Peas, Tease (Part I)

Followers of this blog know that I’ve been self-producing eBooks for about a year now.

Besides allowing me the opportunity to put my favorite, out of print traditional works back into the ether, it has given me the freedom to produce those projects that are dear to me, but don’t quite resonate with the mass market publishing world (e.g. Duck Duck Moose on a Plane).

Lately, I’ve been trying to get more serious about my least favorite part of publishing: Marketing.

The kids on the internet—the kickstarter crowd—tell me I need to create buzz before the project launches.

So here I am. Buzz, buzz, buzz.

The last time I was running on fumes and needed to art my way out of a hole, it was a cold, cold winter much like this one. I was living in New Hampshire and came up with the idea of creating/selling a rock climber’s dream poster of the Gunks.

It was one of my best ideas ever. Not just because of the drawing—which I’m still very proud of—but because of my plan. I started with the idea that I was broke and went to the local offset printer (they still had print shops in small town America in those days).

I asked what was the most cost effective way to produce a poster.

The answer was: One color, no bleed, standard size (no crop needed), etc. I followed the specs and got to work. In one season I was turning a profit and was able to move back to the Gunks, where I belong.

I am now revisiting this strategy and I’m getting to work on an eBook about Johnny. I don’t want to reveal too much, too soon, but my plan is go simple or go home!

Since my limited resource now is time—and I have the idea all flushed out—I originally thought I would attempt to produce the whole book in one insane week. That turned out to be unrealistic—since I still want it to be good—so, I’ve decided to give myself to the end of the month.

Can I do it? Will I deliver? Am I creating buzz?

Stick around and find out.