My first published work became a bestseller as soon as it hit the bookshelves back in 1995 and it has been topping the lists ever since. Lucky you, some might say.
By and large the content has remained unchanged (apart from essential updating) and although ten years is a fair old run, what goes up must eventually come down.
So with that in mind I approached my publishing house with a suggestion for a commemorative 10th anniversary edition; new chapters, new cover, new cosmetics, new typesetting.
They loved the idea but balked at producing a new edition per se.
“Why?” I said, “It will start the ball rolling all over again.”
“No it won’t,” they said, “It will kill the golden goose.”
And so instead the publisher opted for a reprint dressed up as a new edition: new imprint, new chapters; new cosmetics, new typesetting – but no new cover; only a subtle color change to preserve continuity.
I thought they were nuts but they were right of course; stop supplying bookstores with a bestseller for five months and you risk consigning it to oblivion for evermore. And a block on supply there must be to allow the trade to dispose of existing stock.
That’s the price you pay with every new edition.
My author copies duly arrived and. I was well pleased with the new production and contacted the publishing house to express my satisfaction, intimating only mild concern over the lack of a new cover design.
“Oh, there will be a new cover,” they said. “We’ll incorporate that on the next reprint of the reprint – now that the link has been maintained”.
My idea was good but I hadn’t thought it through.
The publisher house did.
The 4th edition of “Starting Your Own Business” (How To Books ISBN 1845280709) hit the bookstores worldwide mid-April 2005 – and the reprint complete with brand new cover is due out in August 2006.
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