Happy New Year
Happy New Year.
Tomorrow, Hobart Books will be one year old. One year ago it had no books to sell and now it has nine. This time next year it should be double that number.
A year ago I was still a teacher and really not doing well. Hobart Books was going to save me but it took a little while before I cut my ties with the teaching profession. Once I did, I began to feel better in all sorts of ways but also much more tired, which I have never understood.
The emphasis in my life has altered radically since then and is still evolving. For the first time I decided I could call myself a writer after a quarter of a century of failure but as time went on it became clear that the publishing side of Hobart Books was more important than my writing. With new authors joining us it became vital that their books were given every chance of success with eye-catching covers and thorough preparation.
It felt good to leave teaching to go on to something ambitious, almost glamorous and exciting but it soon became clear that good wishes and 'likes' on Facebook didn't translate into sales. Therefore the marketing side of Hobart Books eventually replaced any personal ambitions for writing.
And so it continues. The independent bookshops, which we thought might be the cornerstone of our sales, have proved to be a washout. The big operators, notably Waterstones only stock books by well-known or heavily promoted authors.
So, the message is this; it's not about quality, or people saying 'well done', it's about determination and relentless marketing. 2022 is going to be our year. We have the books and the infrastructure. Hobart Books is going to be the best small publisher in Britain.
Tomorrow, Hobart Books will be one year old. One year ago it had no books to sell and now it has nine. This time next year it should be double that number.
A year ago I was still a teacher and really not doing well. Hobart Books was going to save me but it took a little while before I cut my ties with the teaching profession. Once I did, I began to feel better in all sorts of ways but also much more tired, which I have never understood.
The emphasis in my life has altered radically since then and is still evolving. For the first time I decided I could call myself a writer after a quarter of a century of failure but as time went on it became clear that the publishing side of Hobart Books was more important than my writing. With new authors joining us it became vital that their books were given every chance of success with eye-catching covers and thorough preparation.
It felt good to leave teaching to go on to something ambitious, almost glamorous and exciting but it soon became clear that good wishes and 'likes' on Facebook didn't translate into sales. Therefore the marketing side of Hobart Books eventually replaced any personal ambitions for writing.
And so it continues. The independent bookshops, which we thought might be the cornerstone of our sales, have proved to be a washout. The big operators, notably Waterstones only stock books by well-known or heavily promoted authors.
So, the message is this; it's not about quality, or people saying 'well done', it's about determination and relentless marketing. 2022 is going to be our year. We have the books and the infrastructure. Hobart Books is going to be the best small publisher in Britain.
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