"Best of" project in the works.
Now that we’ve redesigned the website, the logo and many other gadgets we’re moving on to our next project. The Print On Demand (POD) world is making our lives much easier and less expensive so we felt it’s time to get the best of Haggard and Halloo’s poetry into a book. The working title is “Best of Haggard and Halloo, 2010”.
WHAT: The idea is to start with our Regular Contributors and take 2 or 3 poems from their work that we feel best represents their overall style, feel and body of material. In this, it will be like other “Best of” books you’ve read. We’ll also take poems that have come through from our satellite writers who revolve and send us signals of their work now and again. Our designer will create the look and feel of the project. We’re going to try and keep the collection at around 100 pages. If you have ideas about this project feel free to send them our way.
WHY: We think it’s a cool project and we’ve been wanting to do this for 3 years.
WHEN: We’re giving ourselves 6 months to complete the project and plan for a spring 2011 release.
What’s in it for me?: Everyone involved will receive a copy or three of the book as payment. Author bios will be printed in the back of the book. We won’t retain rights. We’ll need your permission to use your work in the book and you’ll be sent a form. Afterwards, the book will be for sale through the website.
Questions: Who will make the final selections of writing? Who will weed through the thousand or so poems we’ve posted? Will there be any art inside the actual book? Should the heirarchy go Regular Contributors < Former Contributers < Guest Writers < Special Guest Writers? Will anyone be interested?
This is going to be great. I think a longer issue is needed because there are so many contributors. Maybe some of the long time regulars could suggest their favorites to you. Artwork, yes. That would be very good.
We think it’s going to be great as well. We’ve been receiving emails about it all day. I think people are excited. Many writers have never experienced their work in book form. That’s the problem many of us face in a digital world. This is going to change that. Imagine sitting on the toilet reading through the work of your favorite H&H authors!
Adding art on a large scale creates new challenges and work as a publisher, but it’s something we’re ready to face if the demand is high enough. As a publisher who doesn’t retain rights to any of the poetry or images we post, we get away with lots more, but we must answer to the printer and prove our art is royalty free and permission has been granted when it comes to visuals.
We wouldn’t be against our regulars suggesting their favorite writing. After all, this website only functions on the energy, talent and drive of our readers and writers. Wo/ you guys, there would be no website, print issue or projects to consider.
This will be a time consuming project, but the end result should surprise, entertain and move H&H ahead, once again, in the realm of modern poetry communities.
I, personally, cannot wait to sit down on the oval office and take this book in. It would be quite fun to edit. . . you’ve got a lot of tough decisions to make, because there have been wel over a hundred excellent poems here. . .
–“Imagine sitting on the toilet reading through the work of your favorite H&H authors.”– lmao! Yeah we know exactly where Misener’s ‘oval office’ is. I’m looking forward to reading. Old or new logo on cover would be cool…and maybe in middle of book 4-5 pages of collages. Awesome stuff! Razor thin H & H bookmarks also–so readers may defend themselves if attacked during reading–hopefully only their artistic appreciation senses will be assaulted.
What can be done to make this manifest as reality?