Short canter textbook printing is an exceptional hang-up for writers to self-publish. It means you can print books as needed. You may be able to market your book, obtain orders and then print the amount of books needed to fill the orders. Print on demand usually employs digital printing methods. The ability to store manuscripts digitally allows POD printers to print exactly the number of books you want.
There are two basic types of book printing: lithograph printing and digital printing.
Lithograph printing is the standard in print publishing. The process entails the transfer of text and images onto paper via a thin metal or plastic plate. This type of printing produces sharp text and high-quality images, and is used in short run book printing, but the costs are higher than digital printing and the turnaround time longer.
Digital printing allows the manuscript to be stored digitally. Printers using digital methods send the copy to a printer. The printer is a high-end production printer capable of producing thousands of pages in a short amount of time as well as collating and incorporating artwork.
Function
Self-publishing your book means you oversee the printing, the distribution and the marketing of the book. You are in control. The advantage of short run book printing to self-publishers is that it allows you to set a budget and proof the copy of your book. You can, using short run print, get copies of your book within weeks, if not days, of your order.
This means you can use the smaller amount of books to test the market. This aids in controlling your budget. You are able to distribute the book to outlets you feel are appropriate to gauge the possible success of your book in the market.
Effects
Another aspect of short run book printing is print on demand, a term commonly referred to as POD. It allows the writer to print a smaller extent of books at a fair price, and over the manuscript can be stored digitally, short dart reprints are easily unreal. A short amble print numbers anywhere from 25 to 1,500 copies.
Types
Warning
Not all short run printers though print on demand. A short run book print may require a minimum of books; this could be as low as 25 or as high as 100 copies. A POD company may also require a minimum print run before initiating print on demand options.
Some POD companies may have restrictions as to photography or cover design. You will need to determine which manner of printing, lithograph or digital, is best suited to your manuscript.
Considerations
You also need to consider the cost of a short run print. The cost is directly tied to the amount of books you have printed and which method of print is used.
If you intend to print more than 500 books, your printer may use a lithograph method. The cost of a short run of 500 copies of a standard, 260-page book is approximately $5.50 a copy. At 1,500 copies, the cost is approximately $2.60 each. The more you order, the lower the cost per unit.
The costs discussed here are an average, but are indicative of rates in the industry. But print on demand doesn't follow the same process, and so the costs differ.
Because POD is still an emerging industry, the pricing is less stable. A POD printer usually asks for a set up fee of approximately $200. This usually includes obtaining an ISBN code, storage and process fees. A cost per unit then might be anywhere from $4 to $15. The price per unit remains unchanged whether you order 5 books or 500.
Potential
Short run book printing is not a new practice, but it has become more popular in recent years. The introduction of digital processing allows printers to produce small quantities of books at reasonable costs. This makes for the development of a direct relationship between the self-publishing writer and the printer.
Author Jason Epstein, in his book "Book Business: Publishing Past, Present and Future," discusses the outlook for bookselling, citing the imminent day when writers will sell their books directly to the public using the Internet and small, local booksellers. The large publishing houses and superstores will be unable, cost-wise, to compete. The business of writers selling books will revert to a cottage industry once again.
