Print On Demand Publishing Is It For You?

When it comes to publishing your book, there are many options available. For several reasons, Print On Demand publishing is gaining popularity as a publishing medium.

Print On Demand publishing is a technology by which copies of a book can be printed on an as-needed basis. This avoids the need to mass-produce books, leaving crates of surplus copies in storage. Print On Demand publishing was made possible with the development of digital printing.

The largest advantage to Print On Demand publishing is that items such as books and magazines can be printed at a fixed cost per copy, no matter how many copies are being printed. With smaller print runs, this makes Print On Demand much more economical than traditional offset printing. For larger jobs, offset printing can still be the money-saving method, but for many new writers there is not the demand for the number of copies that will make offset printing the wiser choice.

In addition, Print On Demand publishing has a quicker technical setup time, making it more convenient. Since the print run can be as small as a single copy, there is also little or no waste from copies that are not sold or used, and there is little to no need to store a large inventory of printed copies. This reduces storage and accounting costs, and eases the strain of tracking large amounts of stock.

Print On Demand is an excellent resource for new authors. They will print and ship copies directly to an author, with small fees for the service, as well as for managing royalties and, in many cases, listings in online bookstores. Some companies will even offer proofreading and editing services.

Though many authors crave the "big publisher's" stamp of approval on his book, and the credibility that comes with having a professional publishing relationship, there is more than one road to success. There also many success stories with Print On Demand companies.

David Lee Thompson is a 65 year old man living in West Virginia. He was tired of fighting to get his book published, and he felt he was too old to weather the storm of rejection letters that would come his way from the huge publishing houses. He chose to self-publish using a Print On Demand publisher, and he has massively overreached his expectations in selling his book. He was so encouraged that he's now writing a second book.

An ex-police officer in Boston, Frank DeSario, wanted to tell the story of his time in the police force. He had seen some of the most famous and infamous events in Boston's long history, and saw a story worth telling. Because of the specific market he was targeting, he chose to self-publish his book using Print On Demand. His book has not just been successful among his friends and police colleagues. He has sold copies of his book online, to people who saw it and took an interest based on his cover art and synopsis. He continues to draw royalties from his book. Mr. DeSario is a true Print On Demand success story.

Print On Demand publishing is an ideal resource for an author just getting started in the publishing world. A number of authors consider it a great cost-effective way to have their book published without having to invest major cash that can better be utilized on marketing ideas.

It is really up to you to decide whether a print on demand option will work for you and your book. Before making up your mind, it is necessary to educate yourself on all options and make an informed decision based on what you've learned. Also remember that all print on demand companies aren't created equal, so if you decide this is the best option for you, research the companies and choose one which best suits your needs.

© 2010 Bookpal Australia Pty Ltd - All Rights Reserved Worldwide

http://www.bookpal.com.au is helping self publishers all around the world to successfully self publish and market their books with cost effective solutions to create bestsellers. The website offers a free book for budding self publishers, and many other free resources. To find out more about how the Bookpal team can help you get your ideas into print, click here for your obligation free self-publishing consultation.

Terence Tam is the founder of Bookpal, he previously spent 6 years as an academic and was a contributing author for several academic books. Frustrated with the level of service he was getting with traditional publishers, he set up his own self publishing company to help other authors publish and market books with cost effective yet efficient solutions.

Self Publishing: Truths & Lies

Are you anxious to get your book published?

Being anxious to see your work bound and printed is a feeling that all authors have experienced at some point or another, but being too anxious may result in poor decisions that you’ll regret later. So before you join the bandwagon in self publishing your book, let us consider the truths and lies about self publishing.

Lie: Self publishing is expensive. Some writers and authors say that starting with your own cost too much financially.

Truth: Self publishing is easy and affordable. Contrary to the popular belief among new authors, self publishing isn’t hard to break in to and cost little too. Since self-publishing is an evolving industry with lots of competitors, publishers are continually upgrading their facilities, offering higher quality services, and affordable pricing at your convenience.

Here's how it works. You select a size for your book, format your Word manuscript to fit that size, turn your Word doc into a PDF, create some cover art in Photoshop, turn that into a PDF, and upload it all to the self-publisher of your choosing. Depending on the level of service you choose, it can be as easy as uploaded an unformatted word document to the self-publishing service provider, and voila! They produce a completed book for you!

Lie: Self publishing companies offer low-quality services.

Truth: Self publishing firms are here to stay. They have been in business for quite sometime now and are continually changing for the better offering high-quality services for new authors like you. The standard of many self publishing companies are quite solid. The sole giveaway that you are offering a self-published book would be if the cover were poorly designed so you have to make sure the company you work with has a great track record to back them up such as testimonials/ feedbacks from their clients.

Lie: All self-publishing companies don't care whether you believe they're your ticket to instant fame and fortune. They will make you believe how easy it is to make it to Oprah’s book club.

Truth: A reputable, honest self-publishing company will tactfully attempt to manage your expectations. They will inform you that it's nearly impossible to make Oprah's book club even if you're traditionally published. They'll explain how much sweat and toil it would take to sell any copies of your book at all once it's published but will assure you of their support and assistance in marketing your book.

Lie: Your book will sell right away as soon as it’s off from the printing press.

Truth: Even if your book is great, there's a great chance it will not sell. Book sales will be slow at first which is very common among new authors. This is where your marketing plan comes into effect. Don’t give up, persistence is the key to sales when you self publish a book.

Lie: Only use services of big publishing companies.

Truth: Should you elect to self-publish, you're encouraged to shop around. The big guys aren't always your best bet. Many smaller publishers offer excellent service at affordable prices. It all depends on your needs and how much assistance you are looking for.

Self publishing is easier to learn than you may think if you take the time and do your research and take things one step at a time.

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© 2010 Bookpal Australia Pty Ltd - All Rights Reserved Worldwide

http://www.Bookpal.com.au/ is helping self publishers all around the world to successfully self publish and market their books with cost effective solutions to create bestsellers. The website offers a free book for budding self publishers, and many other free resources.

Terence Tam is the founder of Bookpal, he previously spent 6 years as an academic and was a contributing author for several academic books. Frustrated with the level of service he was getting with traditional publishers, he set up his own self publishing company to help other authors publish and market books with cost effective yet efficient solutions.

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