A great number of writers who dream of having a book published look to print on demand or pod companies that use digital printing to transform a text into print in an extremely short amount of time. An entire book can be printed and bound from cover to cover in a matter of minutes. Also, the process is relatively inexpensive.
One reason that the print on demand process is tempting is that it allows the text to be printed as it is needed. The publisher doesn't have to worry about sitting on a stack of printed books that are just not going to sell. Having the print on demand option available is a great strategy that allows the publisher to print one or two copies of the book as it is sold.
This approach would appear to be an ideal way to publish almost any book. The print on demand service can be used in many ways. Academic publishers can utilize the technique to print texts for classes, particularly advance reading copies. The print on demand method is great for academic texts because the text for a particular class often changes or requires updating
Independent publishers like print on demand because it is so extremely economical. It's not that the profit is higher for the sales per book when using the print on demand process - because it's not. It's simply that, if the books don't sell, the customary bulk printing process is far more costly than the digitally printed texts by far. And to be fair, most published books are not best sellers.
There are also fee-based print on demand publishing services that seem very much like the rip-off vanity publishing services that, over the years, have stolen many dollars from a lot of authors. While, these services are not exactly like self-publishing, they do bear an uncanny and uncomfortable likeness to them.
And this is where print on demand may not be quite so great. Since the system is so cost successful, the publishers will usually accept any manuscript - good or bad. Why? Because they have nothing to lose. If the book sells, they make a profit. If the book doesn't sell - no worries because the print on demand company has spent very little or no money.
What's missing from the print on demand equation is the editing. There are few writers who can put together a great book without a great editor. Even great writers, especially great writers, need editors. The print on demand organizations, however, don't put much effort into the editing process. In fact, a number of the books are printed with no editing what-so-ever.
There are very good print on demand companies out there that will edit your book and also market it. Make sure to do your research before taking any big steps with your beloved manuscript.
