Racing Pilots: Behind the Book with Jack Webster

Jack Webster has more than five decades of experience capturing the high-octane world of motor racing. His magnum opus, Racing Pilots, is a testament to his passion and unparalleled access to sports legends.

In this interview, Webster pulls back the curtain on his journey from behind the lens to the world of self-publishing. Whether you’re an aspiring creator, photographer, or motorsport enthusiast, this conversation will offer invaluable insights into the creative process, the challenges of self-publishing, and the art of preserving a legacy. 

Join us as we explore the fast-paced world of racing and discover how one man’s vision became a lasting tribute to the sport he loves.

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What inspired you to create your book Racing Pilots, and how would you describe its significance?

My book is more than just a racing photography book, it is a historic record of motor racing for the past 50 years, with the stories behind the photos and numerous quotes from drivers and racing personalities throughout the years. It not only showcases my photography, but also tells my story as a photographer and participant in motorsports for over 50 years. As Ferry Porsche, the creator of the Porsche automobile, once said, “We all have a desire to create something that will show we were here.” 

That is why I did this book. I took every photo, wrote every word, designed every page, raised all the money, and am making all the sales. This book is my legacy.

a peek inside the self published photo book, Racing Pilots by Jack Webster

What do you use your book for?

I sell my book both retail and wholesale to people at sports car races and vendors who service that market. I have also done some limited edition, signed, and numbered versions of my book that I have used as fundraisers for causes I believe in or to assist my vendors in offering something unique that other vendors might not have. 

As an example, I am currently offering an edition of 500 books to the International Motor Racing Research Center as a fundraiser for them. Each book comes with four signed and numbered photos from the book, and a certificate is affixed inside the book, which I have also signed and numbered. The research center displays and sells these books at the research center to the public. I have also done a similar thing for the Paddock Shop at Road America, again providing them with a version of the book that can only be obtained from them.

Tell us about your journey from photographer to self-publisher.

I have always been a motorsports photographer, and within the past 15 or so years, I have expanded to writing as well. Writing gives me the opportunity to present my work to a larger audience and exercise my creative skills beyond just providing photography to websites and publications. I still do some straight race reporting, but my passion is doing feature stories about people in the sport. 

My work can be seen on racingnation.com and themotorsportdiaries.com on a regular basis, among other websites and publications. In addition, I have provided and continue to provide photography from my racing archives to a number of authors who have published books on motor racing. As of 2024, I continue to work as a motorsports photojournalist, covering sports car racing events at such legendary venues as Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Indianapolis, and Road Atlanta, among others.

You printed a large run of your book to sell yourself. What was it like working with Blurb and Large Order Services?

It was a breeze, actually. Blurb was very helpful every step of the way. In the end, I elected to get my book produced in the US by Blurb’s recommended printer instead of having it produced overseas. I have it right on the front page of my book: “Printed in the USA.” I don’t know if that makes a difference to buyers, but I like it. Also, the quality of the printing was excellent, and the turnaround time was superb.

What tool did you use to design your book?

For a first-time author like me, BookWright was a very easy-to-learn and use tool. I don’t think I would have attempted this project without such a tool as BookWright being available. I had no real issues using the program. Of course, it has been some time since I last used it, and I am sure there have been changes and improvements since my last use.

Jack Webster, auto racing photographer, getting signatures from legendary Porsche drivers to include in his self published book Racing Pilots which sold for a premium

You are a pro at marketing. What’s your advice for other self-publishers who want to focus on sales?

You must be directly involved in promoting and selling your book. No one will know about your book, and no one will buy it unless they can make a personal connection with you, face to face, ideally when they purchase. Internet and social media marketing can only go so far, you have to identify your market and reach out to them personally. 

My book is about auto-racing photography. I am active on Facebook and still work as a photojournalist, so my work is seen all over the internet on websites I contribute to or in the books and magazines I work for. I also make sure I stand out at race events I am covering. I have been wearing the same Fedora hat for a couple of decades (it seems like I am the only one not wearing a baseball hat!), and it has become my trademark—people remark to me all the time that they saw me working at the side of the track at Daytona, Sebring or Watkins Glen. I use a photo of me working at the races on my website, Facebook, and Instagram—always wearing my hat!

I have a long-time friend who is a race driver and author. He wrote a novel about the birth of sports car racing in the 1950s. No publisher would touch it, saying, “Those people don’t read books.” Undeterred, he continued writing his book, raised the money himself, and self-published it. He then went to all the races and sold the books to the public, one at a time, signing every single one and sharing stories with his buyers. 

Long story short—25 years later, he is still selling that book, along with six sequels, all self-published! To date, he has sold over 60,000 books and continues going strong to this day. He is my personal inspiration for even thinking about doing my own book. Make the sale of your book personal. It is your story, and you want to share it with the world.  

photo of self published photo book author Jack Webster photographing an auto race

You create successful limited editions of your book. How can others follow in your footsteps?

I’d suggest others partner with either a retailer or charity to do a special, limited edition version of your book. Sell those for a premium and give some of the proceeds to a charity. Things like this make your book stand out from the crowd. The fact that a version of your book is a limited edition has appeal.

An example: I made 100 books, which I sold for a premium, that were personally signed by a dozen legendary Porsche race drivers. I got my cost out of the books and gave each driver who signed a complimentary copy of the special edition book. All the retail proceeds and my direct sales profits went to cancer research. 

This edition sold out in literally one week. Not only was this satisfying and fulfilling by being able to contribute to a good cause, but even those who did not purchase this edition will remember the title and my name as the author should they ever consider buying it in the future.

I’d also suggest using limited editions to raise funds upfront before publishing your book. I was fortunate enough to get not only investors who believed in my project but also a couple of patrons to pre-order and prepay for special editions of my book: a well-known car collector and a Porsche dealer. It was simple enough to change the title page or cover (working with [Large Order Services] at Blurb) for special promotional copies of my book prior to printing, which I then supplied to these clients before I released the book to the general public. These two efforts provided the funding to cover a good portion of the printing costs.

Talk to us about pricing and order volume for your books.

Don’t think you are going to get rich selling your book. At best, they will sell through, and people will be happy with it. For photographers, you should look at the book as a prime promotional tool to get more assignments, more clients, and more photographic work. A well-done photo book is an excellent portfolio. 

And think twice before ordering too many books. If I had it to do over again, I would probably have ordered perhaps 1,000 books instead of 1,500 and paid slightly more per copy. No matter how many you think you will sell, it will always, always be less than you thought. 

Any last words?

Here is the bottom line. Creating your own book will leave a legacy to let everyone know that you were here, you were in the arena, and that you have left something for others to look at, appreciate, and think about. Books live forever. If you have a story to tell, you can become immortal.

Enough said.

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Blurb is your self-publishing partner, transforming your creative ideas into professionally printed realities. From photo and trade books to magazines, Blurb’s user-friendly platform handles everything from design to distribution, allowing you to focus on what matters most—your content. Ready to unlock your creative voice and share it with the world? Get started with Blurb today.

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