Survey to those in the publishing industry

To support SYP assignment 3 and for primary research and sources I devised and sent a survey to some in the publishing industry.

This was sent to a mixture of large publishers, medium to small publishers, photographers who have been published and those who have self-published. I deliberately sent to some publishers who had published photographers I surveyed and vice versa.

The survey was sent to 32 in total. There were 14 responses, a response rate of 43%, which I understand was quite good.

I did refine my survey questions below following my first couple of responses.

THE EMAILS SENT AND QUESTIONS ASKED WERE:

TO PUBLISHERS

Enquiry for research on photobook publishing

Dear…. vary/personalise

I am contacting you because I am writing an academic paper for the final part of my photography degree. My paper is based around photobook publishing, and I would really appreciate it if you could take the time (valuable I know), to answer the 10 questions below, to contribute to my essential primary research.

Please add your responses next to the questions below. Feel free to answer only some of the questions if all do not suit you, though of course, if there is anything else you would like to add I would be delighted.

I thank you in advance for giving your time and experience to support my understanding of the photobook publishing industry.

THE QUESTIONS

With regard to photobook publishing:

1.           How do you find photographers that you work with, or do they find you?

2.           What elements are the most important when you are choosing who/what to publish?

3.           What do you look for when deciding to publish a relatively unknown artist?

4.           How important is a presence at photo book fairs to maximise sales/audience?

5.           How important are photographers’ awards/exhibitions to photo book sales?

6.           Does a photographer sharing on social media prior to publication have an adverse or beneficial effect on sales?

7.           Which should come first, an exhibition or a book?

8.           Is self-publishing impacting on the choice of material you have to publish, or anything else?

9.           How would you encourage a photographer to use your services rather than self-publish?

10.         What is your major challenge when publishing photo books?

Best regards

Niki South

TO PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Enquiry for research on photobook publishing

Dear…. May need to vary/personalise    

I am writing an academic paper based on photobook publishing for the final part of my photography degree. …., your opinion/experience would be a valuable contribution to my essential primary research.

I would really appreciate it if you could take the time, to answer the 9/10 questions below, or those appropriate for you. Please add your responses next to the questions below, or in any format which suits you, and if you have anything else to add that would be great.

Thank you in advance for giving your time and experience to support my understanding of the photobook publishing industry.

THE QUESTIONS:

All Photographers

1.           Why do you make photo books/zines, what outcomes are you looking for?

2.           Who is your audience?

3.           Do you self-fund or have you obtained other financing for any of your publishing?

–             If funded/part-funded has this affected your end product and if so how?

AND IF you prefer to self-publish:

4.           Why do you self-publish rather than use a publisher?

5.           What would attract you to go to a publisher instead of self-publish using a printer? 

6.           What’s important when you choose your printer?

7.           Do you collaborate with other specialists to support your skills to self-publish?

8.           How do you deal with book sales and distribution?

9.           What do you do to maximise book sales/audience?

10.         If you have exhibited and published a book for a project, which comes first?

OR  IF you prefer using a publisher:

4.           Why do you use a publisher rather than self-publish using a printer?

5.           Would anything attract you to self-publish?

6.           What’s important when choosing your publisher?

7.           What makes your work attractive to a publisher?

8.           What do you do to maximise book sales?

9.           What does your publisher do to maximise your book sales?

10.         Do you find you have the control you would like with end product?

Best regards

Niki South

TO POSTGRADUATE PUBLISHED AND SELF-PUBLISHED:

Enquiry for research on photobook publishing

Hi… vary/personalise    

I am writing an academic paper based on photobook publishing for the final part of my OCA photography degree. As an OCA post graduate who I believe has published at least one book your opinion/experience would be a valuable contribution to my essential primary research.

I would really appreciate it if you could take the time, to answer the 9/10 questions below, or those appropriate for you. Please add your responses next to the questions below, or in any format which suits you, and if you have anything else to add that would be great.

Thank you in advance for giving your time and experience to support my understanding of the photobook publishing industry.

THE QUESTIONS:

All Photographers

1.           Why do you make photo books/zines, what outcomes are you looking for?

2.           Who is your audience?

3.           Do you self-fund or have you obtained other financing for any of your publishing?

–             If funded/part-funded has this affected your end product and if so how?

AND IF you prefer to self-publish:

4.           Why do you self-publish rather than use a publisher?

5.           What would attract you to go to a publisher instead of self-publish using a printer? 

6.           What’s important when you choose your printer?

7.           Do you collaborate with other specialists to support your skills to self-publish?

8.           How do you deal with book sales and distribution?

9.           What do you do to maximise book sales/audience?

10.         If you have exhibited and published a book for a project, which comes first?

OR  IF you prefer using a publisher:

4.           Why do you use a publisher rather than self-publish using a printer?

5.           Would anything attract you to self-publish?

6.           What’s important when choosing your publisher?

7.           What makes your work attractive to a publisher?

8.           What do you do to maximise book sales?

9.           What does your publisher do to maximise your book sales?

10.         Do you find you have the control you would like with end product?

Best regards

Niki South

Those that I contacted and their responses are in the next post: https://nkssite6.photo.blog/2024/09/18/assignment-3-the-photographic-industry-primary-research-the-responses/

The responses fed into my draft essay sent to my Tutor.