How to Print Books on Demand

Print-on-demand technology eliminates the need to store large numbers of books.

Until recently, if you wrote a book and had it printed, you would need to buy several cartons of books from the printer and keep them in storage until booksellers ordered them. The up-front cost of these books made the process of self-publishing too expensive for many people. Today, however, self publishers can print their books using print-on-demand (POD) technology. POD printers keep a digital version of the book on file and print single copies as needed. Some POD printers will even release the book directly into standard distribution channels like amazon.com or Baker and Taylor book distributors.

Things You'll Need

• Completed book manuscript in an electronic format
• Computer
• Book design software, Word, InDesign, or Publisher, for example
• Pdf conversion software, Acrobat, for example
• Graphic design software, Photoshop, for example
• High speed Internet connection
• Credit or debit card

Instructions

1. Choose a POD printer. Dozens are available. Do a quick Internet search to turn them up. Choose one that meets your particular needs. Some offer design services and will layout your book and design your cover for you. Some will automatically make your book available online, others won't. Some are geared to single-book authors, others to small publishers who don't have their own printing press. Create Space (previously called BookSurge), Lulu, and Lightning Source are three of the largest.

2. Lay out your book. Use the information your printer provides to set up your book size and margins. Look at other books in your genre to see how professional designers handle handle font size, chapter header style, page number placement, etc. Choose a look you like and then reproduce it.

3. Design a cover. Use the dimensions your printer provides. Again, look to see how the professionals do it. Combine elements from three or four covers you like to come up with something that suits the image of your book. Experience with graphic design software helps at this point. If you don't know how how to use Photoshop, Illustrator, or something comparable, you will probably need to hire someone to design your cover.

4. Convert your cover and interior to the correct format. Most POD printers want the inside of the book in Portable Document Format (pdf) with embedded fonts. Convert Word or InDesign files to pdf using Acrobat or one of the other pdf converters available. Submit your cover in the format requested by the printer. They will typically ask for either pdf, tif, or png.

5. Submit the files electronically to the printer. Provide them with the author's name, book title, book description, and any other information they ask for. Check the online preview and then order a printed proof.

Tips & Warnings

• You will need an ISBN, and international standard book number to sell your book in bookstores. Some POD printers will sell you one. If you want your ISBN to reflect your own publishing company and not theirs, you can get your own from Bowker.

• Be sure about the size you want your book to be before approving the proofs. Once the proofs are approved and the ISBN is registered, you will not be able to change the book size without getting a new ISBN.

References

• Bowker U.S. ISBN Agency
• Lulu
• Create Space
• Lightning Source

Resources

• Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America; Print on Demand and Electronic Self-Publishing