Print-On-Demand: A Definition and a
Comparison
BY MICHAEL LaROCCA
The purpose of this article is
to consider Print-On-Demand publishing as an alternative for
the aspiring author. It has its strengths and its weaknesses.
You may wonder as you begin reading this, but in the end I'm
going to say some good things about it.
The title explains the
technology. The way that literature has traditionally been
printed involves running many copies simultaneously in order
to bring the price per copy down. Smaller print runs, such as
advertising, brochures, or concert programs, cost more per
copy because they are small print runs. Until recently,
printing a single book was all but unthinkable.
In the case of novels, the
traditional print publisher begins by printing several
thousand copies. His goal is to run off the smallest number of
copies he can while getting the best possible price per copy.
These books are then sent to
bookstores, which tend to prefer something along the lines of
what has succeeded before. The remainder sits in a warehouse
somewhere. Perhaps to be shipped as the orders come in,
perhaps to be joined by any "remaindered" copies the
bookstores couldn't move.
This represents an investment
on the part of that publisher, hence his paranoia about
experimenting with new formats or (more importantly) new
authors.
Print-On-Demand (POD) uses a
completely different process. The end result is, the price per
copy on a small run is much lower. How small of a run? Try one
book. Zero inventory. The book is economically produced when
the reader orders it, not before.
This technology was probably
invented for sales literature. Then someone realized it might
be a pretty cool way to get ARCs (Advance Review Copies) out
to the book reviewers before the book was actually available.
Finally, someone decided to get it into the publishing
mainstream.
Why is it so much cheaper to
publish a single book via POD? The reasons really aren't
relevant to this article, besides which they'd probably bore
you. But if you care, the first link below spells it all out.
I recommend reading (or at
least skimming) all five of those, by the way. It's quite a
comprehensive analysis of how. Then come back to this article
to determine why. Or if.
Have you ever heard of the
author who self-published and wound up with a best-seller?
They do exist!
Now look at all the
self-published authors who couldn't do that. They're the vast
majority. The author who uses POD faces similar long shot
odds.
POD has a definite advantage
over other self-publishing, in that you don't wind up with a
few hundred (or more?) copies of a book in your basement
because you can't sell them. Thus, it's cheaper, with no
difference in quality unless you hook up with losers.
But neither option will bring
you the readership that you'll get from a successful book with
a traditional print publisher.
I have self published. I went
to a local print shop back in the pre-POD days, ran off 80
copies at $3 a copy, and sold them to local bookstores for $6
a copy. Lots of fun, and lots of learning, but I didn't get
rich. My wage per hour stunk, but that was fine with me
because I honestly didn't care. I broke even and gave away the
rest. A pleasant way to spend lunch hours during the work
week.
Most of us, though, just don't
have that kind of time. And even if we do, why bother? Take
the money you'd have invested and buy some Microsoft stock,
then take the time you'd have invested and write more books.
You'll be happier and you'll make more money.
Having said all that, why am I
recommending POD at all? In my case, it's because I've written
some books that no print publisher will ever pick up. That's
my honest appraisal.
If I were a mercenary type,
I'd follow that up with something like "Why'd you even write
those books then?" But if you're a REAL writer, you know the
answer.
It's always about writing
first, marketing second. Two different hats. I'm assuming you
already did the writing and now are wondering what the heck to
do with it.
As an example, my EPPIE 2002
finalist is too short. I wrote it back when print publishers
wanted 40,000 words. Now they want 50,000. But it doesn't take
50,000 words to tell that particular story, and I'm not
padding it. Even if I were willing, it'd stink and nobody
would buy it. Give the publishers some credit. They know
padding when they see it. The same goes for the readers.
As another example, consider
my short story collection. Critically acclaimed and selling
moderately well, but no traditional publisher wants short
story collections from unknown authors. It's just that simple.
So, I simultaneously published
these books in e-book format and POD format. E-books are
cheaper and more environmentally friendly, but the paperback
option is still there for those who can't or won't ever read
an e-book.
(Daddy is in that group, by
the way. How about your family?)
Places who publish only POD
began by accepting anything sent their way. Pay your money,
and do your own editing and marketing. This gave POD a
credibility problem. There are POD outfits who don't operate
this way, but the credibility problem will take time to heal.
