David Salariya on a publishing rollercoaster ride with 1200 books
"It's only a book?"
Alfred Hitchcock once told Ingrid Bergman, "It's only a movie, Ingrid." Sweet sentiment, Hitch, but for authors, artists, book creators and publishers "It's only a book?"
It’s only a book! In the selling of book ideas and rights eightsome reel - every step counts, every step. Why? Because books become your lifeblood, sucking you and those around you into a swirling vortex of endless deadlines, endless edits, and endless and endless new projects of what' we will be publishing for Bologna 2025 - Frankfurt 2026 - 2027’’, I had a non-fiction, fiction book addiction. Just take my own, er, let's say copious collection of over 1200 masterpieces. Launching those fruits of my hand and eye meant the Bologna Book Fair in the Spring and the Frankfurt Book Fair in the Autumn, trips to London, Istanbul, New York, Washington, Delhi, Hong Kong, Beijing, Buenos Aires, you name a place, I'd probably tried to sell a children's book in it.
But now, as 2024 dawns, I turn a new page. Maybe, just maybe, "It's only a book" wasn't so far off after all. The Salariya Book Company is a closed chapter for me, gone in a festering pandemic fuelled mess of my illness, supply chain chaos, the IPG warehouse and a confusion of unfulfilled orders, bottom feeders and sharks... but now, does a a blank page beckon? Who knows what new projects are to hatch within? After all - I'm now fully recovered and fighting fit, my brain (and my notebooks) are stuffed with ideas.
Credit where credit is due in publishing books
The ancient Egyptians chiseled away names on statues of inconvenient individuals who fell out of favour or were considered enemies of the state done to prevent their existence in the afterlife and to erase their memory from records. A version of this damnatio memoriae can happen when new owners take over the intellectual property of a business and start reprinting books stripped of contributors credits.
As creators, we invest not only our time and creativity but also a part of ourselves into our works for us it was never 'just a job'. The biographies printed on the title verso page of books is not just a formality but a vital acknowledgment of the individuals behind the book. This information provides readers with insight into the minds and experiences that shaped the work they are about to explore.
I believe it is crucial for authors, artists, and the creators of the concept to be acknowledged in books they have worked on. This acknowledgment goes beyond mere credit; it fosters a connection between the audience and the creator, enriching the reading experience. By omitting this section, the essence of the original work and the people behind it is diminished and their memory is erased.
Preserving the integrity of the creatives who work on books benefits not only the creators, designers, writers, editors and consultants but also the reputation of the publishing industry.
So, to all my fellow book-creators, writers, designers, illustrators and publishers, I raise a toast. “To wild ideas, sleepless nights, and the sweet, sweet satisfaction of seeing your words and pictures take flight”. Here's to new chapters, blank pages and breaking spines and the ever-present, slightly terrifying whisper: "It's only a book?"
‘Design, Illustration, Creativity & Business’
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