[R] Special editions
Terry Pratchett
to think it worth testing the water.
Is there a real desire out there for special, limited editions of the DW
books? We're talking leather binding, embossing, nice paper, maybe even
some internal illustrations.
It's not something that exercises my mind much, since I'm automatically
in favour of unlimited editions. Just to concentrate the mind, my
agent, who really knows about this stuff, says that typically such an
edition, depending on numbers and quality, could be in the 2-300 quid
mark. I said that I expected that DW fans would want something that
looked as though it was from the shelves of UU, and he winced and said
'that'll make it a little more expensive...'
--
Terry Pratchett
Eric A. Seiden
Yes, I think there's a market for it. I know lots of people who collect
them. The lot of 'em have rocks in their heads but if you've got money to
burn and it makes you happy....
I'll stick with your standard hardback (and only 'cause I am FAR too
impatient to wait for paperback)
-- E
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Jennifer en Reinier Sjouw
>Is there a real desire out there for special, limited editions of
the DW
>books? We're talking leather binding, embossing, nice paper, maybe
even
>some internal illustrations.
>
>It's not something that exercises my mind much, since I'm
automatically
>in favour of unlimited editions. Just to concentrate the mind, my
>agent, who really knows about this stuff, says that typically such
an
>edition, depending on numbers and quality, could be in the 2-300
quid
>mark. I said that I expected that DW fans would want something
that
>looked as though it was from the shelves of UU, and he winced and
said
>'that'll make it a little more expensive...'
>> My US two cents (payable in Euros if you prefer):
>>
>> Yes, I think there's a market for it. I know lots of people who
collect
>> them. The lot of 'em have rocks in their heads but if you've got
money to
>> burn and it makes you happy....
>>
>> I'll stick with your standard hardback (and only 'cause I am
>> FAR too impatient to wait for paperback)
>>
Which probably is much like my own opinion. Apart from
the fact that I _don't_ know lots of people who prefer paying
200 UKP for a single book. But I'm sure there are some
people out there who do.
Much as I like books, and good books, and nice paper,
and properly bound books (as oposed to what is a
hardcover nowadays), I don't think I'd be buying
such a book until my children have grown up and can
take care of themselves. And my firstborn is just
four months old.
HTH, HAND,
Reinier.
mule
<STx92vAc...@unseen.demon.co.uk>:
Too rich for me. I occasionally splash out on a folio edition of
some book I've always wanted to own, but never a book I've already
got. And the hardback discworld's are good enough to last.
Which doesn't mean to say there aren't thousands of others who'd
jump at the chance of owning such.
mule
--
"jewels and binoculars hang from the head of the mule"
Bob Dylan
elfin
> I've had just enough letters and e-mails about this
> over the past year to think it worth testing the water.
You get letters and emails?
> Is there a real desire out there for special, limited
> editions of the DW books? We're talking leather
> binding, embossing, nice paper, maybe even
> some internal illustrations.
Desire yes, want yes, afford no. There are undoubtedly people out there
that could afford these special editions. There are people out there
that would buy them, but not all your readers will be able to afford
them. *IF* it's going to be done, that limited editions are the way to
go. I would even go as far to guess that the first edition published
would be sold out before it has even been produced.
> It's not something that exercises my mind much,
> since I'm automatically in favour of unlimited editions.
> Just to concentrate the mind, my agent, who really
> knows about this stuff, says that typically such an
> edition, depending on numbers and quality, could
> be in the 2-300 quid mark. I said that I expected that
> DW fans would want something that looked as
> though it was from the shelves of UU, and he winced
> and said 'that'll make it a little more expensive...'
can I just go away and drool in private. I may collect everything I can
afford, but this will be way out of my reach.
