Three ways to print your book (for self publishers)

Helena

Helena

My first three books were POD but I didn't do them "one book printed to order"; I had 100 at first then 50 or 20 per time, so I didn't print too many.

In my early days I was unsure how my radical feminist view of women's history in Victorian times would be received by the ordinary folk of Hastings. I needn't have worried though, the book sold about 300-400. This gave me confidence, and when I expanded my Hastings book to the whole county of Sussex I took the plunge and risked £2,300 on 1,600 copies printed lithographically.

Each of the litho books, therefore, cost me £1.55; the POD books, half the number of pages, cost about £2.50 each. The difference in quality, most especially the cover, was very noticeable.

This book went on to sell over 1,500 copies. Had I opted for POD those 1,500 copies would have cost me £4,600 not £2,300.

Some lithographic printers have recently opened digital departments, and I have had three books printed this way.

I currently have books printed three ways: litho (for over 500 print-runs), digital (for short runs of 100-500) and print on demand (I print only one title this way now, and get 20 printed at a time.)

I don't use the one-book-printed-at-a-time method because the book in question is stocked in local bookshops (it's a local history).

Anyone else like to share experiences?

Helena
http://www.hastingspress.co.uk