Printing

laidback · Sep 25, 2008

I'm printing a copy of my novel (190 pages) for my first round of editing, and got the following quote from my local copy shop:

8.5x11
Black ink
1 sided
20 pound white 3 hole
From a file
$45.40

This sounds expensive. Is this a reasonable price? I was expecting more like $20.

What do you think?

Phaeal · Sep 25, 2008

Edit on screen. Way cheaper.

GeorgieB · Sep 25, 2008

You would be much better off if you had your own printer (yes, I know that a good one can be expensive, but ammortizing it over your writing life makes that number much more appealing) and printing for 3 to 4 cents per page.

Also, buy a three-hole punch. The print shops charge a premium for anything other than 20 lb low quality paper.

Phaeal also has a good solution -- I never print a first draft.

Tasmin21 · Sep 25, 2008

I use Kinkos to print mine. It was about $17 for 139 pages, black ink, comb-bound with poster-board-weight covers.

Vomaxx · Sep 25, 2008

I think you could download it to Lulu and buy a copy for about $12.

Charlie Horse · Sep 25, 2008

These days for not much more than $45.00 you could buy a printer. And yeah, $45.00 is a rip off. Check around.

Maryn · Sep 25, 2008

Five years ago, our son's Dell printer was under $50. It's probably up since then, but if you'd even consider spending the $45, consider instead investing in yourself as a writer and buying an inexpensive BW printer. Hey, you're worth it!

Maryn, sure about that

johnzakour · Sep 25, 2008

I've been using this printer for a while now:

http://www.staples.com/office/suppl...ess_Supplies_1_10051_FEATURED:SC3:CG44:DP1606

It's a real work horse.

FOTSGreg · Sep 25, 2008

Wal-Mart sells a LexMark 640 for $25. It comes with an ink cartridge (new cartridges will run you $35). I used one to print out 250-300 pages of a novel (I now have 3 LexMarks, counting the one I bought for my mother which she never uses), an old Epson C80, an Epson 1160 (that's my baby - it'll print up to 13" wide by 44" long), and a Canon BubbleJet.

With a LexMark and a full cartridge, you're costs are $0.12/page so it's not the best way to go.

Color printing is what really costs you, but you can print B&W for around 1/4-1/2 cent per page. Since it's for editing, set your printer to output at a lower quality print to get more life out of a cartridge.

If you really want to amortize well, go buy a laser printer. It'll set you back anywhere from $100-400, but the toner cartridges ought to give you somewhere around 2500-3000 pages (at about $100/cartridge or $0.04/page) before you need a replacement.

In all cases, a home printer is a lot cheaper than going to a copy shop. I'm not certain, but a case of paper shouldn't run you more than about $25 (for 5 thousand sheet or about $0.005/page) and it's something a writer needs to have a lot of on hand anyway.

caseyquinn · Sep 25, 2008

I go back to the lulu comment, why not just do that for the $10?

blacbird · Sep 25, 2008

caseyquinn said:
I go back to the lulu comment, why not just do that for the $10?

Because it's really difficult to edit properly in a bound standard book format (though for other uses, such as beta readers, Lulu is a nice choice, and I've done that). No room for comments, etc. I'm with the "buy a printer" crowd. $45 for a single copy is a total rip-off.

caw

Maryn · Sep 25, 2008

FOTSGreg said:
If you really want to amortize well, go buy a laser printer. It'll set you back anywhere from $100-400, but the toner cartridges ought to give you somewhere around 2500-3000 pages (at about $100/cartridge or $0.04/page) before you need a replacement.

And that's just the stated output. I get closer to 4,000 pages on my HP LaserJet 1200, which is maybe seven or eight years old, and the refilled cartridges, which cost $58, work just fine.

Maryn, who'd recommend a laser printer

NicoleMD · Sep 25, 2008

johnzakour said:
I've been using this printer for a while now:

http://www.staples.com/office/suppl...ess_Supplies_1_10051_FEATURED:SC3:CG44:DP1606

It's a real work horse.

I second this printer. It's nice and compact and I've printed probably close to 10,000 sheets over the last few years. I think I'm on my third toner, and my drumkit is about to go out for the first time. Plan on spending a little over $120 a year for consumables if you print a fair amout, but you'll probably still come out ahead of most print shops, and certainly way ahead for the one you quoted.

Nicole

Clair Dickson · Sep 25, 2008

I'm in the printer crowd. Especially a laser printer.

Look for a good laser-- Staples usually has deals on them. It's worth the money, long term. Way worth it.

Mine has over 95,000 sheets printed. I'm shooting for a million. =)

Red-Green · Sep 25, 2008

I'm just pure evil. I print at work.

tehuti88 · Sep 25, 2008

Maryn said:
And that's just the stated output. I get closer to 4,000 pages on my HP LaserJet 1200, which is maybe seven or eight years old, and the refilled cartridges, which cost $58, work just fine.

