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I’ve been culling my craft book stash lately, and thinking a lot about Japanese craft books.
I should say right up front: I receive a fair number of review copies from US craft book publishers. So I’ve been in the fortunate position to see a lot of the new titles that have come out in the last few years.
Still, as I weed out my craft book collection, I’m noticing that my little stash of Japanese titles always makes the cut. Every one of them feels as useful and relevant to me as it did the day I bought it, and some of them are years old now.
…But increasingly, I don’t feel the same way about all my US craft books. More of them (and especially, more-recently-published ones) seem to make the Goodwill/Giveaway pile. So I thought I’d look at what makes my Japanese books feel so much more valuable. And I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject, too.
I certainly don’t mean to “bite the hand that feeds me free craft books” here. But I know that many US publishers are struggling right now. I think there’s something to the way Japanese publishers approach craft books, and it isn’t just the aesthetics. I thought maybe we could open a discussion here about what we crafters would like to see in US craft books, and maybe this would be of some use to publishers.
…So, when I look at my Japanese titles, here’s what stands out:
Slim, Well-Curated Volumes
One thing I notice right away is that most Japanese craft books are fairly small books. The project collections are often fewer than the seeming US standard of 20-50. But what’s nice is, those slim books are very rich in content.
There might be only twelve projects in a Japanese book, for example, but they’re all really well-designed things I want to make.
I tend to think that this comes from careful curating of project sets, and maybe from a willingness to appeal to smaller audience segments. In so many Japanese books, the project set seems to be oriented to one skill set, and one design sensibility. Whereas US craft book publishers often seem to take a “something for everyone” approach, hoping to attract larger audiences for their books.
The problem there, of course, is that when I page through many US books, I find myself interested in only some of the projects. Some are too beginner for me, and some aren’t my style. And if I only like half of the projects in a book, then I may not make the decision to buy it.
But of course, I’ll willingly plunk down a much higher price for a Japanese book that’s designed around my tastes.
Project-Based Focus
In US craft books, I often see chapters about the histories of various crafts, or the obligatory “Materials” chapter that describes every last morsel needed for the projects. Don’t get me wrong – I get that these chapters are meant for beginners in a craft. But as someone with more intermediate skills, I often see them as pages I have to pay for, but rarely get much value from.
In Japanese books, they tend to get right to the projects. And I find that I rarely miss those developmental chapters. Wouldn’t it be great if US craft books were more targeted at specific skill levels instead of trying to appeal to everyone at once?
On a related note, Japanese publishers also put out this little format, which is something I’d love to see US publishers emulate. It’s a cross between a zine and a book – a small number of pages, simply staple-bound, with a small project set focused around a nice, tight concept. These little books seem to be budget priced – although, as a US buyer, I gladly pay a premium for them.
If anyone working in publishing reads this post, I’d love to hear from you: how expensive is this form to produce? And readers, would you buy these if US publishers made them?
It rather seems to me that, as budget-conscious as we all are lately, these small-format books could find an audience.
Educational Quality
Here’s where, to my mind, Japanese craft books have it all over their US counterparts. I have yet to pick up a Japanese craft book that doesn’t contain clear and thorough step-by-step visuals for every single project. Sometimes they’re process photos, and more often, diagrams like these.
In US craft books – and especially those published in the last few years – this kind of educational quality is pretty rare. I’ve looked at so many US books where there’s a lavishly-styled photo of the finished product, and the steps to make it are expressed only in text. (Or, in text with a few key diagrams.)
I totally understand that photographs and diagrams are more costly to produce than text. But it seems to me that crafters are a pretty visual audience. And text just doesn’t seem to be much of a visual teacher – especially for crafts like sewing, where placements and measurements are crucial.
Interestingly, despite the fact that I don’t read Japanese, I can generally easily follow the process photos and diagrams in my Japanese books. As a craft book buyer, I would love to see this kind of educational quality in US books. Because frankly, right now I can often get better, more visual learning on the internet, either from free tutorials or in the burgeoning market of self-published ebooks.