As an author, your goal is to
write what's in your heart, find people who like to read what
you like to write, and get it out to them. (That's my goal,
anyway.) If your name happens to be Tom Clancy, that equals
many readers. But that's simply luck of the draw.
Many of us don't have such
mass appeal. Possibly you're the sort of writer who knows
exactly where you stand in that respect. But many don't, and
they're flooding the POD market with stuff that most readers
just plain don't want. Add to that the badly edited stuff, and
the credibility problem with POD is understandable.
Ideally, what you want is for
your e-publisher to simultaneously release your book in both
formats without charging a POD setup fee. That way, you can
direct all your promotional efforts to that single URL.
However, these e-publishers have a real problem with backlog
now, so if you want to travel the road I did, you'll need much
more patience than I did.
Taking advantage of a free POD
option with your e-book will also help your promotional
efforts. Many reviewers just plain won't touch an e-book. If
you've done the POD bit, in addition to being able to tell all
your friends and family, "Look at this, I'm a real author
because here's the paperback," you'll be able to send review
copies via POD to those book reviewers.
If you find yourself with an
e-publisher who doesn't offer free POD, you may wish to shop
around for a POD publisher. As you do this, remember the
business model. If a publisher makes all its money from
writers, it doesn't need to sell a single book to a single
reader to stay in business.
No matter how much praise they
send your way, that's the bottom line. Writing is a calling,
but publishing is a business. Those authors who can't
distinguish between the two are what keep the opportunists in
business. I was such an author for most of my life.
Some POD places are no more
than thinly veiled vanity (or subsidy) presses. They have a
role to serve, but let's be honest. Most do no editing, and
they don't care. They may not be making a massive profit from
your setup fees, but they're making enough to stay in
business. Even if you don't sell any books to anyone except
your Gramma.
Earlier, I recommended
e-publishing before print publishing for the free editing
you'll receive. If you're going with POD, consider it
mandatory. Either that, or pay an editor. The author who can
write a mistake-free manuscript does not exist.
Still interested in POD
publishing? Here are the questions you should ask yourself
when you select a POD publisher:
-
Sale price of each book
-
Who decides what it is?
-
Will readers pay that much?
-
Profit per sale vs. your setup cost
-
How many copies must you sell to break even?
-
Can you do it?
-
If not, do you care? How big of a financial hit are you
willing to take just to see your name in print?
As a rule, US$100 or less
setup cost is good and US$1000 is very bad. The latter, no
matter how much publicity they promise you, is only a thinly
disguised vanity publisher. You won't sell enough books to
recoup that $1000 unless you're a real marketing machine. Even
then you shouldn't pay the $1000. It won't get you anything
that $100 won't.
If the POD place only prints
"trade paperbacks," which are the larger ones, your cost per
book (and sale price per book) will be higher than if you can
print "mass-market paperbacks." The choice is yours, but
whatever you decide, visit the local bookstores and price
similar-sized books. If you write like Stephen King but charge
twice as much per book, readers are going to buy the author
they've heard of, and that's probably not you. Yet...
A comprehensive list of POD
publishers, along with descriptions, can be found on-line at
For-a-Fee Print-On-Demand Publisher Database
It fails to mention
Booksurge, also known as
Digitz. US$99. I have no experience with them, but I've
heard only good things about them.
Another that isn't mentioned
is
Digital Print Australia. I've used them. My setup cost was
AUD$35 (roughly US$18 back then), which compares rather
favorably to those listed.
Their price per copy is also
excellent. The quality equals what you'll find in the
bookstores. If you've ever bought a paperback from Writers
Exchange, you've seen it. If not, Digital Print will send you
a free sample. They sent mine to China.
Two problems you may have with
them, though, are shipping charges from Australia if that's
not where your readers are located, and the fact that they
don't offer a way to sell the books on their site.
Copyright © 2005 Michael
LaRocca
Michael LaRocca's website,
Who Moved My Rice?, was chosen by Writer's Digest
as one of "The 101 Best Websites For Writers in 2001 and
2002." His response was to throw it out and start over again
because he's insane. He teaches English at a university in
Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
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