We have had a slight spring clean in preparation for an 'Arts Unwrapped' event we are hosting at our offices (8th-10th June for anyone who wants to come along free and fun and lots of great art and books on offer).
The last time we did this was pre Xmas which again was for our annual Xmas Fair (again free for all and mince pies and mulled wine for free!).
It is amazing what an effect this can have on the mood and feel of the office generally. It somehow gives people a slight spring in their step - rather like the weather can. The fact that this 'spring in the step' is evident despite the recent bank holiday weather just proves that my Gran was always right.
She used to always say that whenever you got yourself into a 'tiss', you should go to your room and throw out all of your clothes from the draws onto the bed. Then simply put them back in again. By the time you have done this, you will no longer be in a 'tiss'.
It creates a sense or order or balance. It makes one feel in control and able to tackle other more important things knowing that the basics (clothes being accessible) are in place.
So - for all those out there who find themselves in a 'tiss' go empty and refill your draws. It feels great.
Wednesday, 30 May 2007
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
The Power of size
Is it just me, or is everything becoming driven by size - celebrity power and corporate power.
The irony is that we as individuals are driving it. By us always opting for the easy option, we are making it harder for freedom and choice. We all know that the things that are the hardest to get and are the most rewarding, yet we now have a massive middle class that expects and needs to keep up with 'The Jones' and wants things on demand. This creates a massive Tesco and celebrities running the world. It will be hard, but try and stay with me on this .....
It was my brothers birthday recently, and I gave him a pasta making machine that my sister had given me. I already had one. I was totally open about it. I told him that I had been given it from her and that she had said she wanted one and therefore if he did not want it, then to give it back to her for her birthday in a couple of months. He did not want it, and was telling me not to worry about getting a replacement.
We then started to talk about how hard it was to buy presents. It used to be the case that if you wanted something, you would have to wait until a present opportunity to get it. This built a sense of excitment and also cemeted the fact that you actually wanted it. Nowadays, when you want something you get it. You do not wait, we are living in a world which is all about immediacy and therefore when birthdays and Xmas comes along, you do not need/want anything. This makes the days less special and the people's jobs who want to buy presents hard.
Everything has become disposable or not valued. This increases demand as people buy without really knowing if they want. Producers try to encourage this (maximise sales) and therefore make things cheaper which in turn sqeezes margins, which in turn decreases quality of product and means greater economies of scale are needed which in turn means that Tesco will take over the world.
Same with celebrity - we no longer really read or take time to consider. We are satisfied with receiving news and information in an immediate fashion. We have short attantion spans pictures and images become replacements for words. Rather than taking time to appreciate, we want speed. Entertainment is immediate and this means the deliverers of this become powerful. We empower the celebrity and in turn with this power loose any freedom of speech. The individuals voice becomes less valid and can be quashed by money which is in the hands of the celebrities or Tesco.
What ever has happened to the Schumacher 'small is beautiful' vision. Arrhh!!
The irony is that we as individuals are driving it. By us always opting for the easy option, we are making it harder for freedom and choice. We all know that the things that are the hardest to get and are the most rewarding, yet we now have a massive middle class that expects and needs to keep up with 'The Jones' and wants things on demand. This creates a massive Tesco and celebrities running the world. It will be hard, but try and stay with me on this .....
It was my brothers birthday recently, and I gave him a pasta making machine that my sister had given me. I already had one. I was totally open about it. I told him that I had been given it from her and that she had said she wanted one and therefore if he did not want it, then to give it back to her for her birthday in a couple of months. He did not want it, and was telling me not to worry about getting a replacement.
We then started to talk about how hard it was to buy presents. It used to be the case that if you wanted something, you would have to wait until a present opportunity to get it. This built a sense of excitment and also cemeted the fact that you actually wanted it. Nowadays, when you want something you get it. You do not wait, we are living in a world which is all about immediacy and therefore when birthdays and Xmas comes along, you do not need/want anything. This makes the days less special and the people's jobs who want to buy presents hard.
Everything has become disposable or not valued. This increases demand as people buy without really knowing if they want. Producers try to encourage this (maximise sales) and therefore make things cheaper which in turn sqeezes margins, which in turn decreases quality of product and means greater economies of scale are needed which in turn means that Tesco will take over the world.
Same with celebrity - we no longer really read or take time to consider. We are satisfied with receiving news and information in an immediate fashion. We have short attantion spans pictures and images become replacements for words. Rather than taking time to appreciate, we want speed. Entertainment is immediate and this means the deliverers of this become powerful. We empower the celebrity and in turn with this power loose any freedom of speech. The individuals voice becomes less valid and can be quashed by money which is in the hands of the celebrities or Tesco.
What ever has happened to the Schumacher 'small is beautiful' vision. Arrhh!!
Tuesday, 1 May 2007
The Joy of Summer
All is very exciting for Eye Books - we have been selected by T.H.E. (who are one of the 3 main wholesalers in the book trade) as their publisher of the month for June this year.
Wholesalers sell to (predominantly) smaller independent bookshops who prefer having 1 main supplier account to reconcile rather than with 1000's of individual publishers each month.
As a small independent publisher, we have a massive mutual respect for independent bookshops - we all know what happens to the underdogs. However, whilst this respect is real, the reality is that we are not in a position to service them as we do not have a rep force who travel around the country and present and tell these special little shops what we do. As a result, many have never heard of us and rarely support or get behind any of our books.
By T.H.E. choosing us as publisher of the month, I have had the chance to go and present to their rep force who will in turn, visit all their customers and, assuming I managed to enthuse sufficiently, tell them about our books.
So here is the challenge - please go and visit your local bookshop in mid June and ask for one of our books.
If we can show these people that our books are enjoyed and supported, then they will continue to stock them. I am convinced (and suspect that many of you already buy from Independents) that our books work best in shops where they can be given a little love and attention and people get what we are about.
Wholesalers sell to (predominantly) smaller independent bookshops who prefer having 1 main supplier account to reconcile rather than with 1000's of individual publishers each month.
As a small independent publisher, we have a massive mutual respect for independent bookshops - we all know what happens to the underdogs. However, whilst this respect is real, the reality is that we are not in a position to service them as we do not have a rep force who travel around the country and present and tell these special little shops what we do. As a result, many have never heard of us and rarely support or get behind any of our books.
By T.H.E. choosing us as publisher of the month, I have had the chance to go and present to their rep force who will in turn, visit all their customers and, assuming I managed to enthuse sufficiently, tell them about our books.
So here is the challenge - please go and visit your local bookshop in mid June and ask for one of our books.
If we can show these people that our books are enjoyed and supported, then they will continue to stock them. I am convinced (and suspect that many of you already buy from Independents) that our books work best in shops where they can be given a little love and attention and people get what we are about.
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