Write a 914 Buyers Guide and get paid for it!, Veloce Publishing Options

[JeffBowlsby]

I received this and personally have no time available for this. I have permission from the publisher to post snippets from our recent emails here - contact Kevin directly if interested:

kevin@veloce.co.uk wrote:

Hello,

My name is Kevin Quinn, and I’m the General Manager at Veloce Publishing Ltd. We're currently looking to expand our Essential Buyer's Guide range of books, and felt a volume on the Porsche 914 would be a great addition to the series. I’m putting out tentative feelers, as it were, to the community, in the hope we can find a suitable expert(s) to write such a book, and you were recommended to me by someone on a Porsche 914 Facebook group.

I’m happy to discuss this with you (my number is 01305 260068), and equally, I’d be happy (and grateful) if you were to pass on my email to anyone you feel might have the necessary expertise.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Best regards,

Kevin Quinn
General Manager
Veloce Publishing

We believe that the format and presentation of our series sets it apart form other books. We ourselves publish a number of books on the 914, but so far no buyers guide. The idea with these books is that they include everything you need for your initial research, then for a quick ‘walk away or stay’ evaluation, then a detailed evaluation section (this is chapter 9, and is the main part of the book). Presentation is clear, highly illustrated, and designed to be referred to when you’re actually viewing a car. I’ve attached a pdf sample book, so you can take a look for yourself. Also attached is our EBG Author pack, which gives a chapter by chapter breakdown on preparing the material.

We now have over 100 books in the series, with over 200,000 sales worldwide ...

If you’re interested I can send a print sample as well.

As for timescale, basically, I’ll leave that up to you to decide. We’re scheduling books well into the second half of next year, which should leave you plenty of time to put the book together.

If you do decide to go ahead, all I’d need from you is a realistic date when you think you can deliver the manuscript and pictures, a suitable cover image (a 914 viewed from the front and slightly from above), details of specific models/years covered, and a short bio of the author (s) and name/address and royalty percentage details. We could then send a contract, and can make a start promoting the book in advance.

Initial print runs are usually 2000, retail price is £12.99/$US 25. We don’t offer advances or other upfront payments. [edit: compensation is a royalty only per their standard contract]

Don’t hesitate to get in touch of you have any other questions.

I would be very grateful if you would put something on the forum. Hopefully someone will come forward.

[timothy_nd28]

Garold would be perfect for this

[mepstein]

Garold would be perfect for this

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[worn]

I received this and personally have no time available for this. I have permission from the publisher to post snippets from our recent emails here - contact Kevin directly if interested:

kevin@veloce.co.uk wrote:

Hello,

My name is Kevin Quinn, and I’m the General Manager at Veloce Publishing Ltd. We're currently looking to expand our Essential Buyer's Guide range of books, and felt a volume on the Porsche 914 would be a great addition to the series. I’m putting out tentative feelers, as it were, to the community, in the hope we can find a suitable expert(s) to write such a book, and you were recommended to me by someone on a Porsche 914 Facebook group.

I’m happy to discuss this with you (my number is 01305 260068), and equally, I’d be happy (and grateful) if you were to pass on my email to anyone you feel might have the necessary expertise.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Best regards,

Kevin Quinn
General Manager
Veloce Publishing

We believe that the format and presentation of our series sets it apart form other books. We ourselves publish a number of books on the 914, but so far no buyers guide. The idea with these books is that they include everything you need for your initial research, then for a quick ‘walk away or stay’ evaluation, then a detailed evaluation section (this is chapter 9, and is the main part of the book). Presentation is clear, highly illustrated, and designed to be referred to when you’re actually viewing a car. I’ve attached a pdf sample book, so you can take a look for yourself. Also attached is our EBG Author pack, which gives a chapter by chapter breakdown on preparing the material.

We now have over 100 books in the series, with over 200,000 sales worldwide ...

If you’re interested I can send a print sample as well.

As for timescale, basically, I’ll leave that up to you to decide. We’re scheduling books well into the second half of next year, which should leave you plenty of time to put the book together.

If you do decide to go ahead, all I’d need from you is a realistic date when you think you can deliver the manuscript and pictures, a suitable cover image (a 914 viewed from the front and slightly from above), details of specific models/years covered, and a short bio of the author (s) and name/address and royalty percentage details. We could then send a contract, and can make a start promoting the book in advance.

Initial print runs are usually 2000, retail price is £12.99/$US 25. We don’t offer advances or other upfront payments. [edit: compensation is a royalty only per their standard contract]

Don’t hesitate to get in touch of you have any other questions.

I would be very grateful if you would put something on the forum. Hopefully someone will come forward.

Well, I have written a lot of articles, and made a lot of illustrations so I could go as a partner with someone.

[JeffBowlsby]

I was thinking Dave Darling, Garold, Perry Kiehl, Brad Mayeur would be good fits for this assignment, in no particular order. Veloce is OK with multiple authors as well.

[GaroldShaffer]

Garold would be perfect for this

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) Something to think about.

[IronHillRestorations]

I'd be up for a collaboration

[eyesright]

Tell them I own and have rebuilt three 914's and have scavenged a dozen, so I don't need a copy....but I'd buy one anyway! So to those who might be up for this, (and more qualified than us hacks) you are a true and dedicated Teener and surely they will make it worth your while.

[SirAndy]

Write a 914 Buyers Guide

Simple:
Buy the best 914 you can afford!

I hope they don't pay by word count ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[TJB/914]

I nominate Pete Stout or Eric Shea. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)
These guys have horsepower in the market.

Tom

[cal44]

Whom/Who ever is picked to write the book........please make sure everything is in chronological order and year specific parts are within each section of year. This of course pertains to pictures as well.

