Welcome to the Weekend With... Boyd Printing and Publishing CEO, Carl Johnson

This week we Welcome the weekend with a gentleman who has spent his life in publishing. He is the CEO of Boyd printing and Publishing, Carl Johnson. He gives us a glimpse of the world of books from a publishers perspective.

What made you decide to go into publishing?
After over 30 years in book printing, and seeing all the changes, it appeared there was a need for an authors to be able to self publish effectively, which means planning and marketing. As the giant publishers gobble up or kill the medium sized independents, an author's options shrink dramatically. Many of the traditional "vanity publishers" provide no real marketing or ways for the author to succeed financially. Our goal is to fill that gap.

Describe for us your journey in publishing from just starting out to your current position as CEO at Boyd Printing & Publishing.
Having production and composition services along with fulfillment and warehousing, we added some editorial free-lancers and after much evaluation added an honest, effective book marketing partner.

How has the publishing world changed over the years?
As the large publishers acquired the independents, it appeared to me that the risk-taking of 20 years ago had given way to people in cubicles running a prospective manuscript through a spreadsheet to figure out how many units (they are not called books) will be sold and what the ROI is. This is fine if you are Dan Brown, not so good if you are unknown.

What impact do you think digital books will have on book publishing? Are bound books destined to become endangered species?
Digital books is a phrase that covers a mulitude of things. Is a digital book a POD, low res, high unit cost book that will keep an author from making any real money? Is a digital book a 100 to 200 copy, sheet fed, paperback that might allow an author with limited funds to test the market? Is a digital book a 750 run, full color hard bound book run on an expensive "digtial web"?

The answer to all is yes. So digital printing is having a big impact as it offers muliple opportunities to get started. It would be better to descibe a book by the number of copies and unit cost than the method of manufacture.

I doubt bound books will go away for a long time. Even E-books must be sold at a high enough price to allow the publisher/author to cover writing, editorial, marketing and a profit. 10 years from now, 20 years from now, who knows. But in the forseeable future, although E-books will take increasing market share, it will be a while before they have 50% of the market, let alone all of it.

What do you feel is the most important thing that a first-time author should know?
Answer the question why am I doing this - a hobby....to develop my professional standing....to make money when I give speeches or classes....to build a career as a writer. Second, do a marketing plan, and estimate all your costs, figure out how you are going to finance it.

Tell us about your current company- Boyd Printing & Publishing? What are your goals and/or mission as a publisher? And what makes your company different from others?
Boyd Printing & Publishing wants to give authors who are serious about getting a book out and making money a real way to achieve their goals. We do not trap them into contracts where they end up buying back copies of their own books. Our goal is their success. We are different because we bring all the services of a complete traditional publisher to bear on the challenges the author faces in succeeding. Although the author must pay for the services, all proceeds from the sales of all copies go directly to the author. We do not keep half of each copy for "production costs".

What advice would you give to someone wanting to break into the publishing world (not as an author)?
There are many things there - marketing, buying, editorial, general management, acquisitions. If you want to break into publishing, you will probably end up in "Corporate America". Match the various segments with your talents and go in that direction.

On a personal level, what books do you enjoy reading?
Well researched historical fiction and well done mystery/spy books.

If you were to become stranded on a deserted island with three other people who were either authors or characters from books, who would you want them to be and what would be your topic (s) of conversation?
Way too many choices here. This could be a discussion for an hour.

If you were to jump in a time capsule and land 200 years into the future, what do you invision the publishing world to have evolved into?
The only thing for sure, is that it will not be what we expect. In the 70's the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey was released. In it a man on the space station goes to a pay phone to call Earth. No one had even considered cell phones. So who knows.

What do you do in your free time, for fun or to relax?
I spend time with my wife of over 40 years and our dogs, children and grandchildren.

Be sure to check our Boyd Printing and Publishing's website.