Ever wonder how the heck self-publishing even works? How do manuscripts turn into printed books and find their way into the world without a publishing house behind them? Well, self-published authors have a few options for getting their books published(aka printed) and distributed. There are quite a few printing and distribution options available and which you choose will depend on your needs. But the main players, with the widest distribution, are Amazon and Ingram spark. These services offer the option to print on demand, which is different from offset printing, where books are printed in bulk.
Below I’ll explain how these printing and distribution options work and the benefits of each so you can make the best choice for yourself.
Printing and Distribution Options for Self-Published Authors
When it comes to printing, there are two options. One option is print on demand. This means the books are truly printed in the amount ordered, as they are ordered. They are then distributed to the buyer directly, or via other retailers. Then there is offset printing. This option is used by most traditional publishers, and is done in bulk. Distribution is not taken care of by offset printers, but it is by print on demand.
What is Print on Demand?
Print on demand, or POD, is one of the most commonly used printing and distribution options for self-published authors. This is because it makes the publishing process more seamless and there is less risk of ending up with a ton of printed, yet unsold books. Print on demand services also take care of the distribution. An offset printer only prints the books, and only in bulk. This means as an independent author, you are responsible for storing, selling and shipping the books once they are printed. Traditional publishers use them because it works best for their model and they take care of their own distribution. Self-published authors can use them as well though. I’ll cover the benefits and drawbacks of each in more detail below.
What Print on Demand Services are Available?
As I mentioned, the two biggest players in print on demand services are Amazon and IngramSpark. They are the most known, and the most used, and they have the widest reach, or the widest distribution of any of the printing and distribution options available.
For instance, Amazon is responsible for over 50% of books sales every year and controls 50-80% of book distribution. IngramSpark reaches tens of thousands of retailers and offers global distribution. They also both have pretty easy to use, streamlined processes for all of this.
Of course, there are now more options for niche and custom specialty books too. Even Barnes and Noble has a print on demand service. But in all likelihood, as an indie author, you’ll be using Amazon or Ingram, and probably even both, to publish and distribute your book. So it’s these two I’m focusing on here.
How Do These Services Work?
The simplified version is this: You upload your properly formatted files for the cover and interior, or use a template provided, and add all the necessary information along with it. It can get tricky if you’re completely unsure of what you’re doing. But mostly, these services give you a step by step process to follow. You have to decide things like your genre, trim size and add your ISBNs, etc. Basically, you add all the information required to publish a book.
When everything looks good you can order a proof. This means you get a physical copy of your book to make sure everything looks right and you’re happy with the results. If you are happy with your printed book you can then publish it! You don’t want to publish until you know what that print book looks like. Once you publish, your book is available to anyone who wants to buy it through whichever retailers you’re selling it through. This also includes being available to retailers with Ingram! With Amazon, obviously, it can be purchased directly.
Your book is then printed and distributed to the purchaser. Ingram distributes to Amazon as well, along with a whole host of over forty thousand retailers and libraries. I always advise not relying on Amazon exclusively for this reason. Ingram has a wider distribution and that extends to independent bookstores and libraries. Amazon is its own system and doesn’t want to compete with itself.
What Other Printing and Distribution Options are There?
Besides POD services, the other printing and distribution option for self-published authors is using an offset printer and self-distributing— or hiring someone to do that work for you. Offset printers print a set amount of books and ship them your way. They require bulk orders. This means that you, or someone on your behalf, orders printed copies of your book in bulk and stores and distributes them. Generally, an offset printer requires a minimum order of five hundred units. This means you have to sell them to make your money back! You can do this either through bulk orders or via your website.
Why this Can Be a Problem
Well, first of all, you need somewhere to store those five hundred plus books. Then there’s the issue of distribution. The author is now involved in direct sales. This requires shipping the books to each purchaser. Ideally you can sell many in bulk and that helps reduce the workload. But selling them piecemeal means shipping rates can get expensive and cut into profits.
