The Little White Book - Aargh!

Hi Astra.
I can also say how much i sympathise, I'm just at he same spot right now.
The only thing i can add, is whether your interpretatios are RWS style?
Is so, then it's more than ok to have a smaller booklet (36p is not THAT small, anyway).
I'm not sure whether you want to have the PDF instead of the booklet, altogether, OR in addition to a 36p one?

I'm also down to keywords, which by the way I'm very happy about, I really prefer them. No mushing around with words, and you get the picture totally.
I use also astrological and kabbalistic correlations, and I would loveto say something about each one as well, but you know...if there is no room, there are plenty of books about it...

In anycase, I wouldn't take out the LWB completely (if that's an option). better have it small than nada. The PDF as the beginning of a book is a great idea, and even if it stays as PDF, it's not that bad, as long you do have a small LWB... (you can even have it as a journal and add things to it, as life and readings go on...)

Good luck-seems you already see the light...

ps: I also have these LWB bed habits!!!!

Hi Astra,
here's my reply as a person who has only been reading Tarot for a little over a year and owns only two Tarot decks.

I thought you might be interested in what a relative newbie might look for in a deck/set. Though I realise this is my personal opinion and might not necessarily reflect all newbie's requirements.

Firstly, neither of the decks I have, came with a book but they each have a small fold out pamphlet. So I had to go and buy additional Tarot books and the ones I bought weren't all that helpful because they are RWS based and my decks aren't. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. So what I ended up doing was writing a heap of notes in my books.

I keep my cards in a velvet bag so I like to have a book small enough to fit in the bag (and I do read my books in bed, though this wouldn't be a primary consideration when buying a deck - LOL). Obviously if it's going to be small, it's going to lack indepth content. So it has to contain valuable information that I can get at a glance. Keywords would be great, along with the astrological and numerlogical equivalent. I also like to know opposing and reinforcing cards. I would also like to see some sample spreads (other than the celtic cross) and your interpretation. Most importantly I like white space, so that I can add my own notes.

I don't want much, do I. Oh, Astra. I see your problem.

But you know what, neither of my pamphlets had links to websites. That would have been fantastic having a more detailed document at my fingertips. Especially an evolving one.

Sorry, I don't know where you are going to market your deck, but I also think you should include in your book, the url of this website. It is an invaluable tool that I only stumbled across late last year.

I wish I could help you out. I love writing but I don't have the experience to be able to write my own Tarot book, I am a keen editor though.

Wishing you every success with your endeavour.

purple_scorp

Thanks, purple_scorp.

The pamphlet that came with the deck is, in fact, what we're referring to as the Little White Book - what gets put in with a standard deck to keep a new reader from being left totally in the dard (or to confuse them more - sometimes I'm not sure).

As far as a link to Aeclectic, and the Forum here, I have them on my site, but the only link in the book/on the box will be to my site - if people want to go there, then they can see the rest of it. Now that you have suggested it, though, including a page of links in the PDF sounds like a really great idea. (I can do a 180 turn with the best, right?)

Hmmm - should I include links to other deck sites? Sharing the wealth and all? Does Macy's tell Gimbel's? Why the heck not?

As far as numerological and astrological (and quaballah, and...) associations, those are very much an individual decision, as are your own personal interpretations for each card, and I'm inclined to stop at some sort of minimum basic and let each reader hare off on their own. That's much of what the journalling process is about, and you might want to check some of those threads and start a personal book for yourself.

Hi Astra.

Thanks for your clarification.

Please excuse my ignorance, I didn't know that you had your own website and that it already has a link to Aeclectic. In that case, the purchasers of your deck will already be streets ahead.

Regarding the LWB. My concertine foldout pamphlet was only about three little pages, printed back to back.

As you suggested, the numerological, astrological, reinforcing, and opposing cards are a personal thing and I have already written them in the Tarot book that I use the most; along with a heap of other notes.

May you have much success with your project.

Regards

purple_scorp