I'll wait for your autobiography instead....
elfin
--
*sobbing quietly in the corner*
Martin Wells
and book seller in the land would snap em up then flog em for twice the
price. The Harry Potter books already come in so many different editions and
covers that its quite surprising. I went to a book store in Tokyo the other
week and saw about 4 or 5 different editions of each book. If the Discworld
books came in more than just the orginal hardback then later paperback it
would just fuel the profits of first edition specialists more than anything
else. However, having said that, to own such a copy would certainly be a
goal for me as a 'serious' collector of Mr Pratchetts's* written works
(which I collect for my fun and enjoyment and not for selling!). What the
hell, who wants to live forever? Let's see some limited editions and watch
the mayhem ensue!
Martin
Eric A. Seiden <dar...@pro-entropy.cbbs.cts.com> wrote in message
news:cp6...@pro-entropy.cbbs.cts.com...
Richard Bos
> Is there a real desire out there for special, limited editions of the DW
> books? We're talking leather binding, embossing, nice paper, maybe even
> some internal illustrations.
>
> It's not something that exercises my mind much, since I'm automatically
> in favour of unlimited editions. Just to concentrate the mind, my
> agent, who really knows about this stuff, says that typically such an
> edition, depending on numbers and quality, could be in the 2-300 quid
> mark. I said that I expected that DW fans would want something that
> looked as though it was from the shelves of UU, and he winced and said
> 'that'll make it a little more expensive...'
Let's put it this way... if I ever get to be really, really filthy rich,
and can afford to use EUR100 bills to wrap my sandwiches in, this is
probably one of the luxuries I'll be very happy indeed to shell out for.
But while I remain merely not poor, I prefer to buy more books rather
than prettier-bound ones.
I think there'll be a market for these, then; but I also think it will
be small.
Richard
Jens Kleine
> Is there a real desire out there for special, limited editions of
the DW
> books? We're talking leather binding, embossing, nice paper, maybe
even
> some internal illustrations.
Sounds wonderful but impayable to people like me.
If I compare the UK price and the German one: I would pay a sixt of
the UK hardback (17 Pounds) price here in Germany (about 3.50 Pounds)
(but I'm not patient enough to wait till they come out here).
> Just to concentrate the mind, my
> agent, who really knows about this stuff, says that typically such
an
> edition, depending on numbers and quality, could be in the 2-300
quid
> mark.
That's a bit more than the 17 Pounds and a lot of money to spend for
one book (with that amount of money I would be able to buy all the
missing UK hardbacks (yes, I'm such a fool I buy the books in English
and in German)).
The feeling to know that there are such books and not to have one of
them would be a torture suitable for Bill Gates not for your fans.
JK
Sockii
[...]
> I'll wait for your autobiography instead....
>
> elfin
> --
> *sobbing quietly in the corner*
*joins elfin in the corner, likewise sobbing*
Jens Kleine
> Is there a real desire out there for special, limited editions of
the DW
> books? We're talking leather binding, embossing, nice paper, maybe
even
> some internal illustrations.
One large book containing ALL your Discworld stories (the 25 novels
and the 3 short stories) would be a good and better selling idea.
I (a poor student) would pay let's say up to 500 Euro to get one. (300
would be even better ;-) )
JK
James Morrissey
read me is appealing but I suspect it will never be a reality . . . as for
£200+ novels I fail to see how any author could be so cruel as to unleash a
£5000 burden on his collectors. Put simple my mother was aghast at the
prospect of a £40 illustrated Eric :-)
What I would shell out gladly for, though, is illustrated editions of the
novels. By Paul Kidby or similiar, for preference, as it's no secret that by
far the wackiest part of Discworld is the cover art. Might be worth a shot .
. . ?
JQM,PM
ICQ: 109269677
"I don't need you to worry for me 'cause I'm alright
Go ahead with your own life, leave me alone . . ."
B. R. Ashley
deathless prose, but if I had that kind of money I'd already have
invested in a Storisende or Kalki edition of the complete works of James
Branch Cabell. (*Jurgen* is the least important of his books IMHO; the
rest are practically unobtainable anymore.)
Terry Pratchett
<Jens-...@Pratchett-Fanclub.de> writes
>"Terry Pratchett" <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>> Is there a real desire out there for special, limited editions of
>the DW
>> books? We're talking leather binding, embossing, nice paper, maybe
>even
>> some internal illustrations.
