Thursday, November 1, 2012

Defending My Baby.

I am so pleased to say that I haven't gotten a down-right nasty e-mail from anyone since I was teaching.

That 2-year streak ended this morning.

Over the summer, I posted about my publishing company, Bushbaby Press.  Since I wrote that post, things have been a whirlwind of growth and change.  Bushbaby Press received its LLC from the State of Pennsylvania, the company has generated lots of interest, and I am working my ass off to get our name and image out into the community.

I have never purported that Bushbaby Press, LLC, is something other than just what it is.  
I've also never purported that I am something other than just what I am.

 For the benefit of my readers, colleagues, and potential business contacts, I'd like to go into just what Bushbaby Press, LLC is, and what I am.

Bushbaby Press, LLC is:

  • the re-shaped version of a company that was literally given to me in January, 2012.
  • the imprint under which I publish, and will continue to publish, my own books.
  • a tiny little company that generates its revenue through the sale of three (3) books and fees that I am paid for doing presentations, readings, etc.
  • under the guidance of an experienced attorney and CPA, both of whom are acting in the best interest of me personally, and in the best interest of Bushbaby Press, LLC.
  • an outfit that can give eager and creative authors an avenue to publish their work for a fee of $25/hr for my editing, revision/review, and layout services, among other things.  
WTF?  A fee?  To publish my book?

Yep.  That's right.  I said it.  I am going to charge you a fee to prepare your book for print.  Why? 
  • I am running a business.  Businesses need to make money, and believe it or not, I have expenses.  Paying illustrators respectable amounts for their phenomenal art is one of them.  Would that I were independently wealthy and could pay advances/collect no sort of payment for doing hours of work to get books ready for publication.  
  • I want to run a business which motivates me to do my best work for the authors.  I don't believe for one single second that any one of you reading this would be willing to put your toddler in front of the television periodically on a sunny day, or stay up until 2am to complete 10-15 hours of work a week, for $0 an hour.  Both my attorney and CPA looked at me like I had 10 heads when I told them that I had previously been working gratis.  
  • I refuse to publish crap.  By an author agreeing to pay a fee, I know that he is serious, and willing to work together with me to make his work top notch.  
Jesus, by that logic, couldn't it cost $2,000 for you to publish my book?  And it doesn't sound like you're doing anything that great.  Couldn't I just do that all myself self-publishing?

Don't call me Jesus.  And no, it won't cost you $2,000 because I am not accepting books that need that much work.  For that amount of money, I'd basically be writing your book for you.  I am glad to provide authors with an estimate before we start. 

And yes, you could do it by yourself.  I implore you to go ahead and do that.  But, if you'd like to work with a growing company and be a part of our artistic team, consider joining us.  You are always welcome.  I've already learned all of the dirty details of how to get your book published though, so I might be able to save you some time and a headache or two.

OK.  So, that's Bushbaby Press.  But what about you?  You said you were going to tell us more about you. 

Ask and ye shall receive.

Maggie Mitchell is:
  • an elementary classroom music teacher with 6 years of teaching experience
  • a Master of Music Education and is certified to instruct on Levels I, II, and III via the Orff-Schulwerk process
  • a mother of a strong-willed preschool daughter
  • a wife of a teacher and doctoral student
  • creative, entrepreneurial, pragmatic, outgoing, engaging, intelligent, artistic
  • a writer and lover of words
  • a user-to-the-max of her resources
  • not a student of business, accounting, marketing
  • an untrained (by academic standards) writer
  • a business owner
  • a networker
  • a self-made social media maven, self-promoter, and marketer of her infant company
  • a website builder
  • an accountant

Everything you could want to know about Bushbaby Press, LLC and Maggie Mitchell  is written above, as transparent as can be.  I am not sure what else I can offer you at this juncture.  

If you were considering publishing with us and are now deterred, I am sorry to hear that.  I guess we're not a good fit for each other at the present time.  Bushbaby Press, LLC isn't budging an inch, though, so if you'd like to connect in the future, we'll be here.  




I love you with all my heart, Bushbaby Press, LLC.


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