I made a new Pinterest ‘board’ for all my blog header images

This was a cool idea I thought – a way to spread the word visually. if they like the image they might like the blog…  See

http://pinterest.com/wizardofeutopia/

So, apart from copyright Q’s I am enjoying being a pinner! Join me there?

peter

Some caution warranted with Pinterest and copyright issues

Following up on Pinterest – they have got new terms of service to answer some copyright issues – not all solved it seems.

Jacquelyn sent me this link to a very informative article with all you ever wanted to know about pinterest and copyright…http://www.squidoo.com/pinterest-and-copyright

 

Rainbow in a Bottle’ – A new minibook series and the possibility of others

 

A6 ‘passport’ sized books are so cool and cheap to make and send in ordinary std envelope. This is an exciting idea I am launching for a series of ‘wisdom and healing’ minbooks plus audiobooks plus ebooks: see www.rainbowinabottle.com

like it? What other series could be devised on other general themes? Talk to me if intrigued, we could brainstorm…

Peter is now a Pinner (as well as a compulsive WP blogger!)

Well it wasn’t hard at all! You have to google Pinterest, go to their website put your email in and wait for someone to invite you to join – turned out there’s about 8 friends and relatives already on Pinterest! Then they lead you through to start a few ‘boards’ (named by you) for you to pin pics you find anywhere. you just get a ‘pin it’ button on your browser bar, and when you click on a picture you like on the web, you click the pin it and do as told – very simple, dont have to visit your board or nuthin’…

i recommend, if you are at all ‘visual’ in your approach to things!. none of this FB ‘i had eggs for breakfast this morning’ stuff… And think of the book covers and posters and things you can post, and get folk p-interested in your works… and they can click thru to your websites etc. You do HAVE a blog/website, right? If not, email me wizardofeutopia@gmail.com and I will do you a wordpress one in an hour or less…:) One YOU can then blog on, add pages, upload pics and videos, easily.

 

 

Out of Pinterest…

For those of us weho like puns, Pinterest may well be of … pinterest… Enuf! my semantic conscience cries.

This post was ..INteresting in that regard. With links which may well be of p..interest…

http://thewriteinspiration.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/im-getting-pinterested/?share=press-this&nb=1

There are a few things we should probably just do as writers – this may be one of them. Get our covers and other relevant pictures of p…interest out there in front of a new lot of folk. If we are writers, we have to get ourselves and our work in front of a large number of people, until we find our ‘tribe’ which doesnt have to be that large, cos they love us and we them and they will buy our books – if they are any good at all! the books, I mean.

if anyone has started pinterest, let us know – comment. i will start too, very soon.

A recommendation for design and print work

If NewLeafers want any general design and print work done, try Sandeep, whom I met when he was at Apricot print, and now they have folded he has started his own business. I was impressed with his deep caring about book design, and his long training (five years study) and experience which he no doubt brings to every job. Saw him at my sister’s booklaunch, and said send us an intro. Here is his letter:

For general design and print work, contact Sandeep, I’m pretty sure he will be very helpful.

Meanwhile, I continue to do print runs of books here at New Leaf, and to convert book files and upload as ebooks. see my www.ebookuploader.com And of course designing limited editions and carved books. www.carvedbooks.com The world is changing, and we are learning and growing with it all – or the part of it that affects books! Another exciting thing is the ipad magazine – see the ipad bookshelf for an idea of what’s there already. I’ve seen a presentation on ‘magcasts’ which is one platform to get ipad magazines up. More on that later when I’ve learnt more…

Jacquelyn Lane, author of ‘Children of Gaia’, on joining New Leaf

See what Jacquelyn’s art world looks like and prepare to be impressed! http://www.jacquelynelane.com

This was such a nice letter upon her joining New LEaf I thought put it up here:

“What does New Leaf mean to me . . .?

It seems to me that New Leaf has behind it several worthy intentions.

•  to empower self-publishing authors to get their books out at a very reasonable price, thus making them a more viable selling proposition.

• to provide a support group for its members in both practical and intangible ways. The journey of the author, and more often perhaps for the self-publishing author, can be a long and solitary one and even just the knowledge that others are, by their participation in New Leaf, sharing the journey can be in itself a great encouragement.