>
>One large book containing ALL your Discworld stories (the 25 novels
>and the 3 short stories) would be a good and better selling idea.
It would have to be a *very* large book, and would be out of date within
months.
I'm getting some interesting emails about this. There's not a lot in it
for me. But would I like to see the black leather version of Mort?
Sure. The problem is that if you price it too high then most of the fans
are out in the cold and it becomes truly a collectors' item, but if you
price it too low then all you'll get is, well, a decently-bound book
with fancy lettering on it, which isn't what any of us would have in
mind.
Some years back Transworld experimented with a carpet-bound edition for
the 25th anniversary of The Carpet People. They couldn't see how to
make it a profitable project, so I have the original. Limited edition,
1 of 1, signed by the author...
--
Terry Pratchett
jester
On Mon, 26 Mar 2001 18:41:34 +0100, Terry Pratchett
<tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>Some years back Transworld experimented with a carpet-bound edition for
>the 25th anniversary of The Carpet People. They couldn't see how to
>make it a profitable project, so I have the original. Limited edition,
>1 of 1, signed by the author...
would have been worth something except for that.
--
Andy Brown
SSiriennna
Terry Pratchett <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:STx92vAc...@unseen.demon.co.uk...
>
> Is there a real desire out there for special, limited editions of the DW
> books? We're talking leather binding, embossing, nice paper, maybe even
> some internal illustrations.
>
> looked as though it was from the shelves of UU, and he winced and said
> 'that'll make it a little more expensive...'
I must admit I wouldn't buy ALL of them (Gods forbid!) but I could see
myself buying my *favourites* in a nice UU embossed outer etc ...
Otherwise, I'd agree with other people posting to this thread - people
*will* buy them.
HTH
--
Ssirienna
12- Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, because you are crunchy
and taste good with ketchup.
AFEfiance to BelZedar (the Phoenix-like!!!)
AFE d+ m++ ot+ l afec+ a++ fs-
Bluebottle
>
> I'm getting some interesting emails about this. There's not a lot
> in it for me. But would I like to see the black leather version of
> Mort? Sure. The problem is that if you price it too high then most
> of the fans are out in the cold and it becomes truly a collectors'
> item, but if you price it too low then all you'll get is, well, a
> decently-bound book with fancy lettering on it, which isn't what any
> of us would have in mind.
There are some affordable limited editions out there, the only problem
is that I think they're pretty mass produced with a given value of
'limited'.
An example is Stephen King books which (for a while anyway) were
brought out in the UK in a 'special limited edition' priced at only
30UKP. These were cloth bound hardbacks in a cloth bound slipcase
with a *printed* signature on the bookplate, but they lacked any form
of numbering. I know it was tricky to get hold of one where I lived
at the time (only saw one or two copies of each book in the town shops
which disappeared pretty quickly) but that's probably an area thang.
Julie
--
I talk to the trees, that's why they put me away....
Eric Jarvis
*trying not to grin whilst offering Sockii and elfin some
consolatory chocolate*
I'm not really in the market for special editions...I buy books for
the words mostly...however, get the right artist doing the
illustrations and it might tempt me even at that price...it'd need
to be omnibus editions though...otherwise it strikes me as we are
talking thousands of pounds over time
--
eric - afprelationships in headers
"money can't buy you love, but sometimes dinner
is much more important"
David Chapman
> Some years back Transworld experimented with a carpet-bound edition
for
> the 25th anniversary of The Carpet People. They couldn't see how
to
> make it a profitable project, so I have the original. Limited
edition,
> 1 of 1, signed by the author...
r u going to put it on ebay? that would be kewl!
--
These things are not the beliefs of madmen
but the beliefs of sane men and women trying
desperately, not to preserve the status quo,
but just to find the fucking thing.
Bapst Family
"Jens Kleine" <Jens-...@Pratchett-Fanclub.de> wrote in message
news:99ngj0$7io$01$1...@news.t-online.com...
