Who can I get to write the foreword in my book?

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petemc

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Yes its your basic "Look at me I'm writing a book aren't I great" type post. ;) So I need ideas of who I should get to write the foreword. So far I'm tempted by Martin Parr. He's a big name, a Magnum photographer and has also spent time documenting Liverpool. The book is basically photos of Liverpool. So I'm thinking he'd be great for it although I am of course worried he'd hate my over processing. I'll probably approach him as he can only say no. But I'm after backups, or better. A lot of the photographers I respect are either dead, unsuitable, or simply very talented amatuers. I think I need a credible person, a name to essentially validate the book. "I'm a good photographer. You know me. I endorse this book and declare it open." Sorta thing.

So far I'm thinking Martin Parr or Tom Ang. Any ideas?
 
Yes its your basic "Look at me I'm writing a book aren't I great" type post.
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S'ok pete, these days anyone can do a book so it's ok. ;)

Hell I've even been toying with the idea. I know who's doing my forward but it wouldn't help you much. Wrong sphere.

If you're looking for the best commercial boost, then it's simply about the snagging the biggest name you can. Time to go crawl. (y)
 
andrewc said:
Any other famous Liverpudlian 'togs?
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Edward Chambre-Hardman is annoyingly dead.


dazzajl said:
S'ok pete, these days anyone can do a book so it's ok. ;)
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Yup, self publishing is brilliant. I know people who've done that and had it pay off. Its kind of funny turning up at a publishers with a ready made book and asking them to publish it.

If you're looking for the best commercial boost, then it's simply about the snagging the biggest name you can. Time to go crawl. (y)
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Yeah exactly. Commercially its great having a big name, but I also want someone good just for my self. Just so that I know I've done something good.
 
I may be off the mark here, but do you need a 'tog for the foreword. I'd have thought that any famous liverpuddlian would do the job - "petemc's photographs have captured the Liverpool I grew up in" kind of thing. I would imagine that most of the book's audience would not be togs, so....
I don't know, just a thought.
 
Interesting idea. I think the publisher did mention getting the Chancellor of Liverpool Uni to do something, but its not a name that means much to me. Thats partly why I instantly thought of another photographer. No harm in getting both I suppose. Cover both sides of the coin. Famous Liverpool guy and famous photographer. Question is, who? Cilla Black? Ken Dodd? Steven Gerrard? Hmmmmm :D
 
I don't know anything about these sort of things but can you have two people doing the forward?
I'm thinking that the Average Joe in W.H.Smiths may not know any famous 'togs but an addendum by a famous Liverpudlian would prompt them to buy it.
 
Atomic Kitten! Hmm no :D It was hard enough before you guys suggested random famous Joe :p
 
From Wiki, though some are now dead. :LOL:

Many famous names have been associated with Liverpool; see Liverpudlians.
Liverpool has also played a large part in UK (and sometimes world) Pop Music culture since the 1960s. For a list of some noteworthy groups from the area, consult the list of famous bands from Liverpool. The most popular group from Liverpool is The Beatles.
The Wall of Fame is located opposite the famous Cavern Club, near the original one where bricks are engraved with the name of bands and musicians who have played at the Cavern Club.
Liverpool has also been home to numerous football stars. Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Phil Thompson, Mick Quinn, Peter Reid, Wayne Rooney, Tommy Smith and Steve McManaman are just some of the many footballers to have been born in the city.
Ian Broudie who fronted 1990's band The Lightning Seeds is also from Liverpool.
Television and film personalities born in Liverpool include: stage and film actor Rex Harrison, renowned comedian Ken Dodd, Singer/TV personality Cilla Black, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominee Cathy Tyson (for cult movie Mona Lisa (film) and Band of Gold (TV series)), 2 times BAFTA award-nominee Lesley Sharp, actor, (Shaun of the Dead) Peter Serafinowicz, anarchic comedian/author Alexei Sayle (star of The Young Ones (TV series)), Margi Clarke (star of cult movie Letter to Brezhnev), John Gregson (star of Treasure Island (1950 film), The Treasure of Monte Cristo and Gideon's Way), Olivier award-winning and 2 times BAFTA nominee Alison Steadman, 3 times BAFTA award-nominee Leonard Rossiter (Star of 2001: A Space Odyssey (film), Oliver! (film) and TV show Rising Damp), Actor Craig Charles (star of TV show Red Dwarf, Robot Wars and Coronation Street), 2 times BAFTA nominee Tom Bell (actor) (starring in Prime Suspect and The Krays (film)), the McGann brothers (Paul, Joe, Stephen and Mark), David Yip (star of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and James Bond movie A View to a Kill) and 2 times Golden Globe nominee Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen (both of Doctor Who fame) Also Kim Cattrall of Sex and the City was born in Wavertree, a Liverpool suburb.
Famous writers such as, Academy Award and BAFTA nominee playwright Willy Russell (author of Blood Brothers (musical), Shirley Valentine, Our Day Out and Educating Rita), Brian Jacques (author of the Redwall and Castaways of the Flying Dutchman), award-winning horror author/director/artist Clive Barker ( mostly credited for Rawhead Rex (film), Candyman (film) and Hellraiser fame) and BAFTA award-winning scriptwriter Jimmy McGovern (author of Cracker (UK TV series), Hillsborough (a dramatised reconstruction of the events of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster) and The Street (TV series)) are from Liverpool.
William Gladstone, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on four separate occasions (1868–74, 1880–85, 1886 and 1892–94), was born in Liverpool and lived there till the age of 11.
 
