Print on demand (POD) is making headway as an alternative for some self-publishers, but a number of companies that employ the process are failing to meet the expectations of authors and book buyers alike.
POD is a process whereby books are printed one at a time with a glorified Xerox machine, as opposed to using a traditional web offset printing press that runs off 50, 500, 1,000 or more copies of a book.
While the actual method of printing is not a major problem, the quality of service offered by the companies in the business of POD can be spotty.
Recently, there has been a spate of articles in major news publications—The New York Times, TIME, US News & World Report and others—discussing the option POD provides self-published authors. However, rarely are the shortcomings of the POD method addressed.
While print on demand offers authors the chance to self-publish, industry insiders question the quality of the editorial and customer support offered by companies like Author Solutions and Lulu, and instead support a new model that includes ghostwriting and professional marketing for those asking, “Where can I get my book published?”
Some shortfalls seen in POD companies include:
· Poor editorial support
· Unattractive cover design
· Amateurish back-cover copy and layout
· Inadequate marketing support
· Embarrassingly bad production quality
· Problems with royalty payments to authors
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