> "Terry Pratchett" <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> One large book containing ALL your Discworld stories (the 25 novels
But... I hope you mean several volumes of all books (Pratchett Encyclopedia)
because one thing of twenty five books would have to be specially delivered
to your house via a truck. Either that or you would need a magnifying glass
to read it.
As for the special editions, I have a hard enough time buying one normal
hardcover (The Truth).
-David B
MEG
> Is there a real desire out there for special, limited editions of the DW
> books? We're talking leather binding, embossing, nice paper, maybe even
> some internal illustrations.
Oh Ghod! I have drool in my keyboard.
Could you hold on for about - ooh - ten years?
That way, I can send the children out to work; have some investments mature;
quit work and build a proper library with real bookshelves that don't bow and
one of them ladders on wheels. There would be a big reading desk with a
nadjustable lamp, two large leather chairs near the window, huge paintings on
the walls by various Discworld artists and an enormous display area for one of
Bernard's Universities and some Clarecraft figures. A lady would come in and
dust every day.
Of course, I'd have to move house.
In ten years, I'd also have 520 more chances of winning the lottery [1].
Seriously, I believe there *is* a real desire for these special special
editions. You only need to experience the fervour generated by an auction of one
of the early Discworld first editions to appreciate that desire.
[1] And considerably more chance of being dead.
- MEG
--
* Ever considered going to a UK Discworld Convention? *
* "2002: A Discworld Odyssey" * August 16th-19th, 2002 - *
* Web: http://www.dwcon.org/ * Email: in...@dwcon.org *
Kalle Lintinen
David Chapman wrote:
> "Terry Pratchett" <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:532J$tAO93...@unseen.demon.co.uk...
>
> > Some years back Transworld experimented with a carpet-bound edition
> for
> > the 25th anniversary of The Carpet People. They couldn't see how
> to
> > make it a profitable project, so I have the original. Limited
> edition,
> > 1 of 1, signed by the author...
>
> r u going to put it on ebay? that would be kewl!
I just can't imagine Pterry putting it on ebay, it's not as if he'd need
the money. And if you do sell it on ebay it'll just end up on some
collectors hands, who'se only intention is to sell it forward. My ideal
use for it would be as a special gift or similar, preferably to me ;-).
And to the point of the limited editions. I would really be tempted to
put some money into such a copy of Hogfather for example. It should be a
bit under 100£, though (I'm basically a poor student, I just have some
money to spare).
KalEl
Jens Kleine
> It would have to be a *very* large book, and would be out of date
within
> months.
We calculated that out *G*
There are old DW novels with let's say 200 pages (like in Death
Trilogy) and the new novels with 300 pages. So let's say 250 page a
book (Eric is very short so we can add the short stories here). A
normal is about 14cm*20cm that makes 280cm² a page. So if the new
special edition is like a book in the UU would be about 30cm*40cm that
would make 4.3 times the size of the normal pages.
So: 25 novels with 250 pages makes 6250 pages. Dividated through 4.3
makes nearly 1500 pages.
That (I just searched for the high of a paper) would be a book 7.5 cm
thick (perhaps I have thin paper here).
Doesn't sound impossible to me.
Out of date wouldn't be a problem. A DW novel is never out of date ;-)
JK
Molehill
Shakespeare. Small type though.......
What about say a seven volume set, with the books split into 4 per volume
(inc. shorts, annotations or anything else that will fit)? Leather bound
etc. how much would the whole (boxed?) set cost, roughly?
"Terry Pratchett" <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:532J$tAO93...@unseen.demon.co.uk...
DinkiPixie
<tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> writes
<snip>
>Is there a real desire out there for special, limited editions of the DW
>books? We're talking leather binding, embossing, nice paper, maybe even
>some internal illustrations.
I couldn't afford a complete set and wouldn't know how to decide on just
one. What would be nice is an example of the books in UU library. With
funny bits, perhaps. Then you could go to town on binding and
illustration. I would buy that.
--
Angela Touchstone
y2kshack
Terry Pratchett <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:STx92vAc...@unseen.demon.co.uk...
