![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Which is more attractive?
Feb. 2nd, 2009 10:55 amI've been working on my next publishing/storytelling project for the past couple of years now. I've had a few good ideas that I've done some of the initial set-up work for, but then I get distracted and go off in a new direction.
The main project is to put together a collection of Irish and Quebecois stories (told in English, although one or two stories might be in French) and publish them as a book/CD like my first book/CD You Don't Know Jack. So far, I have two stories written, which leaves me with four more stories to write.
As for the CD part, I was going to go into a studio, but now that I have my USB condensor microphone, I will probably use the best of the live performances for the CD itself (nothing beats a live audience storytelling).
But here's my dilemma: As a customer, is a book/CD more interesting than a simple CD of recorded stories?
Personally, I love the format of the book/CD. I find the combination of the two brings the most value to the reader/listener, especially since the stories are written to be read and told to be heard (which means the written text is not word-for-word with the CD). But many storytellers only have audio CDs, so I'm wondering if the book/CD is overkill for the storytelling experience.
If I only wanted to put out a storytelling audio CD with no book, I could do it pretty quickly and the investment would not be too high (about $1200 for 1000 copies including the packaging). However, to put out a book/CD, the cost skyrockets to almost $5000 for 500 copies.
I could go with a more established publisher, which would mean no initial investment from me, but it would delay the production of it and I would alot of creative control. I could also go to the Canada Council for funding, but with the recession and Mr. Harper's disdain for the arts, getting grants is akin to playing the lottery.
So which is more attractive to you, the customer? Would you be more interested in seeing me put out more audio CDs of storytelling, or do you think the book/CD is much more valuable as a product?
The main project is to put together a collection of Irish and Quebecois stories (told in English, although one or two stories might be in French) and publish them as a book/CD like my first book/CD You Don't Know Jack. So far, I have two stories written, which leaves me with four more stories to write.
As for the CD part, I was going to go into a studio, but now that I have my USB condensor microphone, I will probably use the best of the live performances for the CD itself (nothing beats a live audience storytelling).
But here's my dilemma: As a customer, is a book/CD more interesting than a simple CD of recorded stories?
Personally, I love the format of the book/CD. I find the combination of the two brings the most value to the reader/listener, especially since the stories are written to be read and told to be heard (which means the written text is not word-for-word with the CD). But many storytellers only have audio CDs, so I'm wondering if the book/CD is overkill for the storytelling experience.
If I only wanted to put out a storytelling audio CD with no book, I could do it pretty quickly and the investment would not be too high (about $1200 for 1000 copies including the packaging). However, to put out a book/CD, the cost skyrockets to almost $5000 for 500 copies.
I could go with a more established publisher, which would mean no initial investment from me, but it would delay the production of it and I would alot of creative control. I could also go to the Canada Council for funding, but with the recession and Mr. Harper's disdain for the arts, getting grants is akin to playing the lottery.
So which is more attractive to you, the customer? Would you be more interested in seeing me put out more audio CDs of storytelling, or do you think the book/CD is much more valuable as a product?
