The Business of Book Publishing
10-14 September 2006
International Centre, Chiang Mai University
A good time was had by all when Mekong Press held its first workshop on book publishing for thirteen participants, three self-funded, from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam in mid-September 2006. The workshop was designed to provide an opportunity for independent publishers or those working for institutional or NGO presses to learn some publishing fundamentals and more about the international book trade.
Participants were selected on the basis of interviews, some in their own countries; each one had real experience producing and distributing books. The workshop was also seen as a place for all—trainers and participants alike—to network, exchange ideas and experiences about how to survive in a region with low literacy rates, a tiny book-buying market, inadequate distribution, state control or censorship of books, regional or global "big players" and book chains, copyright infringement issues, poor infrastructure and many other challenges.
One highlight was at the end of the first day, when some participants from Laos (Bounthanh Phongphichid), Cambodia (Heng Satya), Vietnam (Pham Tran Long) and France/Vietnam (Francois Jarlov and Pham Thi Thuy Mai) were selected to introduce their publishing operations and speak about the major problems they face in publishing or distributing their books.
The sessions covered the full spectrum of publishing, but the emphasis was on the nuts and bolts of book costings, marketing, and distribution.
- , the Publisher of Silkworm Books and Mekong Press, shared her story of growing up in the family book business, and of subsequently breaking away to build up an independent largely English language press in Thailand. She also hosted a delicious afternoon tea-cum-visit to Silkworm Books' new premises on Sukkasem Road, with a useful talk on dealing with Thai booksellers and chain stores.
- , the Publisher of Hong Kong University Press, gave witty presentations about academic publishing as well as the economics of book publishing in a non-trade and largely non-profitable environment, down to costing spreadsheets, interspersed with lots of sound advice.
- of Serindia Books, Thailand, regaled the participants with his experiences as an erstwhile distributor in Chicago, and also talked about using the Internet as a sales channel, giving away a lot of useful trade secrets about how to approach distributors!
- , Senior Editor of Silkworm Books, provided an editor's eagle eye view of the painstaking and sometimes bumpy road involved in turning an often messy manuscript into a polished book.
- , Production Manager, and , Editor, Silkworm Books, demonstrated a range of publishing software and a publishing database-in-progress.
- , Coordinator of Mekong Press and the workshop organizer, introduced the hows and whys of buying and selling rights and co-publication agreements; how to "read" competitors' book catalogues and the importance of designing a good one; and conducted a group-based role play session on creating and marketing a new title.
Although addressing serious issues in publishing, the atmosphere was kept deliberately informal to encourage exchange all round. There were lively question-and-answer sessions, or interjections from the participants throughout. Conversations were animated during breaks, and over informal lunches and dinners, and what turned out to be a very competitive role play session! The judges picked out the winning ad hoc publishing team: Vimala Dejvongsa (Dokked, Laos), Rubiyanti Kholifah (AMAN, Thailand) and Francois Jarlov, who collectively came up with an engaging idea to co-publish an Arabic language travel-cum-cookbook on the Mekong region for wealthy Middleastern tourists.
To end the workshop, Nantiya Khankham, the hardworking secretary of Mekong Press who made sure everything went smoothly during the five days, organized a bus trip to the wat on Chiang Mai's presiding mountain, Doi Suthep, with participants singing Khmer, Vietnamese, Thai, Lao and French songs despite their exhaustion.
A big thank you to everyone involved for making our first workshop such an interesting event, especially our guests speakers, Colin Day and Shane Suvikapakornkul for taking time from their busy publishing lives in particular, and last but not least, Alan Feinstein from the Rockefeller Foundation, for all his support.
Participants:
- Kheng Pytou Kethya (Centre for Khmer Studies, Phnom Penh)
- Heng Satya (SIPAR Edition, Phnom Penh)
- Mani-Samouth Dore (Editions Sieng Mouane, Luang Prabang)
- Bounthanh Phongphichid (Independent writer, Vientiane)
- Vimala Dejvongsa (Dokked, Vientiane)
- Francois Jarlov (Editions Rivages Lointains, Messange)
- Kanchana Kulpisithicharoen (RCSD, Chiang Mai University)
- Chanida Puranapun (RCSD, Chiang Mai University)
- Pham Thi Thuy Mai (Dong Gia, Ho Chi Minh City)
- Pham Tran Long (The Gioi Publishers, Hanoi)
- Piyawee Ruenjinda (Wind & Water, Bangkok)
- Rubiyanti Kholifah (Asian Resource Foundation, Bangkok)