People seeking to write memoirs or personal histories often wonder how they will get their works published. Self-publishing has been an option for writers since the first books were printed. An author who self-publishes a book pays all the costs of printing himself and then takes all of the responsibility for the book’s distribution. Some great writers including Ben Franklin, Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe and Virginia Woolf have been self published. But throughout most of history self-publishing was an expensive process available only to the very wealthy. Modern print-on-demand technology has, however, simplified the process of self-publishing and dramatically reduced its cost.
Today there are commercial printing presses that operate just like your home computer’s printer – send them a file and they print out your book – just one book or as many copies as you wish - at a high level of quality we could only dream of a few years ago. Print-on-demand means that your book project is affordable. It is possible to print a single copy of a quality, hardcover book illustrated with photographs for as little as $35-$50 dollars. Without set-up fees and considering that you are only buying the number of books you really need, you can save a great deal of money. Print-on-demand also allows you to order additional copies of your book at any time for the same low cost.
Self-publishing using print-on-demand technology is ideal if you want to create a memoir, personal or family history which will have a limited distribution. There are many on-demand printers and publishers to choose from. Some of the best known are Amazon.com’s BookSurge, Lulu.com and Xlibris. However, their prices and terms vary widely. Many package their printing services together with marketing services for authors attempting to sell books. These fees are unnecessary for those authors who are self publishing for family and friends.
When choosing a print-on-demand service, be sure to ask these questions:
- Are you being charged extra fees for editing, proofreading, custom design, or book marketing?
- Do you retain all rights to your book, including the files you submit and the ISBN?
- If your book is to be sold from their online bookstore, do you get all the proceeds, or do they charge a royalty?
At Stories To Tell, our Complete Author’s Program is designed to guide you through the self-publishing process. Simply tell your editor the goals you have for your final printed book, and he will recommend appropriate printers or publishers to meet your best interests.
