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Jul

24

A Different Publishing Route

Filed Under Books, Creating Comics, Elmer, My Art, My Comics, Philippine Comics | 8 Comments

By Komikon in October I’ll have the compilation of ELMER ready. I’ve been debating with myself (and a few people) what to do with the book and how to distribute it. I’ve always maintained that I would be bringing ELMER to the big bookstores once it’s compiled. I’ve reasoned that bringing ELMER to bookstores as a periodical would only guarantee a short shelf life for each issue, whereas a complete book would guarantee it shelf life as long as copies are available.

But I’ve since been rethinking that option. It’s well and good for Elmer to be so widely distributed, but it would also make the book very expensive. National is charging publishers in the area of 40 to 50% percent off retail price. Let’s say if a book at National sells for P300, that means around P150 of that is going to National. At P150 the publisher must already factor in the cost to print the book, the profit, and creators’ fees. So from this alone you can already tell that the cost of printing such a book is very small, but it retails at National for many times that. The next time you’re at a book store and wonder why books are so expensive, this is the big reason for that.

I’m considering NOT distributing with National in the interest of keeping the price of the ELMER compilation down. 40%? 50%? Fuck that, National. I’ll distribute the book myself. Within Metro Manila I already have several comic book stores that could carry it for me, and with more comics conventions in a year where I could sell these, I could make reasonable business with this, as I have done the previous individual issues of Elmer.

Now the sales of ELMER as individual issues doesn’t guarantee a comfortable life for me. What it has so far done is to be profitable for the money I spent on it. After recouping cost, I was able to pay bills, buy stuff for the house, help the folks and so forth. Issue #1 is now out of print, with #2 on it’s last few issues. And I’m really happy enough with that.

For those outside Manila, they can always order directly from me, and we can do it mail order style, with a few incentives thrown in.

The only problem would be if you’re abroad because the shipping is what’s going to drive this price up considerably.

Mulling it over…

Comments

8 Responses to “A Different Publishing Route”

  1. jerome dizon on July 24th, 2009 6:46 pm

    Gerry. I have the complete individual issues pero syempre bibili pa din ako ng compiled edition, as for the postage going to sydney syempre at buyers expense yan.

  2. Journalista - the news weblog of The Comics Journal » Blog Archive » July 24, 2009: Nerd Altamont on July 24th, 2009 8:42 pm

    [...] Gerry Alanguilan contemplates the tricky business of distributing his new graphic novel in the Philippines. [...]

  3. Reno on July 24th, 2009 9:09 pm

    Do other bookstore chains, like, say, Fully Booked or Book Sale also get that high a cut? Maybe you could consider selling through them, too.

  4. Gio Paredes on July 25th, 2009 4:30 am

    Noong nakausap ko ang NBS (many months ago) sa phone at sinabi sa akin na 50% ang consignment fee. Muntik na akong nahulog sa upuan ko. I was so stunned.

    They are such a big company that they think that they can do anything. They are like big bullies.

    Just like what Reno said. You can try other Book store. Like Book Sale, last time I inquired 35% to 40% ang cut nila. Medyo palakasan nga lang ng konti, kasi nag pass ako ng letter of intent with a sample of BayanKnights #1 many months ago pero hangang ngayon wala pang reply. :-(

  5. Danry Ocampo on July 25th, 2009 5:40 am

    Hi Sir Gerry,

    I think that it is good idea to have it circulated with comicbook shops in Manila. I often see comicbooks better displayed and merchandised at comicbookshops than the “overbrowsed / read without paying” books at the local bookstores. These shops are also in the Mall so very easy for people to grab.

    Goodluck and i’ll be buying a compiled edition when it comes out.

    Thanks

    Danry

  6. jzhunagev on July 25th, 2009 11:28 am

    Yan nga po ang problema sa NBS, masyadong mataas ang patong… Kahit sabihin nating walang tax for book exportation ay napakamahal naman ng porsyento ng NBS malagay lang sa shelf nila ang libro mo.. isang dahilan yan kung bakit kahit signatory pa rin tayo sa Florence Convetion mahal pa rin ang libro at di kaya ng ordinaryong tao… rason kasi ng National may pangalan sila at maraming branches… pero talo talaga ang publisher kasi ang laki ng porsyento ng National wala namang silang ginagawa kundi mai-display lang ang libro mo sa mga shelf nila… sa tingin ko kailngang magkaroon tayo ng maraming independent bookstores tulad ng A Different kind of Bookstore at Books for Less… sama na rin dyan ang Book Sale syemperds… or better yet magkaroon ng Batas parang Cheaper Books Act… tas maglagay din ng Maximum retail price kung magkano ba ang peperback, tradepaperback, hardcover… bale iayon na lang kung gaano kakapal ng libro, papel na ginamit, etc… isang dahilan ang kamahalan ng libro kung bakit hindi mahilig magbasa ang mga Pilipino… Literate nga tayong lahat hindi naman tayo mahilig magbasa…

  7. Markus on July 25th, 2009 11:05 pm

    Bukod sa mahal na charges ng NBS, isa pang problema sa kanila eh di nila inaayos minsan ang displays. Me mga branches na halu-halo lang ang mga titles at mahirap tuloy hanapin ang mga comics.

  8. gilbert monsanto on July 27th, 2009 7:33 pm

    the price should be higher para lang pwede ka makabawi. Ang tanong kaya kayang bilhin ng iba ang mas mahal na Elmer? Kung yes, eh di ituloy mo sa NBS. Kung book naman expected na mas mahal. Basta maganda di ba?