I want to support US craft book publishers, but I also need to get good value for my dollar. Beautiful finished-project photos are nice, but the craft books I keep around year after year are the ones with great educational quality.
…But this is all just my opinion. What do you think? What would you like to see more (or less) of in US craft books?
Thank you, Susanne, for adding your voice to this discussion.
I definitely appreciate your perspectives from inside the industry.
I'm not sure I agree with you about process photos being clunky or
dated. I have to stand by my perception that text-only instructions
are just not enough for sewing books. I'm an intermediate seamster
myself, and I often find them difficult to follow. Perhaps the kinds
of diagrammed instructions found in Japanese books are a good
compromise.
Kate, you might enjoy this discussion, which took place here a while
back in regards to my own ebook publishing experiences: http://www.craftypod.com/2009/08/26/pick-your-b…
It's absolutely true that ebooks are much easier from the production
side, but there are still definite hurdles to cross in making them
appealing to most of the book-buying public. I'm as committed to
discovering and overcoming these as you are!
Thanks, Amy! One publisher that's translating Japanese books to
English is Vertical, Inc. http://www.vertical-inc.com/
They include English text with the diagrams, and I don't notice any
reduction in their educational (or cuteness) quality.
i can see where you’re coming from on this. here in the uk, japanese craft books are not that readily available, all mine have been bought by my husband when he’s been to singapore or the usa for work. for me, this fact adds to the preciousness of them, but are they books or are they magazines?. sat on the book shelf in my craft room is a mixture, and the japanese craft books do look more at home on the magazine shelf. automatically, i think of magazines being visual, and books being wordy. from what i know, even for craft books, an author is given a word count as a guide, maybe instead it should be an image count?. maybe that would get authors thinking visually first, and words second. although, it is worth bearing in mind on a visual level, that perhaps instead of showing all the different kinds of scissors that are available (lets face it, going that basic is a bit like still putting instructions on shampoo bottles!), more in depth guides to the trickier sewing processes would be much more user friendly.
i am convinced that the japanese writing adds to the appeal of these books, because most of us can’t read it, the lettering looks like some mysterious secret code. i bet the same page of cute diagrams wouldn’t look quite so beautiful if all the labels were typed in english!
I love the japanese books too. I like how you can follow the directions, just by looking at the pictures and diagrams. I also like the size and quality of the books. I have gotten patterns that are all text, and I get lost half way through. I prefer books with steps, written or diagram, not run on paragraphs.
Whoa! I thought your post was *excellent* and pretty much summed everything up … and then I read your comments! Goldmine, anyone?! Wow.
The first time I saw one of the little Japanese saddle bound books with felt stuffie patterns in them for around $5.60 I almost squeeled out loud. Mine has 18 patterns (plus more if you count the variations). They are a selection of patterns from a bunch of different stuffie books, so some patterns are in other books I own … BUT, and this is key, there are several that I don't have because they were the only pattern in their particular book that I wanted, so I hadn't bought the $19 book.
I love a beautiful craft book, but I'm more about a good project with good instructions. I think the tiny saddle bound books combine the best parts of those two areas. And stapled books can open flat, unlike glued books. I've also seen the smaller format books for crochet.
As far as marketing, change the playing field! When I worked at a gaming company in the 90s, everyone had these huge CD-ROM game boxes that they actually put heavy card board in so they were heavy. They wanted people to feel like they were getting their money's worth. Now game boxes are tiny and light, so they can fit more on a shelf and the shipping doesn't cost as much (or the boxes).
Maybe a publisher should not only start publishing the smaller format, more focused books, but also create a display for them that they set up in the store. Then the little books wouldn't get hidden in the giant 8.5″ x 11″ display holders.
I've been to the book store several times in the last couple of weeks since my buying ban has been lifted and, frankly, there isn't one book at the store I even remotely want to buy. It's sad, really, because I *want* to buy a craft book.
Wonderful post, Diane!!!
Don't even get me started on how un-interesting the projects in American craft books are. I'd never shut up.
Even if they were illustrated and diagrammed and explained, I'd never want to make them. OK, that's enough. Like Kate said … be the change you want to see. Right? Right!
