Print On Demand – POD And Self-Publishing

Have you heard of the phrase ‘print on demand’ or POD? This practice, also called PQN (print quantity needed) and short run printing, is giving another definition to what is currently called in the book industry as self-publishing. These days, most authors who are considering getting into self-publishing deals are more likely to end up getting into arrangements with POD companies.

To better understand POD and self-publishing, it is be appropriate to first briefly review the traditional book publishing process.

There are many people and unknown writers who dream of someday being called a real book author. For these individuals, getting their work published could mean the achievement of a dream. Unfortunately, book publishing is not an easy and smooth road. It is paved with disappointments, rejection, and failure.

In traditional publishing, writers generally have to approach publishers who could publish their work for commercial release and distribution. It is not as easy as it seems, however. Before any book is published, it has to be approved first. Publishers have been in the industry for quite some time. They have a knack for telling which materials could be accepted and taken up successfully by the consumer market. Thus, they often reject any manuscripts that they perceived as not being commercially appealing to readers.

In general, if publishers do not like an author’s book, the material will be turned down (i.e. rejected). Publishing would then be very difficult, unless the writer stays determined and motivated and does not give up. The next viable and practical option they have, is self-publishing. You should know that although the concept is simple, in practice it is not as easy as it seems. When you decide to publish your own book, you must be ready to face many challenges and assume all the costs and risks.

You could consider subsidy or vanity publishing. In both kinds, a writer is be required to pay fees for book publication. In other words, if you are a writer who wishes to have your book published for mass release, you have to pay the publisher to make it happen. In turn, you can have your book published as it is, without any editing and interference from editors and publishers. However, you have to assume full responsibility for how it fares once it is commercially released.

If your book has not been professionally reviewed or edited by a third party prior to going into print, you cannot be sure whether or not it will be perceived as being amateurish by the public. This may cause you to incur losses which are greater than the potential profit you could generate. To minimize risks of loss, you could decide to turn to POD for self-publishing.

With POD (Print On Demand), you submit your material to a POD company, who then takes care of printing out copies of your book whenever there is a demand (e.g. a purchase or order). Your material could be in printable formats like text files, Microsoft Word document, or even RTF. Whenever an order for your book is received, the company then prints a copy for the buyer. In this way, the need for warehousing and massive printing costs are avoided. Every copy you print is actually sold.

What most authors love about POD is that they retain their independence. Some people may view this as a disadvantage because books that are not properly edited and handled by well-known publishers are usually disregarded by critics as being amateurish. This can lead to a significant disadvantage in the market place, as many book readers will usually not consider reading books that are not endorsed or promoted by some recognizable publisher.

Still, if you have tried to get your book or manuscript published and been unsuccessful following the traditional route, then perhaps it is time to consider the avenue of self-publishing. Good luck in your new venture!

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