The Pros and Cons of Print-On-Demand (POD) Publishing

For several years, the Print-On-Demand (POD) publishing business has been growing exponentially as more and more people decide they want to see their names in print. The very subject of Print-On-Demand publishing has earned a negative reputation among both writers and "traditional" publishers, though few people know what it really is. POD refers to the technology used to quickly generate copies of a given book. Rather than issuing first and subsequent printings, POD publishers produce copies of the books as they are ordered.

Contrary to popular opinion, Print-On-Demand publishing is not just for self- or vanity publishers. Many academic and small presses use POD in order to save on start-up costs or for backlist titles. Just because a book has been produced with POD digital technology doesn't mean that it isn't an amazing book or that it is substandard based on its generation.

For the most part, however, Print-On-Demand publishing has become synonymous with vanity and self-published titles. The author pays a fee to the publishing company and in return, the publisher puts the title up for sale. The book doesn't have to be professionally edited and most POD publishers don't have stringent criteria for acceptance. There are no literary agents, long waiting periods, book auctions or rejection letters. Obviously, this appeals to many authors who don't want to deal with the "traditional" publishing route.

The pros and cons of Print-On-Demand publishing depend on your mindset from the very beginning. If you are adverse to the idea of paying someone else to publish your book, it isn't for you. However, if you have the money and if you don't care how your manuscript becomes a published work, then POD publishing might be your best option.

Pros of POD Publishing

1. The process is much quicker. When you submit a manuscript for review by a traditional publisher, you are looking to at least six months of wait time before your book is published, and that is only if your manuscript is accepted. Print-On-Demand publishing is much quicker and the entire process can take as few as two weeks.

All books are not created equal, so think carefully before going with a POD publisher.

Credit: morguefile.com

Copyright: morguefile.com