I think American publishers are focusing on beginners now. Up until a few years ago it was hard to find a good beginner book for any craft. Most of them seemed to assume you already know the craft. I feel US publishers should now focus on balance. Try to put out a good number of books for all skill levels.
Diane, thank you as always for leading us in such an interesting and relevant conversation! I have a small collection of Japanese craft books and magazines like Cotton Time. They sit next to my collection of 1970's craft books and I would not consider giving any books from either of these two collections away. Although I look through the new craft books at the bookstore, i have not bought one in several years. I have, however, given several free copies I have received away.
The books I pull out to read and look at over and over again are really more like craft reference books. I love Jean Ray Laury's old books that help you to develop your own ideas. They do not have step-by-step photos, but the text and the diagrams help me to think about designing my next project. The Japanese craft books serve the same purpose, but in a different way. Perhaps because I am not distracted by any words, I focus on the beautiful photos and the diagrams and I start to think creatively about what I could design myself. They are like little fountains of inspiration. I can always see something new in there to get me thinking.
I taught myself to sew and I learned (and still learn) from the techniques section of every craft book I read. There are always construction techniques I hadn't thought of before or materials and tools used in a way that hadn't occurred to me or are more efficient than what I've been doing. I appreciate those sections and I don't think of them as a waste of space. Even the most seasoned sewist can learn something new from reading how someone else organizes their materials or finishes a seam.
Fascinating discussion! It's interesting to me, as an author, because I have been thinking about my own publishing experiences and what I want to do going forward.
I have had the fortunate opportunity of having 2 books published, both with different publishers and very different approaches to project instructions and overall look and feel. Warm Fuzzies has step-by-step photographs for each project. It is straight forwardly all about the projects and the techniques to make them. Sewing Green has instructions using text and key diagrams. In addition, Sewing Green has a great deal of written content (sidebars and interviews) that supports the concept and the of the book. To me, both approaches are valid as long as the instruction, in whatever form, are clear and accurate. I think a lot of it boils down to “different strokes for different folks”. The style of Japanese craft books appeals to some while others appreciate what is currently offered in the US, which is a pretty broad umbrella of style.
In reference to some of the comments: Speaking purely from my experience, I was never asked by an editor to “dumb down” any of my projects or to add “filler” projects. I, like many authors I would assume, put my heart and soul into each and every project and them edited them down to the best. Realistically, I know that all of the projects are not for everyone, but I did my best to make them unique and interesting while having a broad appeal.
I love that some of the comments are from literary agents and people from the publishing industry as they offer such valuable insight to the conversation.
Thanks for opening up the discussion, Diane!
Betz
Thank you so much, Betz! I'm thrilled to hear your side as a published
author. I agree with you that the market can bear a wide range of book
approaches. And I hope all the people who've chimed in with their
preferences will be of help to publishers as they plan future books.
I’ve written several tutorials and PDF patterns – all with really detailed step-by-step photos. When I’m making something for the first time it’s helpful (and reassuring) to know what it’s supposed to look like every step of the way. When I wrote my first officially published book I was horrified by how few photos/diagrams I was allowed to include. On the other hand – it’s got beautifully-styled photos of the finished projects. Way better than I could do on my own.
I have 5 Japanese craft books on jewelry making that have been reprinted in English and these are the books that I refer to most often. I totally agree with you regarding unnecessary pages on materials and history of the particular craft. It seems to me that US publishers seem to think every craft book should be geared to the beginner, when that is just not true. Those of us that are seasoned crafters would like our craft books to have just projects and how to make them, not waste our time and money with information that does not pertain to us. If I want to learn a new craft, then I will buy a book that is strictly for beginners.
The reason I so often refer to my Japanese craft books is because they are not filled with the “filler” pages of materials and other boring info I really don't care about. Visually they are much more appealing and spark far more inspiration than any of my other reference books.
Thanks for chiming in, Wendi. Man, I sure wish beauty shots and
process images didn't have to be an either-or proposition.
