Today I am posing the question: what makes a book worth buying? Is it popularity? To what extent it is deemed "a classic"? Whether it is written by a new, up-coming author? What makes us spend money on literature?
On a personal level, the beauty of the book is really important to me - i.e. how much attention to detail has been taken when it comes to the publication of the piece. If I am going to spend money on a book from an unknown author, I want to see a high level of integrity when it comes to their work. Every page needs to be hand crafted to convey the meaning and influence the writer is hoping for. It should in my opinion be a work of art, even if it doesn't contain any pictures, layout and quality of paper, and concept behind the covering are all of utmost importance to me. It is an indication of how much value the writer places on their own work.
For this reason when I self publish in January, the utmost care will have been taken over even the most minute detail. I am fortunate enough to have many artists as friends who have actively volunteered to annotate the borders and blank space of my work with their imagery. For me this brings the publishing experience to a whole new level. Not only is it adding another dimension to my writing, it is becoming a shared experience with some very close friends. On a personal level this raises the significance of the publication, but it also means that when people buy it they will be buying a unique example of contemporary art.
If you are self publishing your own work, you might want to give some thought about what aspects of the process you hadn't previously thought about. Do you want images? Does a particular typeface matter? How are you going to lay your work out on the page and what does this mean for you and the reader. Writing is an incredibly organic experience that can be personalised without giving way to vanity. Finding your particular preference for delivering your work can be crucial to the effectiveness of the finished result.
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