> I've had just enough letters and e-mails about this over the past
year
> to think it worth testing the water.
>
> Is there a real desire out there for special, limited editions of
the DW
> books? We're talking leather binding, embossing, nice paper,
maybe even
> some internal illustrations.
>
<snip>
I'd love 'em, but I suspect that my wife ... and the computer that
looks after my bank account ... would object.
One way round this would be to offer them 'on subscription' ...
small <g> monthly payments by direct debit ... limited edition
(numbered?) books released at reasonable intervals ... the ability
to choose whether to accept each volume ... I'm sure you get the
picture ... (which, on reflection sounds remarkably like RDA
marketing <g>, although such schemes were, I think, quite common in
times past).
I'm sure they would be popular, and this way more of us may be able
to indulge.
Colin
Matthew Hambley
"Jens Kleine" <Jens-...@Pratchett-Fanclub.de> wrote:
I have to disagree. I think it would be a terrible idea. The 6 books
(plus appendices) in one volume of The Lord of the Rings is bad enough for
tearing in two down the middle. An all-in-one Discworld would be
completely unmanagable.
--
(\/)atthew Hambley ----------------\ If something's worth doing it's worth
\ doing badly until you can learn to
mat...@aether.demon.co.uk \ do it well.
http://www.aether.demon.co.uk/ \-----------------------------------
Terry Pratchett
<Jens-...@Pratchett-Fanclub.de> writes
>"Terry Pratchett" <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>> It would have to be a *very* large book, and would be out of date
>within
>> months.
>
>We calculated that out *G*
>
>There are old DW novels with let's say 200 pages (like in Death
>Trilogy) and the new novels with 300 pages.
The size of a DW book is more to do with production decisions than the
actual word count. TLF was only about 75,000 words, I think, but apart
from that they've mostly come in between 85-100,000 words.
--
Terry Pratchett
Jenny Radcliffe
> David Chapman wrote:
> > "Terry Pratchett" <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote
> > > Some years back Transworld experimented with a carpet-bound edition
> > > for the 25th anniversary of The Carpet People. They couldn't see
> > > how to make it a profitable project, so I have the original. Limited
> > > edition, 1 of 1, signed by the author...
> > r u going to put it on ebay? that would be kewl!
> I just can't imagine Pterry putting it on ebay, it's not as if he'd need
> the money. And if you do sell it on ebay it'll just end up on some
> collectors hands, who'se only intention is to sell it forward. My ideal
> use for it would be as a special gift or similar, preferably to me ;-).
> And to the point of the limited editions. I would really be tempted to
> put some money into such a copy of Hogfather for example. It should be a
> bit under 100£, though (I'm basically a poor student, I just have some
> money to spare).
Um, I really think David *must* have been being sarcastic, there.
--
"I'm going to make one anyway" - Edwin Brady
Jens Kleine
> The size of a DW book is more to do with production decisions than
the
> actual word count. TLF was only about 75,000 words, I think, but
apart
> from that they've mostly come in between 85-100,000 words.
That would support my idea. I could be possible to make one book with
all the stories.
Perhaps I have the wrong image in my mind. If I try to imagine a book
in the UU library I see a huge and thick and yellowed book.
JK
Stuart Ballard
>
> I have to disagree. I think it would be a terrible idea. The 6 books
> (plus appendices) in one volume of The Lord of the Rings is bad enough for
> tearing in two down the middle. An all-in-one Discworld would be
> completely unmanagable.
I don't think that, if such a book *were* created, it would be really
intended to read on a regular (or even occasional) basis.
The picture I have is of a huge, encyclopaedic volume, the size of an A3
sheet of paper and close to 10cm thick, with just the covers accounting
for at least a cm of that. The sort of grimoire that you can imagine the
Octavo[1][2] living in. It would probably come with a chain, to hold it
down. It would certainly not be marketted to people who don't already
have all the books in one form or another anyway...
