Thread: Publishing Books

Oh .. I kept meaning to ask, Mik, why you don't publish 3-4 designs in one book? Toss a good and commonly sought after plan like a PDR or GIS into a book, then toss in a couple of other designs which don't sell so regularly. I was thinking that people might see a few more of your designs, feel they are getting more for their buck, etc. Of course you could put all your free plans in each book for more bulk. Ta-da!

Mark

Howdy Nick,

It is a good point I think. At this stage I will just get the plans out ... at least after I have "knocked over" the RAID41.

Will see how it goes with the first couple ... the PDR and the Goat.

Just got the proof for the PDR ... quality is quite OK ... but glad I got a proof .. there are images moved to the bottoms of the pages etc. Right to the edge.

Fix that and then see.

Will be doing the PDRacer plan in Black and White ... hard to reflect the cheap price of the PDF file download. Target price is about $40 plus post.

With the Goat or whatever I decide on ... I will do it in colour to reflect a bit of quality as it will have to be at a higher price.

These are not really a mass market book.

If they go well, I will do a mass market book with many of my groundbreaking (haha) articles on design and building in the one place. Sort of a do it yourself manual on improving your existing boat or as a guide to the many people dabbling in design themselves.

VERY tempting to put a plan in that book.

MIK

Originally Posted by Boatmik

If they go well, I will do a mass market book with many of my groundbreaking (haha) articles on design and building in the one place. Sort of a do it yourself manual on improving your existing boat or as a guide to the many people dabbling in design themselves.

VERY tempting to put a plan in that book.

MIK

Something akin to Bolger's books perhaps ?
"Lazy Boat-Building and Other Go-Fast Short Cuts"
Intersperse 'how-to' articles with stories on several boat's philosophy & origin /
development, each accompanied by a much reduced study plan (which doesn't
contain quite enough info to build from unless one were prepared & knowledgeable
enough to reverse engineer & figure things out as one went along).
Could even throw in a few articles on Antipodean boat design & development with old
pics of 505s & Moths & 18 footers & etc.

Geez AJ ... add a bit of mythbusting .. and you can write it for me!!! You are right on the money!

The only area you missed was wanting to take on some myths that are perpetuated around the net about boat design.

Real focus on the OZ wooden boat tradition too.

MIK

Wellll..... Hop to it lad !!

Maybe next year!

MIK

MIK, for the UK,

your agent will supply the books which most builders would buy. Do the books include the plans, I think they are a book of plans and tips?

Electronic plan will also be available, direct from you or just your UK agent?

Just no quite clear, Brian

Neither am I Brian ... that is part of the problem!

I am expecting the Agent will still sell mostly PDF files, but there will be some customers that will pay the agent for a book version of the same thing.

The main reason at the moment is to see how many people are resistant to buying PDF files. If it is a lot ... I will do more than the orginal plan of translating the PDRacer and the GIS across to this medium.

The book about design and building in general is a longer term project for sale through bookstores and agents - it may or may not contain a plan.

MIK

Like me, others may decide to build a boat without knowing all the jargon of boating. If it's not too late I'd suggest a "glossary" of boating terms would be a welcome addition to your books.
After all we are discussing "boats" in a woodwork forum, and I feel sure some Members have toyed with the idea of boat building simply because of these threads.
The "technical" terms in the plans I bought have me stumped!!!

soth

Howdy Soth,

Good suggestion! Theodor made the same one some time ago as have some others. I'll add it to my list of priority items. (added)

If they are my plans .. post questions in my subforum as you come to them and I will sort it out. If not one of my plans post in the general boatbuilding thread and a whole swag of us will be over to have a look - so possible the advice will be a bit better!

Best wishes
Michael

Thanks, Michael - the plans are from you. I'll do as you suggest because using a dictionary in association with the plans befuddles me more.

soth

Which boat Soth?

Michael

Michael, it's the Handy Punt.

Because I propose photographing (video perhaps) the building "event" I've read the planning notes several times, and over a long period since getting them. As these few months have too much sand lifted on the wind around here and after several physical/health problems I expect starting soon-ish. From other posts you've made I'll humbly offer any problems I might find in spelling, etc., if you wish.

soth

Howdy Soth,

First to point you in the right direction. There is a boatbuilding thread on the Handy Punt here

As far as the Handy Punt plans go ... it is difficult for me to revise them as I lost the original document a decade ago in a hard disk crash. Same thing with BETH and the Russki. That is when I learned the importance of backing up!!!

I used an original scan of my master set of the plans with revised timber lists.

So if there are any serious errors in there I need to know ... but spelling errors I won't be able to do anything about at this time.

Best wishes
Michael.