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Picture Books
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From: Norma Jean Sawicki <nsawicki_at_nyc.rr.com>
Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:18:04 -0500
Regarding KT's questions about publishing matters, a couple of things never change so I will answer those questions, and folk in publishing will no doubt have much to add....
Full color picture books versus two/three color
Full color books came into being because costs were rising in such a way that there was little difference in the cost between printing a pre-separated picture book and a full color picture book especially if one printed the full color books in Asia. Illustrators were incredibly happy not to pre-separate their own art ( a time consuming tricky process that requires much skill), and publishers were happy not to check it ( another time consuming tricky process with all sorts of pitfalls) before it went to the printer.
It is unlikely printers have the equipment and or enough folk experienced in dealing with pre-separated art to handle it nor can I imagine illustrators being willing to pre-separate their own art, and most folk now in publishing do not have the experience to deal with it. We live in such a multifaceted visual world that I cannot imagine pre-separated artwork would appeal to the audience, or to folk in the marketplace.
Costs of a book/retail price...a min-introduction, not an in-depth view
The retail price of a book basically depends on the manufacturing costs, the number of copies printed and the royalty. The manufacturing costs are spread out over the entire printing..,for instance, and this is fake sum...if one book costs $15,000 to make, and has a print run of 15,000, the retail price will be less than if that same $15,000 is spread out over a printing of 10,000 copies. One could keep costs down by using cheap paper as well as other materials but that is not the way to go, especially in hardcover. If the total royalty on a picture book is 10% of the retail price, that book will be cheaper than a picture book with a royalty of 12 1/2% or 15%.
When the market is tight as it is now, publishers print fewer copies of a book because they cannot afford to carry excess inventory ( because of the way inventory is taxed). There are, of course, large print runs for well known writers/illustrators with strong track records but those books are the exception rather than the rule. With smaller print runs, the list price is higher because they are fewer books to spread out the costs.
In addition to the printing and binding costs, publishers pay for all of the materials used to make a picture book. Publishers work hard to negotiate good terms for paper, printing, etc. but these costs usually go up once a year. The large publishers can buy paper in great quantities ( because they publish more picture books) which will be less expensive than the price given to a medium sized/small publisher for the exact same paper.
Hope this is useful...Norma Jean
Received on Mon 08 Nov 2010 04:18:04 PM CST
Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:18:04 -0500
Regarding KT's questions about publishing matters, a couple of things never change so I will answer those questions, and folk in publishing will no doubt have much to add....
Full color picture books versus two/three color
Full color books came into being because costs were rising in such a way that there was little difference in the cost between printing a pre-separated picture book and a full color picture book especially if one printed the full color books in Asia. Illustrators were incredibly happy not to pre-separate their own art ( a time consuming tricky process that requires much skill), and publishers were happy not to check it ( another time consuming tricky process with all sorts of pitfalls) before it went to the printer.
It is unlikely printers have the equipment and or enough folk experienced in dealing with pre-separated art to handle it nor can I imagine illustrators being willing to pre-separate their own art, and most folk now in publishing do not have the experience to deal with it. We live in such a multifaceted visual world that I cannot imagine pre-separated artwork would appeal to the audience, or to folk in the marketplace.
Costs of a book/retail price...a min-introduction, not an in-depth view
The retail price of a book basically depends on the manufacturing costs, the number of copies printed and the royalty. The manufacturing costs are spread out over the entire printing..,for instance, and this is fake sum...if one book costs $15,000 to make, and has a print run of 15,000, the retail price will be less than if that same $15,000 is spread out over a printing of 10,000 copies. One could keep costs down by using cheap paper as well as other materials but that is not the way to go, especially in hardcover. If the total royalty on a picture book is 10% of the retail price, that book will be cheaper than a picture book with a royalty of 12 1/2% or 15%.
When the market is tight as it is now, publishers print fewer copies of a book because they cannot afford to carry excess inventory ( because of the way inventory is taxed). There are, of course, large print runs for well known writers/illustrators with strong track records but those books are the exception rather than the rule. With smaller print runs, the list price is higher because they are fewer books to spread out the costs.
In addition to the printing and binding costs, publishers pay for all of the materials used to make a picture book. Publishers work hard to negotiate good terms for paper, printing, etc. but these costs usually go up once a year. The large publishers can buy paper in great quantities ( because they publish more picture books) which will be less expensive than the price given to a medium sized/small publisher for the exact same paper.
Hope this is useful...Norma Jean
Received on Mon 08 Nov 2010 04:18:04 PM CST
