How can I put something in book format without "publishing" it?
I have a friend who has written a series of great nursery rhymes. I would like to put these rhymes into a book as a gift for my friend, but I don't want to give up my friend's first publication rights. Is there a service I could use — perhaps like one of those photo publishing books or something along those lines — where I could get the rhymes in a bound book form but without it being considered publication?
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1 answer
Is the purpose of doing this for your friend to see their words "in print", or for them to see that someone considers them good? (i.e., you.) Or perhaps it's something else entirely.
Whichever option you choose, you'll have to get the rhymes in shape for printing/publication, if they aren't already. There's no need to hire an editor, not with a print run of one, but I would do some careful proofreading.
However, print runs of nursery rhymes will include illustrations as a matter of course. If you want to simulate a print run, you'll want to do these as well.
You have a few options:
Get the rhymes into bound book form, using a short-run print service.
- Advantages: Less work on your part. Will look professional.
- Disadvantages: Need to check services' terms of use. Expensive. Need to prepare manuscript, get illustrations and layout done.
Do a craft-style "printing" of the book.
This would be where you get a scrapbook from a crafts store, and use it to hold the pages. Call it a "mockup" of the book.
- Advantages: Realistically, there are no copyright or terms-of-use issues. Cheaper than a print-on-demand book.
- Disadvantages: Will look home-made, although that can be charming. Slightly more work on your part than bringing the whole thing to a printer - will take the most time of these options. Need to prepare manuscript, get illustrations and layout done (but less tightly than with the first option.)
Do a framed print of one of the rhymes.
This is the simplest way to handle this. Pick one of the rhymes, have it illustrated or decorated, and print it out nicely and put it in a frame.
- Advantages: Less work overall. Will look home-made but, here, I think this is an advantage. Realistically, there are no copyright or terms-of-use issues. The cheapest option of all.
- Disadvantages: Less extensive than doing the whole book. You need to pick just one rhyme. (Or is that an advantage?)
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