Monday 16 January 2012

The quest for numbers... again.

As you probably all know, I am working on getting my book, "Kleidung im Mittelalter", published in the English version.

I have found a publishing house that is very interested in the book, but they are unsure whether there would be enough interest in the book, and thus enough buyers, to make it worth their while (and their investment). With the translation costs and costs of print and binding, especially since it includes colour pictures, a book like this is not easy to calculate.

When I was at this stage for the German version, I set up a newsletter list for people interested in the book. This did work very well for everybody, so I am doing it again. If you subscribe using this form, I will keep you informed about any developments on the publishing front, and if there should be any special offers or subscriptions possible, it will make sure you hear of this. On the other hand, your name on the list and your input about pricing will make it easier for the publishing house (and me, of course) to gauge interest in the book.

The German version has 529 pages and more than 400 illustrations, some of them in colour. It features information about sewing techniques, textile techniques, how to critically look at sources for garment research, the development of medieval clothing, a reconstructed technique for tailoring historical garments and - last but of course not least - a catalogue of still extant medieval garments and garment fragments from 500 to 1500.

So if you are waiting for the English version of my book, please subscribe - and please pass on the information about this!


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For the book, I would be willing to pay up to

70 Euro

90 Euro

120 Euro 

13 comments:

Gene Smith said...

I'd actually buy it in German.

Aud said...

I would be happy to see this in an electronic version.

Ian Whitchurch said...

You deserve to get paid, and the translator deserves to get paid, but an electronic copy will make the work more accessible to more people.

How much, as a lump sum, would you want to make the work available by electronic download ?

morgana said...

I'd second the request for an e-edition.

Isabella said...

Why bother with a publishing company? With Lulu, you can publish it yourself and it can be made available on Amazon.

Alice said...

I second Isabella, "Why bother with a publishing company? With Lulu, you can publish it yourself and it can be made available on Amazon."

I seen many good books get lost in publishers. I am afraid that the run will be to small and years from now they will be unwilling to re-print.

Anonymous said...

The problem with epublishing is that you don't get hard copies which public and scholarly libraries can obtain for their shelves. However, if an eversion turns out to be the only (and perhaps the cheapest) way to go, then go for it. I would be willing to buy it either way, although the 70 euros would probably be a max amount I'd be willing to pay.

Jonathan Jarrett said...

At min. 70 Euros, knowing that I'm very unlikely to ever *need* it for a project of mine, I couldn't justify buying it, BUT, because I know it would be useful for teaching and for some research students, I WOULD recommend it to at least two academic libraries where I have some say. Of course, it won't be out while I'm still in post where those libraries are, but if we bravely assume that I will still have a job somewhere in the field, I would still be recommending it. There is almost nothing that can cover these issues comprehensively in English, just Gale Owen-Crocker's now rather old book which only covers the Anglo-Saxons.

(Forgive the lack of authentication on my comment; Blogger seem to have `fixed' their word verification in such a way that the word required changes between pressing the button and the OpenID check, so it's currently impossible for me to `sign' using OpenID.)

Jennifer said...

I have the German copy and like the book. However I am slow at reading German and would buy the English version if it were available.

I'd be happy with electronic, but prefer paper.

Amanda said...

If this book comes out in English, my husband and I WILL buy it, period. We have several friends who would, as well. I would probably purchase both a paper and an electronic version, if both were available.

Anonymous said...

I would be "willing" to pay EU 120, but I won't be able to. I would like to see an e-book, or better still a CD, version as well.

Nick Friend said...

Ich wurde gern dieses Buch in Englisch oder Deutsch kaufen, wenn ich nur das Gelt hat!

Antonio de Navarra said...

Nine, Ich spreca deutch nicht. Is all I remember fron Greman 1 in high school 20 years ago. I am interested. The best book I have currently is Jannet Arnold's, and I would love another source.