By George Kittredge
If you are planning to self-publish a book you have written, there are a number of considerations and decisions you will need to make. One of them is, "What book manufacturing company will you select to produce your book?"
Book manufacturers and book publishers are often thought of as being the same, but there are significant differences between the two. In the simplest terms, book manufacturers are strictly book printers and binders - a resource used by those who want to self-publish. Typically, they receive digital book files created by authors and produce finished books based on page size, type of paper, binding style and other book options their authors may want.
Unlike book publishers, book manufacturers do not offer editorial, proofreading, design, layout, marketing and promotion, or other support services commonly offered by book publishers. As a self-publishing author, you should consider a book manufacturer as an outsourced service, in much the same manner you would a graphic designer or an editor you might hire.
To help you in your search, here are six questions to consider when evaluating a company to print and bind your book.
1. Does the company offer accessible, hands-on service if and when
you may need it? If you have a problem, such as uploading a file or
understanding a set of instructions, will you be able to obtain assistance in
a timely manner? One of the most frustrating things for anyone who is trying
to self-publish, is to encounter a problem and not be able to talk to a real
person. Technology is great when it works. But when it doesn't, it's
important to have someone you can contact to help you fix the problem or
answer your questions. Look for a company that has reliable "hands-on"
service. Ask them what the procedure is to get assistance if and when you
may need it.
2. Is the book production process easy to understand and easy to
work with? Ask the book manufacturer you are considering how their
process works. Look to see if you can find any testimonials on their
website regarding how easy their processes are.
Find out how long it will take to produce your books once they have
received your digital files. If you are producing your books in a soft cover,
coil bound and saddle stitch binding, they should be ready within a
business week or sooner. Hard cover books may take slightly longer. If you
anticipate having a tight deadline to meet, ask if you can place a rush on
your project? You may have to pay an extra charge, but in certain situations,
a company that offers a rush option could be a plus.
3. What is the quality of their work? Every company will say they are
high quality, but some are higher than others. And some may be better at
producing the kind of book you have than others – particularly if you are
interested in hard cover books that require special equipment, materials
and expertise (i.e. faux leather covers, foil stamping, or sewn binding).
Some of the quality indicators to look for are how long the company has
been in business (although don't always equate greater length of service
with higher quality), how many authors they have worked with over the past
year, the type of printing equipment they use (is it the latest technology?),
and the materials and expertise that goes into their binding operations. If
necessary, ask for a sample of a book they have recently produced that is
similar to the one you want to produce. Look for customer testimonials
regarding the quality of their work, and find out what kind of guarantee they
offer regarding their workmanship.
One of the advantages of working with a short-run book manufacturer is that
you can produce small quantities and, if you wish to, make changes to your
book files before the next production run. A second advantage is that you
can "personalize" your books to accommodate a special customer or for
use at a special event.
4. How much will it cost to produce your book? Ask if there are any
set up fees or additional charges anywhere in the process. There shouldn't
be, unless you are making a special request of some kind. Look to
companies where your only expense is the cost to print, bind and ship your
books – and then find out exactly what this expense will be. You should also
be able to determine your cost before you submit any book files or place an
order. Find out how easy is it for you to get a price quote.
5. What is the minimum print quantity requirement? We've all heard
the horror story about the author that produced 3000 copies of his new
book, only to have them wind up in his garage? With today's digital
technology and short run capabilities, there is no reason to produce more
copies than you need – and to produce them at a reasonable cost. Some
book manufacturers have no minimum quantity requirements – even for
hard cover books. But some do, so be sure to ask.
If you are creating your book for a select or small targeted audience, or if
you are not sure how many books you will initially sell, a short-run book
manufacturer could be your best choice. You can always increase the
number of copies in future production runs as the demand for your book
increases – and eliminate the fear of filling up your garage.
6. Can they offer you choices? Look for a company that can offer you
choices. Most companies should be able to affordably produce a book in a
number of sizes (height and width of pages), so that you don't have to have
an 8 ½ by 11 or 6 by 9 inch book if you don't want to. Keep in mind,
however, that part of your production cost is based on how many pages
can be printed from a sheet of paper. Ask if there are "optimum" sizes you
should consider that could reduce your cost.
Another choice involves the binding of your book. Highly skilled book
manufacturers can give you a variety of choices. Typical choices should
include a full color soft cover option (called perfect binding or paperback),
hard cover (with either a cover wrap or dust jacket), plastic coil binding
(ideal for technical books, cookbooks or other books that would benefit
from lying flat for note taking) and saddle stitch binding.
One of the benefits of working with a company that offers a variety of
binding choices is that it gives you the opportunity to produce a book in
more than one binding option. For example, you may want to print most of
your copies with a soft cover, but would also want a smaller quantity in a
hard cover binding to send to book reviewers, special recipients or to sell
through a specialty, non-traditional book outlet.
Today, an increasing number of authors are choosing to self-publish and using book manufacturers to produce their books. If you are one of them, asking the right questions will enable you to find the book manufacturer that best fits your needs.
[George Kittredge is Marketing Manager for Book1One, authored his own book in 2005,and has worked with self-publishing authors since 1997. He can be contacted by email at georgek@Book1One.com.]