Author Archives: Joe

Modern Book Design: The Legacy of Jan Tschichold and Paul Renner

Jan Tschichold and Paul Renner are two of the most influential figures of modern book design and typography. Their take on this often esoteric but widely consumed aspect of graphic design influences our practice here at Reidhead & Company Publishers.

The Power of Personal Storytelling: How to Write a Memoir that Resonates

A memoir is a powerful tool for self-discovery and understanding and a way to share one’s life story with others. It is a deeply personal and often emotional journey that requires courage, vulnerability, and a willingness to be honest with oneself and one’s readers. But what makes a memoir genuinely great?

Inspiration from the Authors I Work With

I often wonder what it is that I enjoy about publishing. It is not the sales or marketing, nor the challenges of distribution; these are logistical hurdles to be overcome. I certainly enjoy the design elements. What is not to love about creating things? What I genuinely love about publishing are the interesting people whoseContinue reading “Inspiration from the Authors I Work With”

The Basics of Book Binding Types

Perfect bound. Casebound. Softcover. Hardcover. Sewn signatures. Glued signatures. Case wrap. Dusk Jacket. Board book. Chapbook. Saddle-stitched. Spiral bound. These are a few of the book binding types available to the publisher. What does it all mean? And what combination is best for your project? In this article, I will explain the basics of theContinue reading “The Basics of Book Binding Types”

Market Forces Affecting Publishers, Content Creators, and Marketing

In July, I presented a talk at the Eastern Sierra Book Festival. The organizer asked me to give an update on trends in the publishing industry. I decided to spend the allotted 30 minutes discussing current market forces that impact not only independent authors and small publishers but also impact any business competing for an audience’s valuable time.

5 Tips for Editing Your Writing

Writing a rough manuscript or draft is often a solo endeavor. However, getting that draft into a polished piece ready for public distribution is a collaborative effort. Therefore, I do not recommend being both the author and sole editor on a writing project. However, sometimes it has to be done. Here are some basic tipsContinue reading “5 Tips for Editing Your Writing”

Accounting for Book Publishers

Creating a solid business requires good accounting and budgeting practices. If the publisher does not know where the money is spent, how much is spent, and why it is spent, then the publishing house is going to fall. The way to answer where, how, and why is through good accounting for book publishers. To read my newerContinue reading “Accounting for Book Publishers”

Quality Control for Books and Content Management

Creating quality control protocols is just as important for the book publisher as it is for the factory. At the end of the day, book publishers are producing a product that will be mass manufactured on an assembly line and, hopefully, consumed by many people. The implication here is that we need to take greatContinue reading “Quality Control for Books and Content Management”

Book Submissions and Acquisitions

Here is how it is going to happen. Discipline and hard choices What does it take to be disciplined? I do a lot of high risk sports, like mountain climbing and rock climbing without ropes. I’ve also worked in high risk industries, like logging and tree trimming. Participating in these activities demands discipline. If IContinue reading “Book Submissions and Acquisitions”

Book pricing—Solving the Great Mystery

Book pricing is difficult and a bit like cold fusion—many people claim to have discovered the key to success, but none can prove it. That being said, there are steps that publishers can take to eliminate some of the magical guesswork from the process of setting prices for books.