Damn, thanks :) Ian Broudie is a good idea. I love the Lightning Seeds. Oooh of course Dean Sullivan who played Jimmy Corkhill is actually a fan of my work and a local name. Kim Cattrall, huh. I didn't know she was born here. I guess she didn't spend long here as she sounds so American.
 
Me?


Ok seriously joe public never read forewords but the name can be an eye catcher so pick the most famous person you can think of who might do it. Your publishers might have someone suitable on their books and I think that's often how these things are done, 'in house' so to speak.
 
The Crankies? :LOL:




:p
 
They had some ideas but basically asked me to go away and have a quick think about who I'd like to get to write it.
 
petemc said:
Damn, thanks :) Ian Broudie is a good idea. I love the Lightning Seeds. Oooh of course Dean Sullivan who played Jimmy Corkhill is actually a fan of my work and a local name. Kim Cattrall, huh. I didn't know she was born here. I guess she didn't spend long here as she sounds so American.
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I thought Jimmy Corkhill too when I saw the list, great that he's a fan! :)
 
Pete - what about Dean Sullivan - he was at the opening night of your exhibition and is generally involved in art events in Liverpool. He's also got a reasonably high profile in Liverpool atm as he's doing a show on City Talk. Not to mention his previous life as one the Brookside cast. He has the advantage of being articulate, too.

Which also sort of leads me to think of Phil Redmond too - as the face of Capital of Culture, he may be interested.

I like the idea of getting 2 forewards. One from a local "name" and one from a photographer.


[edit] - Gah - beaten to it [/edit]
 
Pete are you doing a blurb under each of your photo's like in your blog?
The piece that you did on the gallery opening was very good.
 
Hmmm... thinks... have I EVER bought a book as a 'celebrity' said I should?

Nope

Do I even give a toss what others think about a book? Image even? - not really

I suppose if Mr McCartney says you're fab you'd sell a few more than otherwise, otherwise... why not just say 'I'm Pete - I'm here' and see what happens - local press is sure to be worth more than a k******d name saying he likes Tone Mapped images of where he used to get pished as a lad surely?

You may sell a few books as a 'name' is associated with it - but no-one will look if the images aren't any good - are they any good? If you're sure they are - stand by your own name!

One day, it'll be bigger than some chap who played a guy in a soap - otherwise, why give a sh*t anyway ???

DD
 
DiddyDave said:
Hmmm... thinks... have I EVER bought a book as a 'celebrity' said I should?
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I don't want a 'celebrity'. I want a recognised photographer, someone who knows his stuff to add weight to the book. I'd like to hear someone who has an industry name comment on my work, in a nice way of course. I don't want Jordan saying how great her tits would look in HDR :p

Do I even give a toss what others think about a book? Image even? - not really
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You may not, but some may. You like white background images, I don't. It all depends on my mood as to whether I'll read a foreword. If its by someone interesting I may. I'd rather have one than not to give people the option.

