What is Print On Demand Printing
There are two main types of publishing:
- Traditional publishing – In this process, you typically write a query to find an agent; if successful, you then write a book proposal, so your agent can seek a publisher. If you find a publisher, you may be paid an advance against royalties. The publisher manages the editing and production process, distribution, and some marketing. While the publisher pays most costs up front, it also gets the bulk of revenue from book sales; you receive a smaller portion of the sales in royalties.
- Self-publishing or independent publishing – In this process, you are in charge of everything from writing to editing to production to marketing. If you have the skills, you can do it all yourself or you can hire people to help with any of these functions. If you choose to use WDP’s low-cost production service, we take care of the entire process and we set your book up for print-on-demand worldwide distribution with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and IngramSpark. When your book sells KDP or IngramSpark takes the printing and their service costs and you, the author, retains all other royalties or sales revenue.
Print On Demand (POD) publishing is a method of producing books in specific quantities needed to meet ongoing bookstore or book buyer orders. POD printing makes it economical to print just one copy of a book at a time because the technology uses digital printing rather than the traditional methods of letterpress and offset printing, which is too complex to print a one at a time.
Who uses print-on-demand?
- Authors: Print-on-demand enables self-publishing authors to sell books without having to pay large, up-front costs for a large number of books, when they’re not sure how many they’re going to sell.
- Publishers: Publishers use print-on-demand to maintain availability without paying high storage costs. It’s also useful for niche publications that have a smaller audience.
- Businesses: Businesses use print-on-demand services to produce customized books for their clients, for marketing, brand-building and information.
Advantages for the publishers include:
- Eliminates the need to keep books in inventory;
- Allows books without substantial sales to stay in print;
- The manuscript can be updated if you find errors because copies are printed individually.
- Self-publishers can test the market before investing thousands of dollars upfront.
- Your book can be printed in a short time as opposed to the long wait of traditional presses
- The cost per unit is a little higher, however the upfront cost of printing and shipping is lower.
- POD is more environmentally friendly because publishers don't have to dispose of unsold books, from a large print run.
- You can order books in quantities as small as one
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