 signed copies will be sold.
The publisher will distribute another thousand copies across various bookstores, both domestically and internationally.
Signed copies are still available, but once they're gone, they're gone.
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