One thing that has come to mind as I've seen the follow-up comments is this: Sometimes, I do like the background information in a craft book. Not necessarily the “here is a needle and these are scissors” part, but the interesting historic information is nice sometimes. This is especially true in specialty books. Two examples that come to mind happen to be your kanzashi book and Susan Beal's Button It Up book. In those cases, I *loved* the historical introductions.
Perhaps this is where publishers could take another hint (though this is kind of wishful thinking) If they embrace the less-is-more concept with the books, maybe they could also embrace the accompanying technology concept or the give something for free along with what you are selling kind of thing. (hear me out- I know i'm getting rambly) Some of that historical information and basic resources would make for perfect content for an accompanying blog/web site/twitter feed, making the whole experience much richer. I'd love to spend a little more on a simple cut-to-the-chase craft book that happened to have an accompanying web site where those extra resources were gathered. It might end up actually being cheaper for the publishers, and would allow for more interaction with the readers, thus building loyalty.
Maybe?
;)
This is a lovely idea, Rachel! It would also help give a print book
some really nice online marketing traction, because this is still
valuable content, but offered for free as an enticement to look
through the book. And much more interesting, I have to say, than a lot
of the “hip hot cool DIY retro not-your-grandma's” copy that's used to
market so many US craft books. Great idea!
I love the Japanese craft books. The only downside is that I get inspired by their fabrics and then I can't find them here in the U.S. I would take a Japanese Craft book over our U.S. ones any day. Simple pictures with step-by-step instructions :)
Really interesting post. Because I’m on a bit of a budget I never buy a craft book without borrowing it from a library first (unless it’s second hand and a bargain and I can spend 15 mins looking through it to make sure it’s worth the £3.50 I’m going to spend on it!). But I’d say out of every ten books I buy, one will go on my Amazon wish list. And generally they tend to be skills based books rather than project focused books – things like pattern cutting books by Winifred Aldrich or the Harmony knitting guides that have loads of different stitches in. I got a project based book as a present for Christmas (I won’t name and shame!) and although there’s a decent number of things in there that I think I will make, I’m struggling with the mainly text instructions. There really aren’t enough diagrams, and I’ve found my self doing Google Image searches for photos of other people’s completed projects so I can work out what the handle / back / inside / flap should look like! I would love to buy some Japanese books but I have no idea where to start – could you do a post about some of your favourites? Or is there anywhere online you can recommend to start looking?
Thanks, Emily! A really good starting place on the web is Crafting
Japanese: http://craftlog.org/craftingjapanese/
An amazing database of Japanese books, and advice on where to find them.
Maybe I am completely off base, but this is how I picture they are different? – Japanese craft books look like they come from some kind of design group- like the old Readers Digest series of craft books from the '70's. There are project designers, pattern makers, illustrators, writers, etc. American craft books seem to be more of a one person show. The author comes up with the projects, writes the directions, makes the patterns… The Japanese books often have a magazine feel. I think that it would be difficult for one person to have all the skills to put together something that looks like that Japanese model.
I grew up sewing from commercial patterns and those 70's craft books. I only ever read text as a last resort. I find a lot of text is overwhelming- I just glaze over. I want to be able to figure out a project from the pictures. When I started making patterns last year, I asked people what format they liked best. Every single person who replied told me that they liked lots of pictures and that they learned best visually. And everyone seemed to feel a bit guilty about that! I love the illustrated format.
Wow, that's an interesting perspective, Mimi. And I love those old
Reader's Digest and Better Homes & Gardens books from that era, too.
Wouldn't it be cool to see books produced by collectives of crafters
with complimentary skills?
And I totally agree with you – I always gravitate to learning from
visuals over text.
………………………………………………………………….
check out my blog!
http://mimikirchner.com/blog/
Hello SisterDiane,
I'm an editor at Shambhala Publications/Trumpeter Books where I've started a series of Japanese craft books translated into English called Make Good: Craft + Life. (See our books here: http://www.makegoodbooks.com.) I also share a love of Japanese craft books, both of their aesthetic–their sensibility and style is very different and very specific–and the detailed diagrams. For the books we translate, we try to retain as much of the original charm, design, and functionality as possible. As a visual learner myself, I do greatly value the diagrams; however, I do realize that everyone learns differently. Many people want or need the written instructions, which is why we go through the effort of also expanding the written instructions in our books. By having both written instructions and detailed diagrams, we hope to accommodate a broader range of makers. I'm curious if you find these books successful. (Interestingly, I've just started working on a translation of one of the books you feature above–Suzuko Koseki's newest patchwork book.)
