Publishing Got Easier And Smarter With The Print-On-Demand (POD) Model

If you are writing your first book or thinking of a switch into a new subject of writing, the first thing that is holding you back is the huge printing cost of the first set of books delivered by the publisher. And the second is ‘What if those books do not sell?’ Your fear is perfectly logical and of course, you are not alone. First-time authors and self-publishers experience uncertainty and dilemma before getting into this unpredictable world of publishing. But, here is a solution. The publishing business is evolving at a lightning speed. One of the most radical developments in the publishing business today is print on demand books. Keep reading to explore the whole range of opportunities POD offers.

What is POD mode? How does it compare with traditional printing?

As the name suggests, Print-on-Demand (POD) is a method of printing using digital technology where you can print as and when required. This printing model is purely based on demand and powered by the cutting-edge digital printer which enables the printing of a quantity as few as one. Thus, it has opened a new door to personalized printing service in the world of book publishing. And it means revolution!

Let’s see how a traditional printer works 

In order to understand the advantage it has over a traditional printer, it is important to understand the difference between the two types of printer. In a traditional publishing situation, the publisher uses a traditional off-set printer to print in bulk as printing a single copy is not cost effective. In this method, a plate is used for transferring the impression to every page of a book. They create a plate and typeset each book to be published. This plate creation process is quite costly. That is why publishing one or a few copies is not cost-effective. But, when many copies are published, the cost of plate production is distributed among them, thus reducing the per copy cost for printing. So, offset printing comes with an obligation for bulk printing as long as the cost is concerned. So, to determine a reasonable MRP, the publisher has the compulsion of printing more copies. The more the number of copies, the less each copy will cost. This mechanism used to govern the publishing world. Now, when these books are delivered to the author, he becomes responsible for selling them. One who has been in such a position knows what pressure it can build: All the shelves of your house are groaning with books but not a single reader.

Traditional printing may have its own benefits, but for some authors, this process is not profitable and most importantly hinders opportunity.

How the new Print-on-Demand is changing the face of the publishing world

To deal with this setback of the publishing world, print on demand has been introduced. With this technology, authors can judge the market demand for a book and order copies accordingly. This is particularly helpful for the first time authors or authors who want to test the waters before picking a new topic or genre. Economically, this printing option is a wise choice for most self-published authors as they do not have to get thousands of copies printed and stocked before knowing the reader’s response. They will not lose any sleep over selling them up. This provides a big relief. Moreover, with this, the author has the freedom to cater to opportunities for constant innovation with the increasing popularity of a particular book. Printing on demand does not depend on the number of copies being printed. It is not influenced by how many copies you print. So, there is no obligation for meeting a MINIMUM ORDER REQUIREMENT. Individual costing of a book is clearer now and printing has no string attached.

 Technology Used in Print-on-Demand model and its Advantage

The technology used in this model is high-quality digital printing, where each copy is printed independently. This means the number of copies in the order does not influence the cost of each copy. Naturally, in case of digital printing, there is no such restriction on the number of copies which gives author-publishers freedom and ease with publishing and printing.

Low Up-front Cost: POD brings in a reduced first-time cost of printing and shipping. So, one can start printing with as little as one book and print more on getting orders.

Freedom with MRP: Doing away with the obligation of bulk-printing, Print-on-Demand technology reduces the upfront cost of printing. It gives an author freedom to set a reasonable MRP for a book depending on its actual printing cost and not the number of copies printed.

More Sale: A bit of flexibility with the MRP of the book can generate more sales. And more sale means more royalty to the author. It is always beautiful to see authors making profit from qualifying sales.

Print Quality: Most author-publishers and small publishers use digital printers to print their order. The quality is impressive not only in terms of look, but also in terms of durability. Digitally printed books are supposed to enjoy almost equal shelf-life as the one done by an off-set printer.

Rapid Reader Feedback: First-time authors or professional authors turning to a new topic can instantly monitor the demand graph and take the decision whether or not they should go in their chosen field or if there is an opportunity of success at all.

No Storage: A room full of unsold books can be intimidating and heavy on nerves. They are a cause of real frustration. But, now with Print-on-Demand, get the exact number of copies delivered as and when required. Storing books is a thing of the past.

More Eco-friendly: Only print when there is demand. This option is more environmentally conscious and economically less wasteful because publishers don’t have to dispose of unsold books from a large print run.

Less or No Inventory:  Unsold books take a few acres of the world’s space. As POD option eliminates the need for storing books, publishers save a lot on the physical storage facility and transport cost.

Time-efficient Technology: Besides being cost-effective, POD is also a time-efficient technology. This technology is simply changing the face of the publishing world.

18 thoughts on “Publishing Got Easier And Smarter With The Print-On-Demand (POD) Model

  1. Adewuyi Kolawole PhD

    Kindly make it more explicit, the process of sending manuscript for printing on this technology and stating the costs involved.
    Thanks

    Reply
  2. Anonymous

    I have been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or blog posts in this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo I eventually stumbled upon this web site. Studying this information So i am happy to exhibit that I’ve an incredibly excellent uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I so much indisputably will make certain to don’t overlook this site and give it a glance regularly.

    Reply
    1. Mohammed Bashir Zailani

      My question is
      of it is print on demand
      Does the author has to keep sending money for printing each time there is demand for printing

      Reply
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