Ned Williams

WHY NOT BECOME AN AUTHOR, TRY

TO PUBLISH YOUR OWN BOOK,

AND PUT IT ON SALE?

This is the experience that one Black Country Historian, Ned Williams, had to face!

....................................

1968

By the end of 1968 Ned had collected enough material to fill a modest book, called “By Rail to Wombourn”. However, after producing the book, he approached the Principal of Wulfrun College in Wolverhampton thinking that perhaps he would like to finance the publication of his work. The Principal was horrified and refused his request!  Next: The National Book Publishers also revealed that they too were not interested in publishing his work. Nevertheless Ned still felt a keen desire to get his book published. After asking “The Black Country Society” if they would like to get his work published, he again met with rejection and criticism over the limited content of the book!

After meeting up with such rejection Ned decided to try to get it published by himself

He needed to find a “friendly” printer who would guide him through the process and deliver his product at a reasonable price, he also needed to learn how to sell the finished book.

By April 1st, 1969, Ned found himself in a flat full of books, and his next job was to sell them! Some book shops were willing to sell the book at one third discount, but today it would be difficult to find a book shop that would be willing to stock an obscure local publication. After about five years, Ned eventually got his book on sale, and once it had gone out on print,  the demand seemed to escalate!

Ned, as one of the most respected Black Country historians says “ The excitement of seeing a research project progress to the point where it becomes a finished printed book, and the interest of all the human encounters involved in getting this done, combine to make such activity, somewhat addictive! See the Black Country Bugle No. 1389. 

   Wednesday, April 10th 2019, page16.  Complements to Bugle editor Dan Shaw.