We are also starting to include some original titles in this series. Our goal for these books are to maintain the same basic components of the Japanese craft books we love: a specific look that is often romantic, retro, and quirky, and detailed instructional diagrams with clear step-by-step instructions.
It's important to remember that everyone has different tastes. The project you hate in one book is the favorite project of someone else, and it's very rare to find a craft book from which you want to make EVERYTHING, no matter how curated the book is. With this in mind, what I think makes a craft book successful is if they are able to inspire, so that even if you don't want to make a specific project, there is still something in the presentation that sparks some excitement or an idea. Why is this perhaps more often the case with Japanese craft books rather than US craft books? Perhaps the answer is different for everyone. For me, I enjoy that the designs are often simple, so they can be imagined in different ways; there is often a humanness to the presentation–the projects feel less modeled and more placed within a lifestyle; the props used lend a soft sweetness and quirky charm; and the diagrams allow you to visualize the making process, which is exciting. I think a lot can also be said of their foreignness–the Japanese characters, the fabrics, the design sensibility, the quirky use of English, and unusual production elements (that just can't be reproduced in the US due to cost). I think there is something inherently appealing about Japanese craft books that just can't be replicated in the US.
I am a huge fan of all craft books–US and Japanese. The craft books that I love the most seem to have a very specific personality, which I find inspiring. For example, Handmade Home by Amanda Soule (which I also worked on), Nora Gaughan's Knitting Nature, Lotta Jansdotter's books, Lena Corwin's Printing By Hand, Kata Golda's Hand-Stitched Felt. These all have a clear point of view and distinct look, which can be very inspiring.
Sorry for the very long comment! I'm getting to this discussion a bit late and, obviously, find it very interesting and relevant. Thank you!
Thank you so much for chiming in, Jennifer!
I hope that the discussion here hasn't given anyone the impression
that I'm demonizing written instructions. All I object to is text
instructions taking the place of all other visual education in craft
books. I saw an over-use of text instructions in many titles in 2009.
And I totally agree that not all the projects in a book will appeal to
everyone. Even in my beloved Japanese books, there are one or two
projects I like, but wouldn't really make.
However, this might just be a good place to bring up the elephant in
the room: how all the free content we all generate online every day is
affecting the way book buyers see the projects in US craft books.
One thing I love about Japanese books, as you've also cited, is their
unique visual style. Unfortunately, I'm still not seeing this kind of
originality in many US releases. Since I look at craft on the web
every day, it's harder for me to decide to buy a book that shows me
more of the same. But in Japanese books, I always find fresh takes on
all kinds of crafts.
I do think that US publishers have a tough job in shaping books that
can compete well with the online culture. Certainly a different world
from the days when all we saw in craft came from books and magazines.
I love what you've said about books with a “specific personality.” I
totally agree – these are always more compelling than books which seem
to have been assembled out of market research report data.
So much great feedback here! Thanks, Diane, for starting the discussion.
We at Chronicle Books love Japanese craft books and have quite a collection here in our office. In 2006 we actually translated and published four Japanese craft books. We called the line Kyuuto and chose four of our favorite books to translate: Amigurumi, Lacy Crochet, Fuzzy Felted Friends, and Woolly Embroidery. http://bit.ly/8FWNs0 We didn’t touch the content—just translated each into English. The books performed well, but didn’t take the world by storm. Were we ahead of our time?
After hearing from accounts that they want to see more Japanese-inspired craft books, we asked them if they'd like to repromote, but they're more interested in new titles. Which brings me to the point that Kate touched on — for titles published for smaller niches, the shelf life simply isn't as long. With so many craft books out there and consumers being more selective than ever, our goal is to put out products that will stay relevant for years to come. Both for the retailers, who can continue to sell them, and our customers who can keep them on their bookshelves.
