Hi profitsee-ga
The service you're describing is called "Print On Demand publishing".
If you Google those words you'll find there are scores of businesses
offering this service to authors. I've supplied a list of some of the
most reputable below - as an author I have researched various POD
publishers very recently, and these ones are certainly legitimate.
Although the POD process differs from "vanity publishing", and the
legitimacy of major POD companies is not in question, you should still
be very wary of using this type of service. Almost every POD service I
have seen initially charges a large set up fee, typically $500-$1500.
This fee usually includes additional services such as proofreading
which you may not require. Authors are then invited to purchase copies
of their own book "at a discount", typically $10-$20 per copy plus
shipping for trade paperbacks. Some POD services then offer authors a
royalty on subsequent copies sold, typically less than $1 per book.
Some POD publishers make your book available on Amazon.com. None of
the publishers promote your book - that is down to you.
As you can see, the chances of making a profit from POD are minimal,
especially if you choose a POD publisher that charges an upfront fee.
Most POD publishers are quite open about this fact. Realistically, you
would need to sell thousands of copies of your book to recoup your
investment, and that is very unlikely to happen with a POD book no
matter how good your manuscript is.
Nevertheless, POD publishing does offer an option for the author who
cannot find a mainstream publisher (very difficult, I know). At the
very least, it allows a few copies of the book to be printed up for
friends and family.
If you do decide to go with POD, then look at Cafe Press and Lulu -
they do not charge a set-up fee, although their service is somewhat
limited. Again, you will not stand to make a large profit. However,
you will not lose money on the deal with those two companies.
My final advice is to match your publishing option to your needs.
Compare the services offered via the links below and decide what you
need and who can supply that at the best cost. Most importantly, do
not pay for anything that you do not need or can do yourself. Best
wishes with your endeavour.
paultoon-ga
Links:
http://www.iuniverse.com/
http://www.xlibris.com/
http://www.ebookstand.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/
http://www.lulu.com/
PS: Another publishing option to consider is to go direct to a good
local printer. They will be able to turn your manuscript into a
professional-looking paperback book for around $5 per copy if you
order 100 or so. |
