I’m sure the situation will improve. But I’m taking a moment to vent my frustration here in my hotel room as I prepare for a second day teaching my Comic Art Masterclass at a school which doesn’t appear to want to let its kids buy my books. You see when I visit a school to do my classes, for which I get paid, I email them in advance to say I’ll be bringing my book (currently Richard The Third) and that the kids can buy signed copies, for just £7 as opposed to the £8.99 they cost on Amazon. Most schools do this, some can’t get their act together in time, especially when I’m only there for one day,and that’s a shame. But I get paid to do the classes so that’s fair. The deal is that I do my classes, the books are a bonus for me and the kids
Only this school is different. They’ve booked me for four whole days, which is great. And for that I’ve made some concessions. Bigger concessions than maybe I should have.
Firstly I’ve given them a discount. I’m doing each day for £25 less than my usual price. A fair discount for a four day booking but it does mean I’m £100 down at the end.
Then I’ve agreed to squeeze three classes into each day, rather than my usual two. The class takes two hours to do properly, and I’ve agreed to do two morning classes in 90 minutes each. Again I’ve done this to secure the four day booking. It’s very hard work, they’re particularly noisy kids, but I agreed to it, teaching 50% more kids than normal, for 10% less money, in the knowledge that in consolation I’ll be able to sell books to 50% more kids.
Only the kids haven’t been told they can buy books and, on day one, I’ve made no sales
Then I remember the reply to my email a couple of weeks ago, where the office said (to the teacher who passed it on to me): “...unfortunately we get charged a transaction fee and can’t afford to take the hit on it. We can direct parents to amazon to purchase and bring on the day or ask him to bring in 20 copies on the day and children can purchase if they want?”
They can’t afford to take “the hit” on being paid via Parent Pay? I have never heard this before. I have told them I’ll happily reimburse any fees they get charged
Anyhow, day two ahoy and I hope we can sort this out by the end of my four day run or I will be very angry at this situation
There. I have vented. Now to school.
I made this special ad, which I've been putting in every copy of the comics I make with them to take home:
UPDATE: By Wednesday a handful of parents had got the message, and 7 kids have bought books with cash. On Thursday morning I get the email that, at last, all the parents have got the message so, when I return there on Monday, 20 kids want books. More like it.In contrast, the school I visited the following day bought 19 books. They only have three classes of kids, and I just taught all 60 of the Year 3s to 6s. 19 book sales out of 60 kids compares rather favourably to 27 book sales out of a school where I will, by the end of Monday, have taught a record-breaking 360 kids!
As Heather has pointed out, if I were to charge £2 a time for these caricatures, as I do at comic cons, I'd be £720 up on the deal.
My Books And Where To Find Them... |  |  |  |
|---|
Richard The Third | Findlay Macbeth | Prince of Denmark Street | Midsummer Night's Dream Team |
|  |  |  |
Shakespeare Omnibus
| Comic Tales From The Bible
| Joseph, Ruth & Other Stories
| Space Elain
|
 |  |  |  |
| | | |
 |  |  |  |
| | | |
Colouring Books: Doctors Who, Hollywood Legends, Punk, Cult TV, Eurovision Vol 1, Eurovision Vol 2, Eurovision Best Of British & Irish, 1960s Pop, 1970s Pop, 1980s Pop, 1990s Pop, 2020s Pop, Bowie, Scottish Pop, Royalty, Rom Coms