It also sounds like people want both the visual step-by-steps AND the smaller, cheaper format. That's a tough one, because visuals are costly (but I agree they are the most valuable thing for crafters, and we try to use them as much as possible). We have to price the book appropriately in order to make profit. Not to mention our constant desire to produce visually pleasing books and try new and fun formats….
But all this being said, we would love to take another crack at Japanese crafts — sounds like the time is right. What specifically would you guys like to see? Would love to hear your ideas!
I also like what Average Jane Crafter said about offering extras online. This is something we'll be doing more of in the coming year — stay tuned.
Thanks again for this great dialogue.
Thank you, Laura Lee! I loved the Kyuuto series – the direct translations were charming. I'm sad to hear that it didn't do as well.
Can any of the publishing-industry folks who have commented here answer this question, then: hasn't the advent of online book sales changed the concept of “shelf life?” I mean, my local mainstream bookstores rarely have many interesting titles on their shelves – at four different Border's stores here in Portland, for example, there's a bunch of knitting books, a bunch of papercraft/scrapbooking/mixed media, a bunch of jewelry, and little in-between. (Of course, I'm lucky enough to have Powell's, but that's a special case.)
And at my local Michael's and Jo-Ann stores, books are just crammed onto tiny shelves. It continually amazes me that anyone can even find books there to purchase.
…And yet, with Amazon I can buy any book on any subject, and have a much more varied and organized browsing experience. In this day and age, do brick and mortar bookstore sales really make so much difference?
Hi! It's Susanne from C&T again. It's an interesting question and a lot more complicated than a post can really answer. But the highlights are that 85% of the sales at C&T come from specialty stores (mostly fabric stores) where dedicated sewers are looking for inspiration and a $25 book is nothing compared to the $10+++ a yard for the fabric.
It can be tough to even get books to be displayed at any of the large craft chains, or the bookstores or the big box stores, so we don't (well, can't) rely on them for anything more than an impulse buy. Our titles are specialized enough to enjoy a niche in a location in fabric stores where most buyers are free from the distractions of life (kids, dinner, work, etc.) so that they can really have a good browse.
Online sellers are wonderful, and I always read to the reviews and watch the best-sellers (it is my job, after all), and the excellent part, as you pointed out, is that the shopper is not reliant on the taste/preference of any one book buyer agreeing to stock a title; However, any publishing Sales Director will tell you that the best way to capture back the massive expense of an illustrated reference book (I'll kiss and tell a bit here: ours average well over $25,000 in expenses before they even hit the shelves) is to have a broad sales base on which to draw.
Here's an example: Just suppose that I think I can sell 2,000 copies of a book online and make to book any format I like. But if I make that same book the size that one of the craft chains need to fit in their displays, I can get 4,000 copies in their stores. Will online sellers not buy the book if I make it the size the chains need? Well, they probably won't care because they can't touch and feel the book online, so I'll take my chances.
So, if your question is why gear books for 'the shelves', or 'the racks', then the answer is: you want a to create a format that is the most accommodating, the most appealing, and the most cost-effective for the most outlets where you can buy books.
Wow, thank you so much, Susanne, for that very detailed answer! That
helps me better understand the bigger picture. If you're willing, can
you help me understand roughly how many of that theoretical 4,000
copies that make it into the big chain store end up being returned, on
average?
Well, that would REALLY be kissing and telling!
It varies year to year, but it's generally negligible.
Fair enough! You are awesome. Thank you again!
I almost never buy US craft books. When I do, I never follow the directions, but instead use the photos for visual inspiration and the measurements if I need them. I don't want to sit and read directions and figure out how to decipher them I have been buying Japanese craft books for two years now and they are worth every penny. I find that I spend about the same, with the same amount of projects and a lot of times less than the price of US craft books. I love how some of them are specifically targeted and how others have a variety that all mesh well (houses, hexagon, kitchen and living). What draws me to the Japanese craft books again and again is the visual diagrams with all of their measurements and the occasional photo walk through. I agree on the part of beginner instruction chapters – we don't need them in every book. There are books put out for just this purpose. I find that most of the projects in the Japanese books are simple, but because of the detailing it seems so much higher level. And not only that, the projects seem so new and fresh – like nothing we see here.
