PRESS FOR SUCCESS: SHOULD YOUR HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLISH BOOKS? PART II

By Stephen Paschen, Director, Summit County Historical Society, Akron

Local History Notebook, May / June 1994

Writing a Proposal

There are two reasons why a book proposal from a historical society can be attractive to a client. First, probably the most compelling reason to fund a publication is the inherently lasting impact of the product. A book not only preserves and interprets history; it contributes to the library of local history available to future generations. Most businesses, institutions, and individuals want to be a part of our recorded history. The fact that your organization is recognized as the community's "keeper of history" means that your name on the book gives it validity as a properly researched and written history. Also, if you have a strong collection of vintage photographs, publications provide a venue for showcasing your collection (people love to see historic photographs of their community).

Elements of a Good Proposal

We have found that there are several components to publications proposals that help the client consider all facets of the project. By clearly defining responsibilities in this first contact, the client will know exactly what to expect during the course of the project. I will use an example of a corporate history book that the Summit County Historical Society (SCHS) Press is currently working on to illustrate the elements of a successful proposal. First, the proposal should begin with a brief overview of what the project will entail: "The Summit County Historical Society proposes to research, write, and publish the history of Myers Industries from its founding in 1933 to the present. This publication will not only chronicle the development of a highly successful industry itself, but will set this important story against the backdrop of local, national, and international history."

Clearly expressed objectives help the client to focus their goals for the publication and often to look beyond their original objectives, which may have been primarily promotional in nature. The following objectives were excerpted from the same Myers book proposal:

Next, a detailed plan of action, including all phases of the project and the responsibilities of all parties involved, should be clearly stated. We usually break down a project into four phases:

Following the plan of action is the project schedule, which we produce graphically using the phases described above. Usually, the graph charts out the next year or more with bars to indicate the duration of the various phases.

The proposal is concluded with a proposed budget, again tied to the phases described previously. SCHS costs are computed using a formula for salaries and overhead. Printing and binding estimates are obtained from a printer/binder based on book specifications provided by the client.

Getting the Most Out of a Project

We try to get more out of a publication project than just compensation and the book itself. The research on each topic is used to create companion exhibits, audio-visual programs for our speaker's bureau, and shorter newsletter articles.

Problems

Any undertaking includes problems. Other daunting facts of life in the world of publishing are schedules and deadlines. Scheduling of our first projects was difficult because it was hard to estimate the time necessary for phases such as research and writing. We tried our best to allot the proper amounts of time for decent inquiry and reasonable spans of time for writing, revisions, and reviews. We found that the best way to learn more about how we spent our time was to keep detailed time sheets. After the first few projects, we were better able to forecast how long it would take to produce the finished product. There will always be printer delays, and the client may not review drafts, designs and proofs promptly. You need to be able to resolve these problems as quickly as possible. Your publications committee's regular project review meetings will help keep you on track.

Equipment is another source of problems and delays. Sometimes it seems like computers and laser printers are plotting against you. Our Society has only one laser printer, meaning that when three staff members are working on three different projects we need to carefully schedule times to print out proofs and final layouts. Also, it is important to read the computer manuals for hardware and software and keep the equipment in good working order.

Cost and funding problems can also plague your publications program. Our rule is simple; if the project is not funded, we do not initiate work on it. Cost overruns can only be controlled by being vigilant about changes in material costs, staff hours expended, and any other factors that might complicate the project.

The idea of doing a history book for a client is potentially dangerous when it comes to telling the negative part of the history. Bankruptcy, discriminatory hiring practices, personal scandals, and many other negative issues are bound to surface anytime research is in progress. Sensitive issues should be discussed with the client during the writing phase. Usually there is a way to put a negative story into context within the history of the period and persuade the client to include it in the book.

Most of the books go directly to the corporations and institutions at the end of the project, although we usually negotiate a certain number to be given to SCHS for reference and sales (sometimes as few as one hundred copies). This way, there are enough copies to place in local libraries and sell to the relatively small market of local history book collectors but not a large inventory of books to store.

Only recently has the SCHS Press been concerned with effective marketing of the books. Our most recent publication, entitled Summit Beach Park. Akron's Coney Island (a profusely-illustrated history of Akron's big amusement park), was funded in an entirely new way. The manuscript, authored by a Society trustee, was in-hand when we approached the Akron Bank Clearinghouse, requesting not a grant, but an interest free loan. The Clearinghouse funded the project up front, and the Society will pay back the money as the books are sold. Because sales were suddenly crucial to the success of the publication, the Press committee was augmented by the addition of two marketing people. We chose a topic that was not only immensely popular with local residents (the park existed for sixty years, closing down in the late 1950s), but was marketable on a national and international scale (there are ten different amusement park-related periodicals and tens of thousands of amusement park history enthusiasts). Over the next year, we will gauge the success of this scenario and look to other potential topics that fit this "mold."

Should you Publish?

It is important to study the question closely. Undoubtedly, your organization, like ours, has a multitude of ways to fulfill your mission. You will have to weigh the potential commitment against your resources. Local history publications can be doubly beneficial to an organization. First, you are playing to your strengths of historical inquiry and interpretation. You are the organization that should be compiling histories of the institutions, businesses, and individuals in your community. Second, if you create the right kind of program - carefully planned and monitored--you can enhance and support your own operations through the wonders of desktop publishing. Although adopting a "Publish or Perish" mission statement is a bit extreme, an active publications program might fit your mission and contribute to the financial health of your organization as well.

Suggestions for Further Reading

Thomas E. Felt. Researching, Writing, and Publishing Local History. Nashville: American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), 1981.

Dorothy Weyer Creigh. A Primer for Local Historical Societies. Nashville: AASLH, 1976.

James W. Davidson and Mark H. Lytle. After the Fact. Vols I & II. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1982.

Carol Kammen. On Doing Local History: Reflections on What Local Historians Do, Why, and What It Means. Nashville: AASLH, 1986.

Laurence R. Pizer. A Primer for Local Historical Societies. 2nd edition. Nashville: AASLH, 1991.

John J. Walket, Jr. "Publishing in the Historical Society." AASLH Technical Leaflet No. 34.

The Local History Notebook is edited and published by the Ohio Historical Society's Local History Office in order to bring useful information to people working in the local history field. The selection of subjects and authors is based on the OAHSM Editorial Board's and the Local History Office's determination of issues which are timely in nature and lasting in scope. The reference inserts are copyrighted 1994 by the Ohio Historical Society. Reprints are available; please specify volume and number. For further information, contact:

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