Printing manuscript

Zipotes · Mar 13, 2009

Where do you print your manuscript? Home, copy shop?

I printed out one of mine awhile back at Staples and it cost me over $30.00. Just thinking this could get expensive if I'm eventually printing out a lot of chapter samples or fulls and mailing them out.

Cyia · Mar 13, 2009

Invest in a good printer and a case of storebrand paper.

RichardB · Mar 13, 2009

I use Staples for full manuscripts and print at home for synopses and queries. I figure a full manuscript is going to exhaust a $30.00 cartridge and a ream of paper anyway, and also I want someone else to be responsible for the last page being as well-printed as the first.

Zipotes · Mar 13, 2009

I just realized I posted this in the wrong forum, oops.

Anyway, I think I'll buy a better printer this weekend to use for queries and sample chapters. Then I'll use Staples for fulls for the reasons you stated RichardB.

Thanks

mdin · Mar 17, 2009

If you print a whole lot of stuff, and not just the occasional 400-page document, you might want to invest in a laser printer. The upfront cost is more, but you save money big time on the back end. Toner is expensive, but you only have to get it a fraction of the time.

There's probably someone out there who is a math whiz who can properly figure out your cost per page, but at work I print about 3-4,000 quality pages before I change the $100 toner. If I was using an inkjet, I'd maybe get 200-300 pages out of one $30 cartridge.

TheIT · Mar 17, 2009

If you're printing something for editing purposes where quality isn't essential, remember that home printers usually have a "fast draft" mode which will save ink. Fast draft prints lighter, faster, and isn't as crisp as normal mode.

James81 · Mar 17, 2009

XThe NavigatorX said:
There's probably someone out there who is a math whiz who can properly figure out your cost per page, but at work I print about 3-4,000 quality pages before I change the $100 toner. If I was using an inkjet, I'd maybe get 200-300 pages out of one $30 cartridge.

Let's assume worst case scenario:

You get 3000 pages with the laser printer and 300 pages with a cartridge.

3000/300= You replace the cartridge 10 times before you'd replace the toner.

So, to print 3000 pages with the inkject, you will pay $300. For the same amount of pages, you pay $100 for toner.

MaryMumsy · Mar 17, 2009

I have a circa 1994 HP Laserjet4. I get more like 10,000 pages from a $100 cartridge. I saw a new HP at OfficeMax last year for about $800. It was black only, and ONLY a printer. At the difference in the cost of toner cartridges, it wouldn't take too long to recoup the cost of the machine.

MM

Zipotes · Mar 17, 2009

Thanks everyone. I just bought a laser printer so life will be easier now.

Printing manuscript

Zipotes

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

RichardB

THIS! IS!! VENNNNNICE!!!!

Zipotes

mdin

The late, the great XThe NavigatorX

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

James81

Great Scott Member

MaryMumsy

the original blond bombshell

Zipotes