What I would love to see in craft books from US publishers in the future is more diagrams and photo instruction, less text. I love the paperback nature of the books – easy to flip through, scan patterns needed and store on my shelf.
I may be totally missing the point, but I think the small form craft book niche is somewhat filled by the pamphlets and booklets I see at craft stores. Most of these are tightly focussed on a particular sort of project and technique, and not all are at the beginner level. I especially like them for crochet projects because full sized crochet books (except amigurumi books) invariably feature a lot of projects too odd and useless for my taste in an effort to have something for everyone. As soon as I can read crochet charts I'll be hitting the Japanese books, though.
I love Japanese craft books. I own just as many if not more Japanese craft books than English ones.In fact, I still have the first one my mother bought me (c1976) that was translated into English. The little stuffed animals in this book are still as appealing as ever, thirty something years later. I can't read a word of Japanese but am always able to figure out how to put the project together because of the great diagrams and pictures. The Japanese seem to always have a clever twist to many of their projects, either in the construction or using something old in a new way, etc. My daughter who is a fairly new sewer/crafter has had very good success using my Japanese books to make things from. A good source for Japanese craft books is yesasia.com. Free shipping to the US on orders over $39 (not hard to reach that number). The only drawback is it takes four weeks to get your order as they ship from HongKong.
Ooh – awesome! Thanks so much for sharing the YesAsia link, and your
perspectives!
I'm on a college student budget (that is, the only books I can afford are gifts and textbooks and even textbooks can be hard to afford) so I stick mainly to free online materials. It's pretty much impossible for me to justify buying a book that has things in it that I'm not interested in making. The comments from people in the publishing business seem to indicate that it's essentially impossible to curate a book so that all of the projects will appeal to everyone, but if you think outside of the box of traditional publishing, there is. Print on demand craft books. The projects to go into the book are selected by the person buying the book and the book is only printed when it is ordered. Of course I'm presuming the print on demand services are capable of handling such customizability at a reasonable price. Of course I'm sure that given time it could become possible if it isn't possible yet, but if it's a viable idea I'd love to see a craft publisher set up a build your own craft book service.
Boy SO WOULD I!!
this is a great discussion, diane, sorry i missed it earlier!
the one thing that is easy to forget sometimes–what you want is not necessarily what the market wants. the market is not made up solely of 20 and 30 something crafters who share crafts on the internet (if it was, perhaps Adorn would not have tanked)–but that is what's most visible to you and me because we have an actual record of these people (blogs, comments, etc). working retail at a yarn store where i get to interact with book buying customers every day has really been informative for me. a lot of people who buy books have been crafting for years, they learn things from their friends and from free pamphlets, they don't search the internet for patterns that give them a general idea– they know what they want to make (“sweater for my daughter”, “a hat for my nephew”) and they want a pattern or book that tells them exactly how to make it. they don't want to think about it, they just want to make it–and i can't blame them, knitting and crocheting can be much more relaxing if you know where the project is going.
the thing is– i love japanese craft books too– because maybe they aren't quite as project oriented. but i also know that part of that is because i can't read what they are telling me, so i am pretty much taking the book and the instructions however i want to–in that way, the book is whatever i want it to be! it would be hard for me to apply that approach to a US craft book, since i can actually read it.
i'm with you on all of the front of the book stuff, but again, working with the customer has swayed me. one of my customers (a middle aged woman who's got a high power job) bought my book and a few days later said “i was reading the front and i liked the part where you said….”– things that to you and me might seem like common knowledge, may not be to everyone. if you believe that what you have to say, or your way of doing things- has value, then it's important to include this front of book information. because while there are many ways to do things and no one way is “correct”–people might buy your book because they want to know how YOU do it. i've had plenty of people come in with a project from a book w/no front of book general instructions, and it's up to me to determine what the author may have meant when they referred to a cluster, or how exactly they wanted to carry the colors along the back, etc. (of course, i do think more specifics are necessary with crochet and knitting than other crafts, as generally people are trying to recreate that.same.thing). so i can see the publisher's side on this, and i like to think that that information will be useful when someone picks up the book in twenty years or if the internet ever explodes. (again, you'd be surprised how much of the craft making public is not on the internet, does not search youtube for videos, does not like equating computer with crafting). it's easy to forget, when the people you surround yourself with think like you. but working retail has really shown me that it truly does take all kinds. :)
This is a really important new perspective to add to this discussion,
Linda – thanks so much for chiming in.
