Volume

Volume was held at the Library of Birmingham, it was a fair to celebrate Art, Book, Print and Independent publishing. It’s a all rounder fair that covers from the inspiration of book making to sharing and protecting the rights of continuing to create books.

I have attended three of their talks and had taken notes upon what they wanted to share.

1- Grand Union presents Copy Rights

2- Writing West Midlands presents: Roads to Market

3- Birmingham Zines Festival presents: Make It To Tell Everybody

Karen Pang

Grand Union presents Copy RightsThis talk was given by Eva Weinmayr and Andrea Franke Cornelia Sollfrank, the talk was to do with piracy, it focuses on how visual artists are dealing with copying and distribution. They highlighted that art work in various forms express love, knowledge and the artist inspiration. They claim readers have active and passive love of books.

But they presented a debatable issue on Amazon Noir (a big crime book against downloading books online.) Andrea questions just how has Amazon manage to get so many online books for sale. They say visual artist may copy another artist style but they transform it into something different. In my opinion it is still copying however, the transition of seeing something is also called an inspiration that cause a new path of thinking and creating.

They broadcasted a snippet video about a man who thinks books should be free for public libraries and schools, that knowledge should be free to everyone, that it should not be illegal. In my opinion, books shouldn’t be considered to be free, because the people behind the creation of the book has putted their heart and passion in making it, allowing it to be shared to other people. And to thank them we should at the very least pay for what they have given us.

Grand Union presents Copy Rights part 2Idea of : ‘The art in a continuement (French) of borrowing’ inspired from Jonathan Lethem’s essay on ecstasy of influence. That it’s easy to borrow someone’s work like, Shakespeare, his work were recreated into films, theater acts, but they have never been returned. It questions does ownership start and stop at the work itself?

He questions: It also leads me to wonder whether after a point, the only way to preserve a classic is to reinvent it, to re-imagine it’s essence to reflect the present time.

At times things can be recreated with a concept or a certain style, to remind people it’s beauty and idea. But I think it’s important to return the credit to it’s original creator.

There are many different plagiarism over years of creation, but looking at the type of copying is quite interesting.

Some people rewrite books however, add extra chapters within the story. Some change how a book is laid out, like the list of chapters page is layout more clearly by font and spacing. Or change the cover design slightly.

Someone re-wrote a play that only contains dialogues, which really leaves the reader guessing.

QR Markham produced a fantastic book, later on someone found out on page 34 there were copied passages from other writers. He admitted to this and say he copy other writers passages because he doesn’t trust his own voice and words.

A father in China re-wrote one of J K Rowling’s Harry Potter series book and named it Harry Potter and the Porcelain Doll. His reason was that his son always have many questions after he finish reading the book and to make it more clear he rewrote his own version of Harry Potter so that his son can understand it better.

Writing West Midlands presents’ Roads to Market

There is a wider market in translating books into different languages, but the amount of language it has been requested to be translated into shows how popular the novel is by the author. There are now more independent press more then ever, over 40. For example Alan is a writer who wrote a collection of short stories and the London publisher doesn’t think much would come out of this due to Alan lives in Birmingham, they doubt his stories would get many readers. Then Birmingham local publishing press did it and it was an outbreak success. Historically books that were published from local small press that got sold in Waterstones were given huge reviews in newspapers and book trade.

The positive aspect of books getting publish in the form of e-books is it cost less in terms of production for unknown writers who aren’t famous. Plus it’s easier to get your work across to more people and gain comments and reviews (word of the mouth) to help gets sales. They think they had listen to what the consumers wants and had address to it by giving them access to the range of books through the internet to download.

The issue is that these books are being sold at discounts prices that is ridiculous e.g. some e-books for £1.99 and actual physical books for half their rpr price, which isn’t even enough to cover the paper, ink, cover design, publishing press, proof readers, editors and the writer’s time and effect. Plus one time a novel was sold at 99p and 7 million copies were sold which, was a massive lost to presses and set back for economics, publishing company and the writer. Writers now get to decide whether they want to self publish or get professional people from a publishing company to market it for them. So there’s no middle man to take some of the money away from the writer.

Birmingham Zine Festival presents: Make It Then Tell Everybody

This talk was given by three writers who write, draw children books and stories, also there was one publisher in the group. They reveal about how they promoted themselves and how they distribute their work to the public. Many say the internet had allow them to share their work to their readers more easily, and that they could keep in contact with their mangers elsewhere or people aboard better. It close the distance between people, as many of them like to work at home whenever they like. One of the writers really need encouragement from her fans, and she posts on her blog frequently to receive feedback on her work. They gave advice on how they work, they frequently have deadline to meet which makes them work on their feet, creating thought bubbles can also be inspired by festivals and events, getting involve with a community who have common interest. For a person who want other people to see their work, the best way is one get in touch with a publisher, two e-mail people your copy of work, three go to conventions and force the artist or writer to read your work, four expose yourself to more extra side knowledge or passion.

Top tip: “DON’T DO WORK FOR FREE” just because the work is doing something you love and drawing in your own time, it is still work and has value. You shouldn’t let people talk you into doing something for free. As one time, a old boy film poster PR Company looked for an artist expected them, to work for free. It was a Hollywood film company. Creative process is different for everyone, here are some methods: dreams (ideas), think of creating a book, non fiction book (interactive book), carol book (packaging), how you want it to be carried around, if it’s a story book (tone of voice -friendly), think of the actual object (make zines to give a more visual image).

When needing some support on ideas, do votes and remember even that “1% difference counts” see what’s popular and what you personally like, you can ask editor’s help, see what the publisher thinks is good.