Author: Andy Le Peau

I've been an editor and writer for over forty years. I am passionate about ideas and how we can express them clearly, beautifully, and persuasively. I love reading good books, talking about them, and recommending them. I thoroughly enjoy my family who help me continue on the path of a lifelong learner.

Extreme Makeover: Vanity Publishing Edition

Vanity publishing. It even sounds a bit sleazy, doesn’t it? Paying a “publisher” to print and distribute your work has always had negative connotations in publishing. If a legitimate firm won’t produce your book, there must be something wrong with it. Right? Either it is commercially unviable or editorially substandard. It means someone is doing it just to satisfy their vanity.

No more. Vanity publishing has had an extreme makeover.
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On the German Front

[Here’s Andy’s latest report from the Frankfurt Book Fair.]

So who have Ellen and I been meeting with here in Frankfurt and what are they interested in?

We have met with Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and general market publishers from all over the world. Some have wanted to get reading copies of one book. Some have wanted to look at several.

A publisher in India wanted to see How We Make Your Kids Angry.

A publisher in Sweden wanted to look at The Gift of Being Yourself.

A German publisher was interested in Deep-Rooted in Christ, a book we published by Joshua Choonmin Kang, a bestselling Korean author who pastors a church in Los Angeles.

A Norwegian editor wanted to see a book we publish on a Christian view of economics–Bulls, Bears and Golden Calves.

A Brazilian wanted to consider an IVP Academic book Rediscovering Paul.

A publisher from Korea was interested in Discipleship Essentials.

A Spanish publisher wanted to see Invitation to Solitude and Silence.

Usually publishers are interested in books under 200 pages because of the cost of translation. And often readers from other countries who might want to read our larger and higher level academic books already know English, so translations are rarely necessary or feasible. At the same time, many of these publishers already have authors from their own countries writing on some of the topics we publish and in a much more contextualized way.

Even with these factors in play, each year we continue to increase the number of contracts we write for translating our books. The substance and thoughtfulness of our books contribute to the good reception many of our titles receive. While contracts are rarely signed at Frankfurt itself, important groundwork is laid for future agreements.

Last night Ellen Hsu and I enjoyed dinner as guests of Brunnen Verlag–Giessen along with about a dozen others. Since we do business all day, our hosts said this was a time for a relaxed social visit. We ate at a restaurant whose name translates roughly as “Beautiful View,” which it did provide, overlooking the city lights of Frankfurt from the outskirts of the city. Dinner was served on the more relaxed Eurpoean timetable which allowed for a pleasant evening with our German friends and several of our counterparts from other U.S. publishers.

What is the news on the rail strike? It changes minute by minute. This morning it was on, so we once again took a cab instead of using the commuter rail service. But word now is that more trains are running. So perhaps the union feels it has made its point for the moment by disrupting the morning commute–then again, maybe not.

Frankfurt Update

[Here Andy offers another dispatch from Germany.]

Sights. The first impression you get of the Frankfurt Book Fair is its sheer size. It spreads out over six buildings, each of which could easily hold four football fields. Many of the exhibit halls have three or four levels as well. The vastness of the space filled with so many publishing exhibits can be overwhelming. The wife of one publishing friend decided she was going to walk every level of every building. It took her six hours.

Smells. As I was entering Hall 8.0 where IVP’s booth is found I suddenly realized that the friendly, familiar smell in the air was that of books. It was like walking into a bookstore and being enveloped by that reassuring scent. It was gratifying to know there are so many books in the world that it could fill this and every hall.

Tastes. Of course the vendors offer coffee and German pastries. You can also find bratwurst and, yes, frankfurters!

Sounds. Like many huge trade shows, the drone of conversation that pervades the exhibit hall can be subtly wearing as the day goes on. It is surprising how much the noise, which you are barely aware of in the course of the day, can be so draining.

Touch. Shaking hands is repeated many times, greeting friends, colleagues and new publishers we may do business with. Yes, we are trying to interest others in translating or publishing our books, and us theirs. But it is a low-pressure exchange on both ends. Everyone knows it is in everyone´s best interest to get a good match between book and publisher and not force something on someone that won´t fit. The human element is still strong in the publishing culture.

And what about the train strike? We heard it was to be on for today. So last night three of us (IVP colleague Ellen Hsu, IVP-UK colleague Steve Carter and I) booked a taxi to take us from our hotel to the book fair this morning. We allowed an hour and a half for the extra rush hour traffic that the commuter rail strike would cause. It took us 15 minutes! So much for extra traffic. As it turned out, the strike had been delayed. It has been hard to know what exactly the news reports are saying when we don´t speak German and because even the Germans don´t seem to know what is going on. For now it looks like negotiations will be in process today and tomorrow, so we are not likely to see a strike during our stay. Not a disappointment.

Vice President of Looking Out of the Window

The story was a legend in my family when I was growing up.

Once my mom went to have lunch with my dad, who worked as an executive at a company in downtown Minneapolis. When she got to his office she saw him behind his desk with his back turned to the door, looking out the window. She was so impressed by how hard he was working that she immediately elevated him to “Vice President of Looking Out of the Window.”
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Publishing That Lasts

Sitting on my wife’s chifforobe I recently noticed a small, old, clothbound book. On the front was the title, True Liberty, the author’s last name, Brooks, and a drawing of flowers printed on the case. The book is about 5″ x 7″ and only thirty-two pages, published by the Henry Altemus Company of Philadelphia (1842-1936), which started as a bookbinder and evolved into a publisher of photo albums, Bibles, decorative reprints of fiction, religious and moralistic books, juvenile series books, fairy tales, and puzzle books.
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They Just Love My Title

“I asked five friends, and they all told me they loved the title I’m thinking of for the book.”

“I randomly surveyed a dozen people at the mall and most liked my title best.”

“I’ve been speaking on this topic lately, and when I mention my working title for the book, I get a very positive response.”

Over the years we at InterVarsity Press have heard many variations on this theme from authors. They mention their working title to friends, relatives, coworkers or people in the intended audience, and the reaction they get leads them to believe they have a winner. And they might. But why should a publisher be cautious about such a conclusion? Why should an author also be cautious about such a conclusion?
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Publishers Don’t Sell Books

“Publishers don’t sell books. Authors sell books.”

I was with a group of editors last week. Roy Carlisle, who has been an editor at HarperSanFrancisco (now HarperOne), Crossroad and his own imprint, was making a presentation and was getting just slightly off topic. But he was passionate nonetheless. “An author has got to have a platform. That’s what has been true in New York for the last five or ten years. It’s what every editor there knows.”

Publishers don’t sell books? How do they stay in business?
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