Author: Matt McCue / Source: 99U by Behance
Radim Malinic doesn’t like to sit still. At 40, the Czech-born designer has lived many lives — first as a heavy metal musician, then as a DJ, then as an economics student, and ultimately as his own boss at multi-disciplinary design studio Brand Nu in London.
But when you ask him about his most fulfilling journey, he’ll tell you it’s the one currently underway: Malinic has written the second volume of Book of Ideas, his self-published collection of advice and observations for people in creative jobs. The first volume, released in 2016, defied self-publishing naysayers and not only became an Amazon No. 1 bestseller in graphic arts, but turned a profit. To date, more than 10,000 copies have been sold.
In the interview below, Malinic muses on how he found success in writing and offers advice for anyone looking to start a money-making side project.
You wrote and self-published Book of Ideas to help and inspire other creatives. Did you think it would make a profit?
Not at first. Being in charge was my first motivation. Initially my objective was to complete the work and get it out there and see what happens if anyone finds it. I printed 1,000 copies and hoped for the best. Little did I know that those 1,000 copies would sell out in three weeks and there would be a huge demand for what I’d written. From there I became more shrewd about the profit margins, the production, and I discovered that, indeed, books actually can make money. If you’re working with a publisher, your cut is small.
A book could make $20 and you could be getting $1 or less per book. By being in charge, all the money goes back to where it started.Many people think that once they’ve published a book, that’s where the journey stops. But what you do after your title is released is the most important part.
Self-publishing is great because anyone can do it, but that also makes it a crowded marketplace. What did you do to stand out?
I followed the exact marketing strategy and tools of big titles and publishing houses. I spent money on advertising. I made sure that I promoted the book well beyond the regular cycle of a publishing house title. Being in control was key here. I kept pushing the book out to various channels for more than a year…
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