I think that if you *were* to create such a book, it might actually do
well enough to be comfortably profitable: 100-200 pounds for a *single*
book is a lot[3], but 100-200 pounds for 24(?) books is actually cheaper
than buying all the individual hardbacks.
Stuart.
[1] Is that spelt right? I don't have TCoM or TLF to hand.
[2] I say "living in" deliberately; the Octavo seemed to be not so much
a book as some Things that lived inside a book...
[3] A lot of a lot, in fact.
David Deephanphongs
>I've had just enough letters and e-mails about this over the past year
>to think it worth testing the water.
>
>books? We're talking leather binding, embossing, nice paper, maybe even
>some internal illustrations.
>edition, depending on numbers and quality, could be in the 2-300 quid
>mark. I said that I expected that DW fans would want something that
<snip>
If I understand what a quid is, then a special edition would cost
between 200 and 300 pounds, or about $300-450 US?
I'd certainly be willing to pay $50-60, but $300 is about 12 hardcovers,
or over 40 paperback books... too rich for my blood.
>Terry Pratchett
Dave
--
R. P. Tyler was not, however, satisfied simply with being vouchsafed the
difference between right and wrong. He felt it his bounden duty to tell the
world.
-- (Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman, Good Omens)
Charles A Lieberman
http://groups.google.com/groups?as_umsgid=<STx92vAc...@unseen.demon.co.uk>
> I said that I expected that DW fans would want something that
>'that'll make it a little more expensive...'
Sure, 'cause of all the groaning and shuddering.
Seriously, I think it's a great idea conceptually, but I have neither
the shelf space nor the income[1], and I generally buy books for the
content rather than the appearance -- I just want the thing to last 50
or 60 years without fading or falling apart. Besides, I've passed up the
chance to buy even the UK edition of a book I already have the US ed of.
Not that I can't see the appeal.
[1] I wonder, if I got a job with the New York Post, if I could get part
of my salary in DW books.
--
Charles A. Lieberman Brooklyn, NY, USA
AFP Code 2.0 AGo/Li-US d(--) s: a-- U++>+ R F++ h- P! OS--:- C++ M-
!pp L(+) Ia W- c B Cn CC? PT--->++ Pu78 !5 !X MT++ e+>++ r y+* end
http://calieber.tripod.com/home.html
David Deephanphongs
>"Terry Pratchett" <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>> I'm getting some interesting emails about this. There's not a lot
>> in it for me. But would I like to see the black leather version of
>> Mort? Sure. The problem is that if you price it too high then most
>> of the fans are out in the cold and it becomes truly a collectors'
>> item, but if you price it too low then all you'll get is, well, a
>> decently-bound book with fancy lettering on it, which isn't what any
>> of us would have in mind.
>
>There are some affordable limited editions out there, the only problem
>is that I think they're pretty mass produced with a given value of
>'limited'.
IMHO, As long as the books are nice, the less 'limited' the better
(it means I'll actually have the possibility of getting one, all the way
over here in the US).
I would think that you could get away with a pretty nice book for
$100 or so - the "Limited edition" Douglas Adams compendium (faux black
leather, (faux?)gilt-edged pages) was under $40...
There's a thought, actually.. If there were a couple books combined, it
would be more reasonable - e.g., you could have two Death volumes
(Mort + Reaper Man, Soul Music + Hogfather), or a stand-alone group
(Small Gods, Pyramids)... What would be best, though, would be a Nomes
special edition.
Dave
Ceryle Gaehl
"David Deephanphongs" <dee...@telocity.com> wrote in message
news:LaCv6.8025$3g.26...@newsrump.sjc.telocity.net...
> <snip>
>
> If I understand what a quid is, then a special edition would cost
> between 200 and 300 pounds, or about $300-450 US?
Try australian dollars at the moment - it would means $600 plus for me.
While I would love to get one, even if they made it to australia, I couldn't
hope to afford it
>
> I'd certainly be willing to pay $50-60, but $300 is about 12 hardcovers,
> or over 40 paperback books... too rich for my blood.
>
Goes the same here
Ceryle
I only play with my computer on days ending in 'y'