I suppose if Mr McCartney says you're fab you'd sell a few more than otherwise, otherwise... why not just say 'I'm Pete - I'm here' and see what happens - local press is sure to be worth more than a k******d name saying he likes Tone Mapped images of where he used to get pished as a lad surely?
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I've done that already. My exhibition was a success. This is the next step and a book needs a foreword.

You may sell a few books as a 'name' is associated with it - but no-one will look if the images aren't any good - are they any good? If you're sure they are - stand by your own name!
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They are good or I wouldn't be working on 3 books now would I :p

I've spoken with Martin Parr. He's too busy to write forewords for other peoples books but wished me luck. So I'm still hunting. I might try Tom Ang, but I've never seen his work. I've only seen him potter around on BBC3 in a hat.
 
Boris Johnson?
 
petemc said:
I might try Tom Ang, but I've never seen his work. I've only seen him potter around on BBC3 in a hat.
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TBH I'm not all that taken by Tom Ang. I'm a fan of him for promoting photography to the mainstream but I've got one of his books (one of those all about digital photography type books)and it's a bit too all encompassing so I don't really know what his style is. I just get the feeling he's trying to be a bit all things to all men, which in my view does not suit your style of photography. Could be wrong about him though as I haven't seen loads of his work.

Can't really help you with other names for it I'm afraid. If you're thinking about celebrity I'd avoid footballers as you'll just cut off half your potential customers in liverpool. EDIT - It's also extremely unlikely they'd be able to string any semblance of interesting reading or opinion together without the aid of a ghost writer anyway.
 
How many forewords can you have? - one? two? more? - Could have one from the industry to that Pete wants, and a well known Scouser that adds main stream credibility. They could have two words each...
 
You know I can easily come up with silly suggestions myself :p Kinda hoping for some actual help. But its fine....
 
ranarama said:
TBH I'm not all that taken by Tom Ang. I'm a fan of him for promoting photography to the mainstream but I've got one of his books (one of those all about digital photography type books)and it's a bit too all encompassing so I don't really know what his style is. I just get the feeling he's trying to be a bit all things to all men, which in my view does not suit your style of photography. Could be wrong about him though as I haven't seen loads of his work.
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Yeah exactly. He's done good work with the BBC and the shows are fun to watch, but I don't actually know his work.

Can't really help you with other names for it I'm afraid. If you're thinking about celebrity I'd avoid footballers as you'll just cut off half your potential customers in liverpool. EDIT - It's also extremely unlikely they'd be able to string any semblance of interesting reading or opinion together without the aid of a ghost writer anyway.
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For sure. No way I'd get a random footballer. I might drop the whole local identity thing. Theres a good chance that the book will be available in Chicago so they won't care what Steven Gerrard thinks. I'm thinking a known photographer to comment on the work and someone who lives here to comment on how they feel about it. That way when random American Joe reads it they might be interested to see how it affects a local from the town.
 
petemc said:
You know I can easily come up with silly suggestions myself :p Kinda hoping for some actual help. But its fine....
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Alexi Sayle would make me seriously thing about buying it I think. He's a Scouser but one with national respect I believe. I like him anyway. But to be honest, I'd possibly buy it anyway.
 
I have only read one book by Tom Ang - really very well written book full of technical detail written in an easy to grasp way for the non technical. The book was of the type that you did not want to put down until you had read it all.

I would say stick to your plan - get the people that you find inspirational to write the forward… if you can

good luck, I hope it works well for you
 
sportysnaps said:
I would say stick to your plan - get the people that you find inspirational to write the forward… if you can
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The problem is the people that inspire me are people here, people on Flickr and they're not "names" that add a bit of weight to the book. Its why I started this thread. The names I respect are dead or unsuitable. Cappa, Cartier-Bresson, Natchway.
 
Nachtwey :)

Actually....He's alive isn't he...why not email?
 
I think you need to consider the following:

What is the target market for the book?

If photographers then fine, find a tog to write it.

If the general public or a combination then you need someone that both groups may have heard of.

Bear in mind that you may need to do some things to get off the ground that for later works your name might then carry itself, but a wide appeal "celeb" will help at the start

I appreciate it is not a photographer I am suggesting, but how about Bill Bryson, A yank anglophile who really likes Liverpool.

I believe he holds a "Fellow" from the Uni up there.


He is respected by many people in many overseas parts.

just my thoughts
 
The problem is the people that inspire me are people here
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Gotta be Marcel then, I think he's still breathing :shrug:
 
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