Publishing fact of the month:

Do you know the difference between self-publishing and Print on Demand (POD)? Self-publishing is publishing a book yourself, without going through a publisher. Once your book is ready to send to the printer, you have a choice of how to have the book printed: off-set (from plates, with ink), or digitally (high-tech photocopying). Print-on-Demand merely means that a book is printed the latter way, and in a quantity that you need at the time. (In off-set printing you usually have to print thousands to get a decent price-per-unit.)

As POD printing is getting better in quality it is losing the stigma it once had (as a print method mainly used by self-publishers). Mainstream publishers, interested in reducing shipping costs (don't get us started!) and stale inventory, are increasingly using POD. It is a great option for small publishers looking to take a chance on a fabulous book that may or may not sell well. We can test the water before making a commitment to a large print run.

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