Pin money?

[capri0mni]

So, um, with Dad's med bills, and me wanting to buy a new shower chair, I'm thinking of setting up a CafePress store, as I've seen others on my f'list do. ... not to try and make enough money to pay all my bills, mind you... just a little something to take some of the edge off.

Many, many years ago, I thought I'd start my own business, hand painting sweatshirts for wearable art, and putting little original poems on them -- haikus, or at least, poemlets of similar length. I just thought that seeing poems walking around on people's chests and backs would be a refreshing change from seeing commercial logos and crass jokes. I even had a name for my might-be business: "Off-the-cuff Poetry". But then the thought of figuring out how to set up a studio, and crank out the stuff on a schedule took the fun out of it, so I gave the idea up.

But now, I'm thinking that I could do it with CafePress shirts (and hats, and whatevers -- a sonnet about time on the face of a wall clock? My drabble about the Internet on a mousepad?). If I did that, would you buy?

Then, yesterday, I was poking around the CafePress site, I saw that they also print up books and magazines And I thought maybe I could put collections of my stories in book form and publish them. I saw books for sale, but I couldn't find any information on making a book, or any templates for books for downloading. So it was all very arghish.

Anyway, what do you think?

Any advice? You think this is a good idea, bad idea, or just a meh idea?

And if I could make a book, would you prefer that to wearable stuff?

Comments are lusted after. They are as the balm of Gilead.

Comments

[vespurrs.livejournal.com]

I think all of your ideas are very good, though I personally would prefer the wearable art.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

It's really hard to say what will sell; from my experience on ebay and at festivals, it was never the stuff I thought would fly out the door but the little stuff that sold. Be sure you have an advertising plan, too. People have to know you have stuff to sell before they can buy it! :)

[uncacreamy.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the link. I have been wanting a wheelchair for going places, and had no idea where to buy one.

I think that unless you have funny sayings or beautiful art, you might not make the clothing thing fly. I DO think a book is a great idea.

[uncacreamy.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying your art isn't beautiful.. I don't know if it is or isn't.I guess that didn't come out quite right.:P

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

You're welcome for the link :-). Though if you're thinking of getting a chair which you will be using for extended periods of time, I'd suggest checking out the yellow pages, to see if there's a medical supply provider in your area; they have people who can measure you for a chair, and make sure you get one that's a good fit. A chair that's just about right is fine, if it's just for a brief period, but spending hours of a long day in one that isn't perfect can be very uncomfortable and cranky-making, like wearing shoes that aren't quite right.

On the other hand, you could probably take your own measurements, and order online. It certainly is easier.

And yeah, the wearable poetry idea may be too quirky. Jokes are easier to "get" on the fly, as you see someone walk by you on the street. Still, I remember years ago, there was a tee-shirt company that specialized printing shirts with quotes from classic literature and historical documents. I forget the company's name, but I had a shirt with the Bill of Rights -- 5 Ammendments on the front, and 5 on the back.

And I was really into art, years ago, but I've gotten rusty, since. I think I'll work on some potential designs, first, before I make a committment.

[brassfire.livejournal.com]

Hmm, there was a better one for book publishing... nanowrimo people use it all the time. I forget what it's called though... argh.

[pedanther]

lulu.com?

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

Sounds like the one - and the interface from what I've seen is quite user-friendly.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Well, considering that I couldn't even find the templates for books on CafePress, it probably is easier. I'll look into it.

Y'know, when I was young and zealous, I never would have even considered self-publishing -- thought it was cheating, and nothing more than an ego-boo. But I do like the idea of print-on-demand. It's certainly less wasteful than storing 1,000 books in your dining room when only 12 people are interested in reading them...

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

*nods* Exactly. And hey, considering the sheer crap that DOES get professionally published...

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Well, what changed my mind on the issue is the changing publishing industry. Several years ago, I heard a stat that blew my mind: All the publishing imprints, in the world (but it might just be the U.S., but still) are owned by a total of 5 mega-corporations -- and many of those corporations also own movie studios, TV stations, magazines, toy companies.

Small houses, with independant thinkers at the helm just don't exist anymore. Unless it's a publishing house set up by one church or another, whose members are driven to ignore profits and crusade instead for proclaiming God's Word. And I couldn't look at myself in the mirror if I wrote for one of them.

Thank gods for the Internet...

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

Yeah. They're not much for printing anything that doesn't fit their "formula", which is why I think places like lulu.com are awesome - even if you got "officially" published, you wouldn't get much in the way of royalties from it as a first-time publishee, whereas with lulu, it's a flat rate (I believe), and people can order it from anywhere in the *world*. I've been considering it for the second CWWTT anthology.