You're totally right that our online community is just one segment of
the book-buying public.
I still see craft book sales slumping across the board, and wonder
what publishers can do to stay relevant to all segments. I think our
community would buy more craft books if they had more to do with the
way we craft.
This of course points out the overall expense of producing craft
books, and how hard it is for publishers to get a return on these
investments when the buying public is getting more and more segmented.
Maybe shorter-form books are the answer, or maybe our community will
just have to be served by our own self-published books.
it's tough. i think pdfs are where it's at, at least for knitting/crochet patterns. really, why should people buy an entire book when they want only one project? that's where i think the e-books and pattern pdfs fill a great niche, at least for the crafter who is online. however, even with the exposure on the internet, it can be hard to sell enough copies to justify making them- if you're truly aiming to make “a living.” ehm, not that that's not also the case for traditionally published books, too. :)
this is a great idea. really. i'd rather have less, cooler projects and get this other info online.
i love my grandmas' stuff and would love a moratorium on that kind of marketing. Cool, DIY, retro, whatever is fine. Snarking on those before us is tired.
BOY, I could not agree more!
Printing on demand is possible however it often makes the price per book jump in price. A book that might cost $15 when mass produced can jump to $40. At the point I'm not sure if it's worth it.
Now another option I can see working really well these days are craft ebooks. A lot of information can packed into one, if purchasing a lot of books they would be neatly organized on the computer instead of searching through a bookcase (which takes up a bunch of room if you have a ton of craft books), and they would be permanent like a book unlike a website that may disappear down the road when you try to refer back to it at a later time.
I have to admit that I am of the same mindset. I love step-by-step photos with step-by-step instructions under each photo. But what I also like to see is at least 2-3 variations of the project at the end of each one. That way, I can see other ideas.
A lot of craft books I've picked up lately are very generalized and that drives me crazy. I, like you, would rather see a fewer projects with more details then more projects with more generalization. I think that's why I prefer video workshops these days. They get right down to business and you can follow along without second guessing or wondering what exactly the artist meant.
Thank you for adding your perspective here, Alyice!
I have to admit that I am of the same mindset. I love step-by-step photos with step-by-step instructions under each photo. But what I also like to see is at least 2-3 variations of the project at the end of each one. That way, I can see other ideas.
A lot of craft books I've picked up lately are very generalized and that drives me crazy. I, like you, would rather see a fewer projects with more details then more projects with more generalization. I think that's why I prefer video workshops these days. They get right down to business and you can follow along without second guessing or wondering what exactly the artist meant.
Thank you for adding your perspective here, Alyice!
I think these are wonderful points, especially the diagram/instruction part and the targeting of the projects to skill levels. I often feel that one or two more images, or sketches would be so much more helpful. I do like seeing the final product but that image could be reduced.
I knit and when I pick up a book that's 60 pages of everything under the sun – why am I going to plunk down even $20 when I really just want two patterns?
…Wouldn't it be great if there were a way to buy craft books a la carte, like we buy music on the iTunes store? What if you could select the projects and have a print-on-demand, custom craft book? (Big dream…)
Thank you for writing what you did. I am in the process of looking for a publisher for my work and continually feel the need to go “Japanese”.
it would be great to find an American publisher here in the states that is willing to go all out and deliver a product which includes my format of clear easy to understand instructions as well as rich and copious visuals.
I too am tired of the blah blah blah of materials, history and blah blah blah of things not related to the craft itself. I also want to publish a set of books based on skill sets rather than combine a variety of skill sets into one book.
Wish me luck!
:o)