Holy crudsticks!!

I've heard laser printers overheat easily, is that so? What are the disadvantages of having one?

*has an inkjet but REALLY REALLY REEEEALLLY wants a laser printer after reading this, esp. since her stories run so frigging long and thus she never gets to print them out AGH AGH UGH*

alyssalynne · Sep 25, 2008

I recommend a laser printer too. I have an HP that's at least 6 years old and it still works great. The cartridges aren't cheap but they last a long time. I usually print drafts in 'economy mode' which saves toner.

kct webber · Sep 25, 2008

Maryn said:
And that's just the stated output. I get closer to 4,000 pages on my HP LaserJet 1200, which is maybe seven or eight years old, and the refilled cartridges, which cost $58, work just fine.

Maryn, who'd recommend a laser printer

I've got the HP laserJet 3030. I love it. It's a workhorse. I get around 4000 pages out of a cartridge too--and the cartridges cost about $65.

tehuti88 said:
Holy crudsticks!!

I've heard laser printers overheat easily, is that so? What are the disadvantages of having one?

*has an inkjet but REALLY REALLY REEEEALLLY wants a laser printer after reading this, esp. since her stories run so frigging long and thus she never gets to print them out AGH AGH UGH*

I haven't found any disadvantages when compared to an inkjet. Mine has overheated, but I wouldn't say it did so easily. I had printed about 550 pages non-stop before it did.

Mine cost about 200 dollars on clearance. So you can find them fairly cheap if you look. Worth every penny.

Ken, who, like Maryn, recommends a laserjet.

blacbird · Sep 25, 2008

tehuti88 said:
I've heard laser printers overheat easily, is that so? What are the disadvantages of having one?*

None than I can think of. Small ones have become dirt cheap. I have a Brother is so lightweight I sometimes carry it with me in my car in case I need it at someplace other than my house. Works great, excellent copy quality. Cost me around $80 two years ago, and I'm sure there are cheaper ones out there now.

As for overheating, I've never had that problem, nor do I know anyone who has. But I generally print things in small segments, 30 or 40 pages at a whack, so maybe that alleviates the heating problem.

caw

MaryMumsy · Sep 25, 2008

I have an HP4 laserjet that is over 14 years old. It is like a Timex watch (it just keeps ticking). In 14 years it has needed service once. I go through 15,000-20,000 pages a year. Usually 3 toner cartidges a year. The only time it is turned off is when I leave town. It has never overheated. I print manuscripts 50 pages at a time. If you are going to write a lot, and edit a lot, buying a printer is an investment in your career.

MM

Wolvel · Sep 25, 2008

I bought a lexmark scanner/copier/printer at wal-mart for 35 bucks so I can print my written work and scan my artwork.

See avater for my work.

TrickyFiction · Sep 25, 2008

I bought a Brother printer, which I adore because it can print on both sides (good for editing if you want to save paper) pretty quickly. It's worth it to have your own printer if you're going to write novels, says me. Saves money, gas too.

Clair Dickson · Sep 25, 2008

tehuti88 said:
I've heard laser printers overheat easily, is that so? What are the disadvantages of having one?

I've not heard of any disadvantages, other than price. It's one of those pay big now, but beneift much later.

My old lexmark was bought at a university property sale, so I'm not sure how old it is. I can't get the 'correct' drivers for it, but 'close enough' seems to wrok just fine. The only problem I have is if I work too hard (dozens of pages) it will sometimes get really hungry and eat a couple pages. Is it overheating? I wouldn't say that, but maybe it. So I let it rest, take a coffee break, and then put it back to work.

My printer squeaks with every wheel turn but has never let me down. Prints forever. And shaking the toner cartridge gets me an extra month or three (depending on if I have to print assingments at home or not.)

vixey · Sep 25, 2008

I saw your post earlier and hesitated on comment because I wasn't sure what you really wanted.

Are you printing for someone else to edit? Why do you need 3-hole punched paper?

I can't agree more with all the computer printer options mentioned here. They're all good. But if you're trying to save money and edit yourself, try to go for the on-screen edit first. If you need to print to send to an agent, you don't need the holes.

benbradley · Sep 25, 2008

tehuti88 said:
Holy crudsticks!!

I've heard laser printers overheat easily, is that so? What are the disadvantages of having one?

*has an inkjet but REALLY REALLY REEEEALLLY wants a laser printer after reading this, esp. since her stories run so frigging long and thus she never gets to print them out AGH AGH UGH*

It's got the same disadvantage as a pickup truck. Once your friends know you have it, they'll want to use it too.

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