Sure, it may seem appealing at first to keep all that money from your book sales after printing costs, but with the shipping and the storage and the effort of being your own distributor it’s usually not worth it for the average author to use this option alone.
Why Would Someone Choose this Option?
There are a few instances when choosing this printing and distribution option may be viable, or even beneficial. One of the benefits of offset printing is the print quality. So for specialty books like photo books or books focused on color illustrations, or other niche books where the look and feel are extremely important, you can get excellent results. Offset printing can also be helpful for special prints and editions with limited quantities.
Another benefit of offset printing is that YOU ultimately set the price and keep all the profits. But in this case you have to decide whether you want your book out there or you want to make money. And controlling the price doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll make more money. You still have to sell the books!
Really, offset printing is most practical in these limited scenarios:
- You already have a big, built in audience and selling direct would be a given.
- An entity or organization wants to buy in bulk directly from you for a set price.
- Your book is a specialty book with a lot of color photos or illustrations.
Now Let’s Talk About Pricing and Profit with These Printing and Distribution Options
As you may have guessed, using an offset printing option will likely yield more profit per book sold. You still have to price it reasonably, of course. There is a general standard for pricing books from paperbacks to hardcovers. And larger format, niche, books are often priced higher than your average paperback fiction. You would still have to offer a steep discount off the cover price for a retailer to purchase them(if you can swing that) and you still have to store and ship them. This is why it would have to be worth it for you to choose the offset printing option, like in the case of the circumstances I listed above.
It’s All About the Percentages
With the two POD printing and distribution options I’ve discussed you may make less money per book, but you also don’t have to make that initial investment. Yet another reason self-published authors usually choose the print on demand model!
Remember what I said about it coming down to you wanting to get your book out there or wanting to make money? Well, the truth is you’re either going to have to offer your book to retailers at a significant discount via IngramSpark or you will just have to accept the percentage Amazon takes for their printing and distribution services. What you miss out on in potential earnings, you gain in exposure and access.
Generally, retail stores will want at least a 50% discount off the cover price. With offset printing, let’s say you pay one dollar per book. You need to charge a retailer around eight dollars per book if your cover price is sixteen dollars. In this scenario, you would make $8 and the bookstore would make $8. Your profit on that book would be $7. But as I mentioned, there are shipping costs and storage and your time to pay into that. And, your selling and distribution power are pretty small compared to PODs, so your sales will likely be much lower. Unless you fall under those special circumstances I listed.
PODs Make it Easier
Another benefit of using PODs as a printing and distribution option is that you don’t have to do the math and figure out percentages and profits. They will tell you what percentage they take, and therefore what your profit will be, as is the case with Amazon. And with Ingram you can set your desired discount percentage for retailers. Then your profit is calculated for you as well.
But here’s the deal! You need to use that 55% discount option. I know it sounds like a lot to give but the truth is, no bookstore is going to buy a book with a smaller discount. Remember, they are selling the book for 50% of the cover price and they have to make a profit. That’s just how retail works in general. The point is to make your book as widely available as possible, and therefore, hopefully sell more units.
Remember, You Do Have Options
So, in closing I’d like to say that I always recommend authors use both Amazon and IngramSpark. Why? Because this makes their book as widely available as possible. Of course, I also always recommend that you have links to buy your book through your favorite bookstore on your website too. This is where Ingram comes in handy! The bookstore doesn’t even need to have your book in stock but will make a profit from the sale, thanks to their distribution model. Let’s face it, not everyone wants to buy from Amazon and they aren’t in need of your support, if we’re being honest. But Amazon has that massive retailer power. And I like to encourage authors to use all options available to get their books out there.
And hey, maybe the offset printing option is right for you. That works too! It’s just not for everyone, or the key to getting rich off of your book like some people believe it to be.
Ultimately it’s up to you to choose which printing and distribution options to go with and that should be based on your needs and goals. The point is, there are options and these are the best ones currently available to get your book out into the world and into the hands of your future fans!