There is not one 914 book written that isn't out of order for models parts and pictures. I think the best book was the one done in Holland, "Caught on Camera"
But is still lacked details.

Further more, most 911 and 356 books suffer the same problem. Picture on page twelve.....unusual parts for that model on page sixteen.
Peter Zimmermans books on the 911 are very good

Always follow the simple solution of: "write as though it is for a five year old, you'll never go wrong".

It isn't easy to do right, I know. I've spent years writing employee construction standards and safety for an International Utility. Life and death stuff.
I ended up writing on a table, then placing the page on the floor, page after page spread out next to my chair, so I could look down on the sheets.
I started doing that after reading that is how David Bowie wrote his music. Darn if it doesn't work. Thank you David.

[AndyB]

Actually in this instance George Hussey has the most knowledge that I am aware of. Everyone else knows pieces and bits. Because you make a product does not make you an expert. Just make sure that who ever steps up has a running 914 and isn't one of the usual arm chair jack stand quarterbacks or third party builders, that abound this site.

AndyB

[DRPHIL914]

Actually in this instance George Hussey has the most knowledge that I am aware of. Everyone else knows pieces and bits. Because you make a product does not make you an expert. Just make sure that who ever steps up has a running 914 and isn't one of the usual arm chair jack stand quarterbacks or third party builders, that abound this site.

AndyB

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ouch!
while I get your point , not well said- I know most of those mentioned by Jeff and others and the all have first hand knowledge due to many years owning buying and selling these cars, none of them are "arm chair Q.B.'s" !! Yes George has been around them and knows the cars as well as anyone. How about the guy that wrote the book on how to "upgrade and restore your 914" . another knowledgeable person in this arena I am sure.

[horizontally-opposed]

I'm not the guy for the nuts and bolts and bits and trims etc. Frankly, there are others here who know far, far more than I do and thus offer greater value to such a project than I do so long as Veloce can help them translate that knowledge onto the written page.

However, I think this is a neat project and I'd be happy to write a forward about the 914, its design and engineering origins, how it fits into the Porsche landscape nearly 50 years later, etc.

It's about time that a book like this was done. Other than Brett Johnson's excellent restoration guide—which could also do to be updated—the 914 has not received the attention it deserves. After studying all Porsches for 25+ years in my profession, I have come to the conclusion that Porsche's third production car chassis and platform was not only more advanced than its first two but quite a bit cleverer, too.

[AndyB]

I nominate Pete Stout or Eric Shea. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)
These guys have horsepower in the market.

Tom

Eric does brakes and occasionally shocks, where is the horse power there? Or are you trying to say PMB? Again where is the horse power? I personally never heard of Peter Stout.

AndyB.

[Dave_Darling]

Andy, if you have never heard of Pete Stout, you should check the reply just before yours. Meet Pete.

You can also look at back-issues of Excellence magazine (from a few years ago), and Panorama magazine from the year before last. And, if you can find one, check out the magazine "000". If you look at the credits page, you'll find his name as "Editor" for all of those. And I think "Publisher" of 000.

BTW, Eric (and PMB) does considerably more than brakes and shocks. His GT build is amazing. Plus PMB is quite well known to the wider Porsche community, and even other marques... (Like that other "prancing horse" one.)

Frankly, both of them have a whole lot more recognition than folks like Garold or myself.

I would love to see such a book. It would be fun to nitpick and argue over it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) I am not currently in a place to write one; I lack the time and motivation. I have also gotten into the "the more I find out, the more I realize how little I know" phase...

--DD

[barefoot]

Actually in this instance George Hussey has the most knowledge that I am aware of. Everyone else knows pieces and bits. Because you make a product does not make you an expert. Just make sure that who ever steps up has a running 914 and isn't one of the usual arm chair jack stand quarterbacks or third party builders, that abound this site.

AndyB

George has already published a book "TECH TIPS 700"
161 pages now in at least 3rd edition

[AndyB]

Actually in this instance George Hussey has the most knowledge that I am aware of. Everyone else knows pieces and bits. Because you make a product does not make you an expert. Just make sure that who ever steps up has a running 914 and isn't one of the usual arm chair jack stand quarterbacks or third party builders, that abound this site.

AndyB

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ouch!
while I get your point , not well said- I know most of those mentioned by Jeff and others and the all have first hand knowledge due to many years owning buying and selling these cars, none of them are "arm chair Q.B.'s" !! Yes George has been around them and knows the cars as well as anyone. How about the guy that wrote the book on how to "upgrade and restore your 914" . another knowledgeable person in this arena I am sure.

No clue about that book. If you aren't driving a 914 because of what ever reason, you're an arm chair mechanic. I tend to listen for the most part to those that actually work on the cars themselves. Not your third party builders, I have seen it too many times where people want to jump on the band wagon about what or what not to do. Would this be a great publication should it come to fruition? Absolutely. Will everyone agree with it, no. And yes I am an arm chair mechanic for now. I accept it maybe others should too.

AndyB

[AndyB]

Actually in this instance George Hussey has the most knowledge that I am aware of. Everyone else knows pieces and bits. Because you make a product does not make you an expert. Just make sure that who ever steps up has a running 914 and isn't one of the usual arm chair jack stand quarterbacks or third party builders, that abound this site.

AndyB

George has already published a book "TECH TIPS 700"
161 pages now in at least 3rd edition

Already have the second edition, thank you. Now if Bentley came out with one it would be in my garage.

AndyB

[gandalf_025]

I know a lot of people that would not go near any book
that had ANYTHING to do with AA...

Just saying....

Way too much bad press for them in the past and way too many
burnt bridges there.

not personally.... But I see the threads...