• to provide a hands-on opportunity to physically create one’s own book be it with a standard binding/cover or a hand crafted one and to open up all kinds of wonderful possibilities to the creative author.

• to provide a publishing resource to the members as the knowledge base is added to and shared.

In addition to the above intentions, I believe that having been founded by Peter and so hugely supported by Gary Cook, the qualities of empowerment, cooperation, sharing and caring have a good chance of being carried through to the endeavours of the participating members.

What do I mean to New Leaf . . .?

• It is my hope that what I have so far learned and have yet to learn about creating one’s books and then getting them manifested as physical (or electronic) objects out in the world might be relevant and helpful to other New Leaf members.

• I hope that my experience will encourage others to persist with their precious visions, regardless of any obstacles that life, karma or normal learning, places in their way.

• I will somehow be able to help them aspire to the highest quality they are capable of as writers and creators of books.

Thank you for taking me on board!

Kind regards,

Jacquelyn”

Thank you Jaquelyn, and it is indeed about ’empowerment, cooperation, sharing and caring’ – and I would add, enthusing! nothing much ever happens without enthusiasm; anything is possible with enough of it!

-Peter

At last! A step and repeat layout method and it’s Free!

I finally checked out the online imposing service from  http://www.imposeonline.com/instructions.php

‘imposing’ – layout of multiple (books) on one large sheet – for free, and it works! FAST! So now it is way easier and cheaper to print A6 books – 8 up on a SRA3 sheet. Got a little ‘passport size’ book in you?

the alternative was Quite Imposing, a paid software thats great but about $1000 NZ – way too much for the little group!

more and more i learn – trust the Cloud! so much free or cheap that WORKS!:)

Present book costs for members of New Leaf Network

I worked out the costs thus. Subject to price increases from suppliers of course, but these should be minimal over a year.  Consumables at (whole) cost, i.e. click rates etc paid by Peter and Gary as new leaf owners, plus 20% to cover overhead and depreciation. To get costs down and quality up, we buy only Munken Cream a bulky soft off-white paper from Spicers Paper, cut specially for shortgrain for good opening characteristics (books using ordinary long grain paper are terribly stiff to open, and it stresses the spine too, causing cracking of glue) (We may add a good thinner white paper for lower cost, but this does mean more cost of stock-holding, so no promises yet!)

Therefore, at present click rate from Oki of 1.8c Black and 13.5c for colour A4, plus gst:

prices to members=

For black and white A5 (normal book size) on shortgrain munken paper: 2.3 NZ cents a page. On cheaper paper (not sure yet but maybe save .63 cents a page making 1.67c

(the usual grain direction of cheap photocopier paper is too stiff for (good) books, so it needs to be bought in and guillotined for ‘shortgrain’.)

For colour A5 PAGES on munken: 10.6 NZ cents a page

for COLOUR COVERS on 300 gsm card, one up plus some bookmarks if wanted, and including glue cost: 66 cents

for covers 2-up on the SRA3 sheet  (for slimmer volumes this works ok – depends on spine width): 33 cents

So the GST INCLUSIVE cost for your book to you as a member if you come and print and bind it yourself:

66c (or 33c for thinner books up to say 180 pages),

plus 2.3 cents times the (black and white) page count including all front and back matter and blank pages. (so a 100 page b&w book is 33c plus $2.3 = $2.63 INCLUDING GST)

 Add 8.3 cents per page that has any colour in it.

If you want Peter to print and bind your book, add $4 inc GST per perfectbound book for under 200 pages, $5 for 200-300 pages, and $6 for over 300 pages. Still cheaper than any NZ print on demand shop he is aware of! His price subject to review from time to time, of course.

(If you go to ‘passport’ size (A6), costs are roughly the same (because page count is roughly doubled). But the postage is roughly halved, as A6  fits in a standard envelope. Also, the grain on cheap paper is the right way for A6, so the paper can be very cheap).

New low-cost membership by subscription to New Leaf Network

See the website pages – it really is simpler and easier, and most of all you who were interested but din’t have the money to pay the lump sum, you’ll love this:

Simple annual subscription of NZ $75.

Print and bind at cost! Have fun being a member with keen, hands-on writers and self-publishers! Now with an ever-growing ebook know-how to share! As well as the ‘carved book’ expertise.

See you here soon?

Peter Harris.