66jack

John i have been reading alot of responses from you and was wondering...have you written any repair articles "books" about the issues that come out on this forum?
Although You, Barry and others come to mind and seem to know alot about the early models...have you guys ever gotten together and thought about doing something like this? i know there are lots of issues to cover but...

just a thought.

Jack

BarryK

ME??!! you put me in with John as knowing a lot?
man, you need to read more posts! I'm usually the one ASKING the dumb questions!

John is a true expert on just about anything on these cars and we are all privileged to have him contribute here and answer our questions when he does. Please, please, please don't insult the man by even mentioning me in the same sentence.

now, a book covering the top 100 issues that are constantly
re-occuring here on the forum would be a great idea!

ghostrider20

I think JohnZ writes for the "Corvette Restorer" where he goes into great detail on a certian project. I think the last installment was a diff. crossmember bushing???

Duke has also been published many many times.

A good months worth of work would be just using those two screen names and the search engine under C2, and copy and paste into word documents.

I save many of the threads that come up here.

Mark

Bud2

As an author, I know what a job it is to write, format, print and distribute a possible money maker (or loser). Or the option is to have most of the latter work done for you. Big bucks there - Now maybe you could mention financially backing these two experts to undertake this project......

As the previous poster mentioned. I do numerous cut & pastes to a word processing software and later organise them into their appropriate files. Not a book but very usefull.

Cheers.

Bud.

Viet Nam Vett

If John Z and Duke and the other experts ever got together and wrote a book on this subject...we'd have to pay for it...

We got it free right here!!! The best thing you can do to thank these guys for there excellent advice is to do what what alot of us have done ......

....and that is to support this forum and become a member. I my self have chosen to be come a Life member. This forum and it's membership have saved me Thousands of dollars .!!!

The advice alone is worth the cost of a membership here,,, not to mention the how too's and what to buy's....

So..think about supporting this forum ...I did ...to say thankyou to everyone who helped me...

bluestreak63

Pick up Corvette Enthusiat. John writes in there as well...

66jack

I am waiting for Corvette Enthusiast to get here and i have gotten my Corvette Restorer mag ...
as for insulting JohnZ by including Barry, i mean no harm...
i for one would pay for nicely written articles that cover many of the issues that arise when restoring said Cars...

jack

JohnZ

At last count, I've written 40 photo-illustrated full multi-page technical articles and 38 single-subject "Tech Bench" reader-assistance columns, in every issue of "Corvette Enthusiast" magazine since the August, 2003 issue, when I became the Vintage Technical Editor (in addition to many tech articles in the NCRS "Restorer" magazine prior to 2003).

I have no plans to consolidate them into book form - that's a LOT of work, followed by publisher-shopping, etc., and I'm getting close to that stage for my own "book" on the industry.

Viet Nam Vett

Ok ...I'll wait for that one to come out... Then well get the real poop about the General....

66jack

It's been NINE years since I asked this question...


When is the BOOK coming out?...

JohnZ

When I find a less costly means of self-publishing it; it's pretty hard to interest a publisher in a book that appeals to such a small niche and is less than 100 pages. Once I find a better way, it won't take a lot of work to polish it up and finish it.

Easy Rhino

Given that a single JohnZ post can save the unknowing hundreds of dollars, I would consider such book priceless, and would pay accordingly.

Who's with me?

TJefferson2020

I'm a marketing strategist, writer and designer. I would help you 100%. Think Ebook(s) - You could easily sell each tech article for a couple bucks - with minimal work to format and self-publish.

Long form books are going the way of the dinosaur. People want information in chunks. This is way easier than you think.

I feel like I owe you a lot. This is a path I know very well. PM if I can help.

66jack

Alright...

Maybe you can do one of those "online funding things" to help you get it out to us that would enjoy something in our Library...

TJefferson2020

I have the way. Serious. Not just talking out of my...uh...exhaust hole. I've spent seven years researching and producing digital media. I've been doing this kind of stuff for almost 30 years.

In fact, I will create your first ebook for you if you send me the copy and photos for one of the tech articles.

You don't need a publisher and you don't need to spend big bucks creating books. That is outdated thinking.

In fact, publishers don't do **** to promote books - they won't even talk to you if you haven't already independently sold tens of thousands of copies. They are a dying breed.

Between Amazon and iTunes, you can distribute and monetize digital books very easily (Apple takes 30% - Amazon slightly less).

Run some Google ads to drive people to the point of purchase (this is where a niche is valuable) and profit.

Take those 40 articles and group them into three volumes - sell each volume for $9.99 each. You'll make about $6.99 for every download. Forever.

Keep in mind, you don't have any printing costs - so you could be selling stuff next week if you choose.

Bob K

I'm in. Where do I send the money. What a great idea.

Bob k.

Kerouac

Well, that "dinosaur" made J.K. Rowling richer than the Queen of England. Besides, if John Z. is going to write a book I don't want it to be digital; I want it to be sitting on my shelf next to my AIM, my Noland Adams, and my Corvette Shop Manuals. I want to thumb through it with engine grease on my fingertips and I want it to look like what it will quickly become -- used all the time.

TJefferson2020

Statistically, J.K. Rowling is a rarity. Tens of millions of people are making money independently distributing content. I have worked with McGraw Hill, Scholastic, HMH, and Pearson - they are scrambling to get away from printed books. Their earnings are down and they know they have to adapt.

This doesn't mean this massive industry will be gone overnight. But it does mean that many of the barriers to publishing are gone. You might prefer a paper book (so do I) but if that barrier is too high, (as John has posted) you won't see John's books anytime soon.

I know you work in television - I've worked in the industry too. They are feeling the pressure just like publishing. First music fell, next publishing then television/film.

I'm not saying it's a good thing (although for a situation like John's - it's pretty good) but the train has left the station.

Kerouac

My friend, the sad truth is... you are 100% correct. I just will never embrace the digital library the way I do books. The other night I walked into the den and saw my wife reading her Nook. "What are you reading?" I asked. "Faulkner," she replied. I almost burst into tears.

Easy Rhino

Faulkner should only be read in a hard bound book, and enjoyed with a cigar and a brown liquor. Same as Hemingway and Dumas.