Print on Demand is becoming a more popular print option with authors wanting to avoid the large up-front printing costs and the hassle of storing a large quantity of books. Whenever a customer places an order the digital file of the book is selected and a single copy printed off, which usually takes around two weeks. This eliminates the risk of having lots of books printed and unsold.
Although there are obvious financial benefits to the Print on Demand option there are still several drawbacks. If you manage to sell a large quantity of books Print on Demand will actually work out to be much more expensive. It is only recommended for short print runs of 750 books or less, so if you think you have a bigger market than this then go for the traditional method.
Print on Demand is also unsuitable for books with an unusual design, such as pop-ups, so it won’t be the best option for everybody. If you would like more advice about the best way to print your book, call Sue at Word4Word on 01386 760405.