Archive for the ‘Print On Demand Publishing’ Category

New technology allows print on demand companies to print books one single high-quality copy at a time.  The information is stored on a data disk and when the book is purchased, the printer prints it and sends it to the purchaser.  P.O.D. often gets a bad name because people choose it with unrealistic expectations.  If you use this process with your eyes open, it can be a viable choice for you.  Read your contract carefully.  Make sure you are completely aware of what the company will do and what they won’t do.

Advantages

• Your book is ready in a short amount of time.
• You only pay for printing the book when it is purchased by the buyer.  This means that you are paying less money up front than if you are self publishing.
• You do not have to store any inventory.
• Generally, the book is shipped directly to the buyer and you don’t have to ship anything either.
• The publishing company may obtain a copyright and ISBN for you.  This is an item you will need to verify.  If your contract doesn’t mention it, ask.
• You have control over when you stop publishing.  You can also publish in different formats if you choose.
• You control the look of the book—both the cover and the interior format.

Disadvantages

• You are responsible for marketing your book.
• You usually get paid a small royalty per book.
• You will need to pay a set-up fee when you sign your contract.
• The printing cost for each copy will be the same.  This may not sound like something negative, but in a regular printing situation, the more copies that are printed, the lower the cost per copy.  The lower the cost per copy, of course, the more profit you make on each book.  In Print on Demand publishing, the cost per book will not vary whether you sell one copy or a thousand copies.
• Print on Demand publishers don’t generally provide free editorial services.  You need to make sure that your copy is free of spelling and grammatical errors before you send it.
• It is unlikely that your book will end up on the shelves of large chain bookstores.
• Often real publishers don’t consider them a professional publishing credit.
• Some companies control the publishing and/or subsidy rights to your book for a period of time.  You want to avoid this.  Read your contract carefully.

To read about other book publishing options, follow this link.

As always, I’m dedicated to helping you create a successful career as a published author.

Julie Coan