This is from the heart and has a simple message; 8d Press has recently been battered from all sides with requests to go digital, to produce ebooks, to belong to the digital world in terms of production. These requests have been taken with all good humour, with thought, with research done into the value of these ideas. We love people getting involved with the Press, giving us their ideas, hearing their thoughts and we understand the digital publishing world more than most.
We're super-experienced in ebook design, formatting and marketing. We know the benefits of ebooks like the back of our hand, but in terms of 8d Press going forward as an independent press we've got to be strong, be authentic, be us, be me, be real, be true to our original pre-internet desire, to produce artisan books that are keep-sakes as well as powerful odes to the stunning array of writing talent all around us.
It's always so tempting to go with the 'market' and produce - as a business and publisher - books that the the world can read in an instant - as with ebooks - but we have a different perspective. We love the rare, the unique, the physical and the authentic, and this is our point of difference. We love independent booksellers, we love the touchy-feely nature of books, hanging out in independent bookshops and getting to know our customers who buy from us online, often in person through email correspondence/friendships.
This makes us who we are: paper book lovers. Digital leaves us feeling soulless and flat. We want to leave our 'digital exposure' to the monolith that is digital marketing and developing an online presence, getting and retaining customers and be happy with this marriage of the old and the new.
In this labour of love that is 8d Press, we have to feel 'in love' with our product every moment of every day and nothing gives me more pleasure than producing physical books; from the selection of the type of writing that gives us goosebumps, to the design and the production; it makes us/me so, so, so happy in a way that producing a digital book never can.
I must keep looking at the mission statement printed in the rear pages of LUCENT, An Ode to Nan Shepherd's The Living Mountain, and getting comfort from our/my authenticity. Be authentic in everything you do. Love Jo xx
