Many readers will be old enough to remember Exchange & Mart and similar periodicals. They were handy publications when you wanted a new caravan, garden stuff - or wanted to get rich.
Get Rich? Well, we all want that. I recall browsing ‘Opportunities’ classifieds. Here could be found scores of titles such as ‘Learn How to Pick a Winner, ‘Make Money as a Casino Croupier’, ‘Travel the World as a Holiday Rep‘, ‘How to Make Money as a Writer,‘ ‘Manage Your Own B & B’, Money as a Photographer.’ Others might be ‘Make Money by Mail Order,’ ‘Be Your Own Travel Agent.’
These books, or to give them their proper title, booklets were cheap to produce but had a cover price double or treble the price of bigger paperbacks.
The mini-manuals were basically compact training courses in booklet form. The buyers were not buying books, they were purchasing information. With that information many carved new careers for themselves.
Each title would give key points in making money from home by knitting dolls, becoming a mobile hairdresser, or how to close a sale. They were useful as most were written by those who had made money in the way they describe and were selling their skills on.
If you have acquired skills in a trade useful to newcomers why not set it down for others to learn from? In that way you pass your expertise on and you supplement your income.
I am a little out of touch with UK printing prices. I imagine they have remained much as they were or lower because of advances in book printing.
You might typically purchase 1,000 copies of a 32-page book at €500 - €700. These can then be sold through free classified and online advertising. These are often free or of low price. Information booklets you paid 70c each for can be sold at €5 each or more.
Where do I fit in? You may need an editor to transform your written content to retail standards. My rates are reasonable so why not get in touch. - Mike Walsh
quite_write@yahoo.co.uk