Understanding Print On Demand Technology

There are many ways to publish a book, these days.  There's the traditional way of submitting to publishing houses, of course.  However, that's a path that can lead to a lot of rejection and time wasted.  There's also the world of self publishing, which has a few new advantages, including POD technology.

What Is POD?

POD stands for Print On Demand and it's a new way to print books.  It relies on some great new technology that allows books to be printed as they're ordered.  That means a lot less hassle for authors and printers.

The Old Method:

The old method of self publishing meant that authors had to invest their own money in the publication process.  In fact, they often had to buy bulk numbers of their books. Then, those books would sit around collecting dust until such a time as the author found people to buy copies.  It was not a good way to make a name as an author.  In fact, many people couldn't afford to do it and wound up never publishing their books.

The Advantages Of POD:

The advantages of Print On Demand are all about convenience and saving money. You see, the company who runs the service just has to advertise your book on their website.  Then, when someone orders a copy, they can print a high-quality copy and mail it to the person.

Printing the copies after they're paid for by the customer means that authors no longer have to pay out of pocket to publish their works.  It also means that the POD printing company doesn't have to spend their own money on printing materials.

POD is also very convenient, especially for new authors.  The POD company can help you, if you're new to the self publishing business, by providing design advice and, in many cases, even illustrating and editing services.  It all depends on how involved you'd like to be in the publication of your book.

POD Problems:

Unfortunately, there are some groups and individuals that have given POD a bad name.  These groups claim to be POD companies, but they really aren't.  Instead, they swindle users by asking for up front money from the authors and/or never shipping the books to the buyers.  In either case, it's a very big problem.

Avoiding The Problem:

Luckily, avoiding the problem is easy.  Just look for a reliable Print On Demand company with a great record.  Thanks to the Internet, you have many companies and reviews to look at.  Remember, your book is like your baby.  If you're going to write it properly, you need to take the time to also sell it properly.