This is a wonderfully friendly forum, so it is a pity there is both an element of snobbishness as well as ignorance over both Print on Demand technology and what self-publishing actually is.
For example, I have just read these comments:
-We don't think POD is a dirty word, but we think it's generally a bad idea for writers who want to sell books to strangers….
-In general, bookstores WILL NOT STOCK self-published/vanity-published books because (a) there's no market for them, (b) they're overpriced, (c) there's no returns policy, (d) there's no quality control, (e) the covers are not professional, (f) there's no publisher backing them with a publicity campaign, etc.
-… what that ACTUALLY means is that someone can walk up to a desk and place a special order for the book and come back 2 weeks later and pick it up, but that the book will *not* be on bookstore shelves, no matter how well-written it is. The only people who do place special orders of POD books are generally the writer's Aunt Gertrude and best friend from high school.
-…Commercial publishing is when a publisher pays you to publish your book. Self publishing is when you pay the publisher to publish your book.
If negative comments are going to be made, at least get the facts straight!!!
Firstly, self-publishing is NOT the same as vanity publishing. With vanity publishing, you sign a contract and pay a publisher of some description (not recommended).
However, with self-publishing, using a PoD supplier, YOU effectively become the publisher.
That *does* mean you have to take control of all the elements that a conventional publisher promises to do… which includes stocking shelves, if you choose to go that route, marketing and so forth. That is why it is called SELF-publishing.
BUT… with the right mechanisms in place, an order can be fulfilled within 72 hours.
I *know* because I have sold quite a few books this way.
AND, please note, even conventional publishers use PoD technology, because not all you conventionally published authors sell that many copies either!
I can think of at least four high profile names here in the UK who did not each even manage to sell 600 copies of their book.
No conventional publisher with any business acumen is going to commit to several thousand copies to stock everywhere if hardly any are going to be sold.
PoD tech is wonderful for allowing them to ‘suck it and see’.
A decent PoD supplier is, in essence, a printer with a particular piece of non-litho technology which can handle covers and content and has a very quick turnaround.
Self-publishing, to repeat myself, is when you, the author, contract them directly to print it. YOU are the publisher.
btw PoD tech will allow virtually any rubbishy covers to look good. However, there are so many low-cost designers around, this too should not be an issue.
What is an issue is having your books on every bookshelf everywhere. But I can think of a few conventionally produced authors in this forum who are not even listed on amazon.co.uk let alone our bookshelves in the UK!
Please note, distribution is a problem if you have only the one title. At least try and get it on amazon and accept the costs as part of your marketing push.
If you are that sure of your book, you can price it as you wish. Volume sales will either bring in good returns or a conventional publisher to buy the rights.
Once you have at least five titles, there are organisations like Gardners of Eastbourne (I am sure there are US and RoW equivalents) who will distribute and handle returns and so forth.
Thankfully, I have sold quite a few though not enough to feel proud or flush! But I have never had a return … and the overwhelming majority have all been sold to ‘strangers’. Friends and family tend to want copies for nothing!
Authors of every description had better get used to this form of technology because, soon enough, even titles brought out by conventional publishers will be bought from booths at stations and malls.
That will then put self-publishers and conventional publishers on a very even footing.
Even wise book shops will probably have their own book booths (or whatever they are going to be called).
For a start, it will cut down on unnecessary hard stock, while actually INCREASING overall stock and choice, since the technology will be able to hold considerably MORE electronic versions, all waiting to be printed out ‘on demand’.
Secondly, it will reduce the wastage from people browsing but never buying. Buyers will be tempted into shops through alternative methods... a topic for a separate thread.
There is more I could write on this but this should help to redress the balance.
And, yes, I have written a book on self-publishing and will be happy to email a pdf to anyone who emails me at euphrosene at floreo dot org.
btw I am an evangelist for lazy learning too! The little books have all been specifically designed to be ultra discreet and to cut out any extraneous text.
For example, I have just read these comments:
-We don't think POD is a dirty word, but we think it's generally a bad idea for writers who want to sell books to strangers….
-In general, bookstores WILL NOT STOCK self-published/vanity-published books because (a) there's no market for them, (b) they're overpriced, (c) there's no returns policy, (d) there's no quality control, (e) the covers are not professional, (f) there's no publisher backing them with a publicity campaign, etc.
-… what that ACTUALLY means is that someone can walk up to a desk and place a special order for the book and come back 2 weeks later and pick it up, but that the book will *not* be on bookstore shelves, no matter how well-written it is. The only people who do place special orders of POD books are generally the writer's Aunt Gertrude and best friend from high school.
-…Commercial publishing is when a publisher pays you to publish your book. Self publishing is when you pay the publisher to publish your book.
If negative comments are going to be made, at least get the facts straight!!!
Firstly, self-publishing is NOT the same as vanity publishing. With vanity publishing, you sign a contract and pay a publisher of some description (not recommended).
However, with self-publishing, using a PoD supplier, YOU effectively become the publisher.
That *does* mean you have to take control of all the elements that a conventional publisher promises to do… which includes stocking shelves, if you choose to go that route, marketing and so forth. That is why it is called SELF-publishing.
BUT… with the right mechanisms in place, an order can be fulfilled within 72 hours.
I *know* because I have sold quite a few books this way.
AND, please note, even conventional publishers use PoD technology, because not all you conventionally published authors sell that many copies either!
I can think of at least four high profile names here in the UK who did not each even manage to sell 600 copies of their book.
No conventional publisher with any business acumen is going to commit to several thousand copies to stock everywhere if hardly any are going to be sold.
PoD tech is wonderful for allowing them to ‘suck it and see’.
A decent PoD supplier is, in essence, a printer with a particular piece of non-litho technology which can handle covers and content and has a very quick turnaround.
Self-publishing, to repeat myself, is when you, the author, contract them directly to print it. YOU are the publisher.
btw PoD tech will allow virtually any rubbishy covers to look good. However, there are so many low-cost designers around, this too should not be an issue.
What is an issue is having your books on every bookshelf everywhere. But I can think of a few conventionally produced authors in this forum who are not even listed on amazon.co.uk let alone our bookshelves in the UK!
Please note, distribution is a problem if you have only the one title. At least try and get it on amazon and accept the costs as part of your marketing push.
If you are that sure of your book, you can price it as you wish. Volume sales will either bring in good returns or a conventional publisher to buy the rights.
Once you have at least five titles, there are organisations like Gardners of Eastbourne (I am sure there are US and RoW equivalents) who will distribute and handle returns and so forth.
Thankfully, I have sold quite a few though not enough to feel proud or flush! But I have never had a return … and the overwhelming majority have all been sold to ‘strangers’. Friends and family tend to want copies for nothing!
Authors of every description had better get used to this form of technology because, soon enough, even titles brought out by conventional publishers will be bought from booths at stations and malls.
That will then put self-publishers and conventional publishers on a very even footing.
Even wise book shops will probably have their own book booths (or whatever they are going to be called).
For a start, it will cut down on unnecessary hard stock, while actually INCREASING overall stock and choice, since the technology will be able to hold considerably MORE electronic versions, all waiting to be printed out ‘on demand’.
Secondly, it will reduce the wastage from people browsing but never buying. Buyers will be tempted into shops through alternative methods... a topic for a separate thread.
There is more I could write on this but this should help to redress the balance.
And, yes, I have written a book on self-publishing and will be happy to email a pdf to anyone who emails me at euphrosene at floreo dot org.
btw I am an evangelist for lazy learning too! The little books have all been specifically designed to be ultra discreet and to cut out any extraneous text.
