The “final” draft has been edited several more times. I was not happy with a couple of the substitutes I had made and searched long and hard for appropriate replacements.
The next step was creating a copyright clearance file to verify the origin of the many quotes. Generally this involved gathering written permission for any material created after 1923; sources earlier than 1923 were scanned for my file. All of the assembled information went into an Excel spreadsheet that can be shared with anyone having questions or concerns about compliance with intellectual property laws.
Finding a publisher during the pandemic has been difficult as companies adjusted to changing work styles and staffing problems. Headstone Press was created to fill in the gap. Another huge learning curve is ahead.
There are a number of options for independent publishers. I have found a local printer to produce quality product, but there is a tradeoff between quality and price, since the distributer and wholesaler must take their shares. I am exploring possibilities with my printer that might lower the printing costs.
Another option is Print-on-Demand, or POD, a benefit of digital technology that is changing the market. There are a few POD companies specializing in photographic printing with coated, glossy paper, but generally their prices resemble those of more traditional custom printers. Trying to decide on the right balance for this book is an ongoing process right now. Is it possible to have a top-quality print at an affordable price?
Next task: finding a distributer for the warehousing and marketing of the printed books. But details vary across companies.