Self-Publishing Options
Is Print-on-Demand or Traditional Publishing right for you?
Your book is done and you've decided to self-publish it. Should you use a print-on-demand publisher or a traditional publisher? What you need the book for will help you
Print-on-Demand VS Traditional Publishing
First time authors who are interested in self-publishing have never had more options than they do today. Printers are popping up all over the place, ready to take your order and crank out copies of your book at on cue. You can get books for as little as a dollar each, register your own ISBN, sell through Amazon.com, and change your content in minutes, all from the comfort of your office desk.
With all the options, it is sometimes hard to decide which is best. Print-on-demand allows you to buy quantities as low as one, but often have high base costs. Traditional publishers can create cheaper books in a printed run, but you usually have to buy several thousand at a time. Which of the two options is right for you?
If you don't have a lot of money to up-front your publishing process: Winner: Print-on-demand
Most POD publishers don't require up-front costs to print your book, or they are very minimal. You can purchase only the number of books you want, at any time, as often as you want. This keeps your cash flow in check while allowing you to get your content into the marketplace.
If you are selling it online: Winner: Print-on-demand
Automation is the key to selling online. It helps you work ON your business rather than IN it. Print-on-demand services, such as Lulu.com, will sell your book on their website and handle all the ordering, financial, and shipping transactions for you. They'll even hook you up with online retailers and related marketing services.
If you are selling it door-to-door: Winner: Traditional Printing
When you're selling door-to-door, such as for a gift or local history book, you have to take into consideration that the shopkeeper will want a cut of the profits as well. With this extra slice of commission coming out of your bottom line, you'll want to keep your costs as low as possible. A printed run of books is likely to give you the lowest price possible, plus you'll have a finished product to show your customer.
If you are selling it at your seminars: Winner: Print-on-demand
You've been invited to present at the Master Gardeners' annual meeting in two weeks, and you want to have 75 books available for purchase. The clear winner here is your print-on-demand option. Since you will need the books quickly and don't want cartons of unsold merchandise clogging up your garage, you can use print-on-demand to deliver just the right number of books just in time for your presentation.
If you have color artwork in the book: Winner: Traditional Printing, usually
If you're putting 15 years of your children's original artwork into a book, you can use print-on-demand to create just a few copies for family and friends. However, your step-by-step guide to custom car detailing will drain your bank account quickly with the high fees charged by POD publishers for color pages - up to twelve times the fee for black and white pages.
If you want a hard cover, book jacket, special papers, or special sizes: Winner: Traditional Printing
Very few POD publishers offer hard cover books, and those that do limit you to one or two sizes. They can also be very expensive, costing $15 or more each just as the base cost. Hard cover will also be expensive to purchase from a traditional publisher, but if you're bent on getting a special order, you will be more likely to find it here.
Since both print-on-demand and traditional publishers allow you to maintain all your copyrights, you can freely switch between the two as your needs require. Don't let the stress of publishing your book prevent you from becoming successful. With this simple guide to the best publishing options, every new author will be a winner.
