Beginner's Guide to Quakerism

This document was given to me, written by three or four of my elders, because I am good at editing, formatting, and publishing Quaker books. It is only about 33 pages as we speak, really more of a pamphlet, and just goes over the basics of liberal Quakerism for those who are attracted to the faith.

We have sent it out to about nine first readers, who should be giving us comments in about a week. The exact method of publication is still unclear. One side of me wants to just crank out pamphlets from my shed, and become a printer-distributer. But my original idea was to go through Amazon, which is basically free - you set up the template, they print, by demand, as many as you want. In this plan printing the pamphlet would be about $1.50-$2,00, as low as they can make it, but they generally charge a lot for shipping and keeping track of author's copies. So, as long as I ordered one ($1.50), they might charge me $2.50 ot send it, but if I ordered ten ($15.00), they might charge me only $3 or $4, so it would get progressively more worthwhile for me to order author's copies in large number for people who requested them. I could have the sent anywhere. Prime would not apply. Someone who wanted to buy one straight off the top, from the Amazon page, would pay about $3 (minimum price for any book, even only 33 pages), and prime would apply if they have it, if not, another buck or two for postage.

Another possibility is to use my shed as a pamphlet-produxtion facility. I have a reasonably good printer which I believe would be up to the task although I might have to up my game in terms of making it always ready to print. I also would have to always be ready to send. I would have to be able to say to someone, "I can send you six of these on Thursday for about ten dollars including postage, and they would get there around Sunday," and then I would have to be able to do it. I am interested in this option becuase I am aware of the general distaste people have for Amazon and how much people would simply like to go around them. Another reason I am interested in this is because I am considering making a Cloud Quaker calendar, which would be available at the end of the year, and which would be done the same way: on my printer, at home, one at a time, etc.

To do this I need two things. One is a long stapler that will help me staple a calendar or a book in the middle even if it is long. The other is a fair-sized paper cutter. Both of these are readily available. I just have to get out there and find them.

The third option is to go through Pendle Hill or some other Quaker publisher who just takes care of these details for a fee and keeps you out of it. I am not sure how I feel about this or how they would react to our particular document.

Something to chew on.