The bookmakers
Reading is good, but writing yourself is better. Many advertisers and communicators write their own book at some point in their lives. If you don't know how to go about it, you can turn to the bookmakers.
The bookmakers are Katharina Blarer (43) and Urs Bernet (38). A year ago, they specialized in paving the way for books to find readers - and for authors to find books. Anyone who has an idea for a book can get advice and support from the two of them for the realization of their work, regardless of whether it is a non-fiction book, a photo book or an anniversary book. "Our work differs depending on the project," explains Bernet. "Some customers already have a finished text and are still looking for a photographer or an idea for the cover design, others come to a standstill at a certain point in the production process and don't know what to do next, while others only have a rough concept and want to know from us whether and how it could become a book."
The book makers can quickly see if an author has not considered something, both with regard to their content concept and the production process. "For one author, we recommend taking another aspect of their topic into account," explains Blarer, "for another, we advise a certain paper or binding because this is what makes the whole project really coherent." Blarer and Bernet can judge that. Blarer has been an editor for 15 years. After her studies, she worked at the Zurich-based Haffmans publishing house, was co-founder and chief editor of the Kein&Aber publishing house and has been self-employed as an editor since 2003. Bernet is a trained publishing bookseller, typographer and typographic designer. He was a book producer and designer at Haffmans-Verlag and Buchdruckerei Baden. Bernet has been working as a freelance typographic designer since 1996 and co-founded the Hier&Jetzt publishing house in 1998. The special thing about the book makers is that they are not tied to a publishing program. Blarer and Bernet have their own publishing house, "Helden", through which they distribute selected books on current social and cultural topics. However, they are also open to projects from other subject areas. "We founded Büchermacher because we wanted to work on a project basis," they explain. "For us, every book is unique and we look for a tailor-made realization for every book idea. This results in books that endure beyond the day."
The bookmakers' service has a modular structure: Authors can be accompanied by the two and their network of experts from the initial idea through to the finished book, or only consult them during the search for a publisher or the pre-press stage. Accordingly, the
bookmakers also charge for their services. "Book projects are expensive," says Bernet. "That's why we don't plan with some customers from the initial idea to the completion of the book, but step by step. This makes it easier to keep an overview, especially for private individuals with a small budget."
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
The book makers can quickly see if an author has not considered something, both with regard to their content concept and the production process. "For one author, we recommend taking another aspect of their topic into account," explains Blarer, "for another, we advise a certain paper or binding because this is what makes the whole project really coherent." Blarer and Bernet can judge that. Blarer has been an editor for 15 years. After her studies, she worked at the Zurich-based Haffmans publishing house, was co-founder and chief editor of the Kein&Aber publishing house and has been self-employed as an editor since 2003. Bernet is a trained publishing bookseller, typographer and typographic designer. He was a book producer and designer at Haffmans-Verlag and Buchdruckerei Baden. Bernet has been working as a freelance typographic designer since 1996 and co-founded the Hier&Jetzt publishing house in 1998. The special thing about the book makers is that they are not tied to a publishing program. Blarer and Bernet have their own publishing house, "Helden", through which they distribute selected books on current social and cultural topics. However, they are also open to projects from other subject areas. "We founded Büchermacher because we wanted to work on a project basis," they explain. "For us, every book is unique and we look for a tailor-made realization for every book idea. This results in books that endure beyond the day."
The bookmakers' service has a modular structure: Authors can be accompanied by the two and their network of experts from the initial idea through to the finished book, or only consult them during the search for a publisher or the pre-press stage. Accordingly, the
bookmakers also charge for their services. "Book projects are expensive," says Bernet. "That's why we don't plan with some customers from the initial idea to the completion of the book, but step by step. This makes it easier to keep an overview, especially for private individuals with a small budget."
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
