BOOK DIVISION

Readers often ask us for information from back issues. We already have a good online archive. But that doesn't seem to be enough. I thought maybe adding a site search engine could help them pull together the information they wanted. I contacted WDPC for help with this. When I explained that the goal was to allow readers to collect articles bundled thematically, WDPC had a surprising solution for us. They suggested it was time for us to get into the book business. They showed me how to use simple, low cost survey methods to identify the topics that would have the most potential market value for our readers. WDPC pointed out that we didn’t even have to rely solely on our published articles for content. Articles that we had no room for in the magazine could be combined with published articles. WDPC showed us how to do a break-even analysis to see if undertaking a particular book would pay off. I know from a writer friend that it usually takes an interminably long time for a book to be published. WDPC offered a system called “short cycle publishing” that can put a book on the market in just a few months or less. Their depth of knowledge about book publishing was apparent in their practical suggestions for all of my concerns. They explained how to price a book and the benefits of offering both digital and print editions. We explored multimedia options, market segmentation, and ways to achieve economy in editorial expense. Now we’re in the book business and already have four titles available in both digital and print.