I bought Ed Boxall's book 'The Gardener' at the Handmade and Bound Bookfair in London in November... and it's inspired me to do a series for this blog about people involved in handmade/small press books. Ed agreed to answer some questions about his charming and evocative books, and his Pear Box Press projects.
I'm very interested in why people self-publish, especially when (like you) they obviously work with big publishing houses as well and it's not for lack of success in the traditional publishing world. Why did you first become interested in publishing books yourself?
To be honest it was for ‘lack of success in the traditional publishing world’ that I self publish. I got into self publishing because Walker Books dumped me! My relationship with Walkers was the best thing in the world in that they taught me loads about making books and then by dumping me they gave me the passion to do it alone!
What do you particularly enjoy about it? Are there any downsides?
I can’t bear having bosses. I am allergic to working for other people for more than five minutes! So self publishing suits me very well and gives me a brilliant sense of freedom. I feel like I’m getting away with something. The established publishing world is a great big mountain that you assume you have to climb, but you don’t: you can just walk off and do your own thing. If you make something good, people will buy it. You don’t need an army of editors and marketing people to tell you whether something will sell.
The downside is simply the practicalities of distribution: I only have around 25 retailers, and that’s taken ages to build up as there’s always fifty other more important things to do than send off samples to shops.
1 Comments on Small Presses: Ed Boxall/Pear Box Press, last added: 1/17/2011
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Lovely illustrations and a most interesting interview. Thanks!