Yesterday, we discussed the difference between digital printing and off-set printing. Today, we will go into further discussion regarding the actual difference in cost.
Option 1: Let’s say you’ve been asked to be a guest speaker with the guest list of 150 people. You’ve made the smart decision to sell your book. The retail price of your book is $14.95. The print cost using the digital print run is $7.50. Your profit is $7.50 per book because you sold your book directly to the customer.
Option 2: After much hard work and searching, you’ve found a buyer who’ll buy your book in volume. They’ve just purchased 200 copies of your book to test how well it’ll do in their stores. They’ve promised to buy 5000 books if the test is successful. The buyer requires a 70% discount, which makes the selling price $4.49. The retail cost of your book is $14.95. Your print cost is $7.50 using the digital model. Your loss per book is-$7.50-$4.49=$3.01.
Option 3: You’ve got a distributor who sells your book to bookstores. The bookstore requires a 40% discount, so their purchase price is $8.97. But wait-the distributor’s commission is 15%, making the discount 55%. The retail price of your book is $14.95. The print cost on a digital run is $7.50. Your loss is $7.50-6.73=$0.77.
So as you can see, digital printing isn’t always the best option in every senario. If you had printed 5000 copies on off set press, the print cost would likely have been $3.00 or less, and if you have colored photos or illustrations, then add another $1.00 to that, making the cost $4.00 per book. Even if you print only 2500 copies, the print cost would be substantially less than the digital print cost.
Some of you reading this, don’t mind eating the loss. If so, that’s great! For those of you who are economically cautious, now you have the tools to make the right printing decision. Let’s not forget that your marketing plan is vital here: knowing your marketing goals and having your plan layed out before decising upon the type of printer to use for your book.
Hopefully, this will have helped you in your decision making process.
Until tomorrow!
ZLS Publishing

Hello all,

If you’ve just finished a book or are in the process of writing a book-we applaud you! Writing a book is never easy, nor is the decision on what to do with the book once it’s done. While trying to figure out whether or not self-publishing or traditional publishing is the best option, one thing to consider is printing. Most people forget that printing is one of the most important aspects of the publishing process. The printing is what people see. It is what brings your book into actually life and places it into a book formation. I think part of the confusion lies in the fact that most people forget or don’t know the difference in printing. There are two types: digital printing and offset printing. Learning what these two are and how they affect your books delivery, will help you determine what publishing route to take.
Let’s begin….
Offset printing-Is done by using printing plates that go through a three step process to transfer images to paper. Offset printing requires more set-up, and therefore is of much better use and more cost effective on large orders.
Digital printing, other wise known as print-on-demand (POD) printing- Is done by transfereing a digital image to paper. Digital printing is best used for small orders and short printing runs. There is less set-up so the cost is less, therefore making it the most cost effective for small orders.
Now that you know the difference between the two printing options, this should help you along in your publishing decision. Do you want to spend very little money in set-up costs and more money in marketing? If yes, then the POD route is the best route for you. Can you afford the high set up costs AND believe that you’ll sell over 1,000 copies? If yes, the offset printing route is the route for you?
As you can see, your marketing habit will play a part in which option you choose. It all balls down to marketing. Where and how can you sell your book? If you choose to sell your book online, the buyer is going to demand a substantial discount. If you buy the bulk of books and put them in your trunk, yes, you can keep all your money, but will you get your upfront cost back? Will you sell your books on your website only?
All of these are things to think about. Digital printing is best for short or on demand runs. Larger orders, though, require lower print costs, but then you’re stuck with trying to get rid of all those books. As a writer, you have to determine what costs fit into your marketing plans. Know your marketing goals before deciding which publishing route to take and which type of printer to use for your book. Knowing your marketing goals will make this decision a whole lot easier.

If you haven’t heard by now, let me update you: Walmart and Amazon are in a book price bidding war. Some of the newest releases are about to sell for $9 which includes free shipping and handling. Now for the consumer, this is a great deal, and it may even be a good deal for the publisher, but will it be a good deal for the writers? Right now, Amazon demands 55% of the book price. This high number equates to already low royalties for the author. Will Walmart jump on the band wagon? Should they jump on the band wagon? Will the author now be forced to decide between Walmart, Amazon and Barnes and Nobles?

Do you think it will get to the point in the publishing industry in which, if you expect to sell any books-you will be forced to go to both Walmart and Amazon? or will it get like other things-High quality books-Amazon, Low quality books-Walmart? The one benefit to this bidding war that I see is that authors have more selling options and consumers have more buying options, but will it ultimately affect their bottom line and will it do so in a positive way?

What do you think?

Welcome back to another edition of-What You Should Get For Your Self-Publishing Dollars-Part 3. Today we are discussing the number of books that the writer should receive when using a self-publishing company. If you’ve been following this series so far, then you know about thecli ent that I had in here recently who was considering publishing with another publishing house. For almost $8,000, they were about to get the following services:
1) The service that allowed them to give up all rights to their book
2) Template designed book covers
and now….
3) They want to only provide them with 25 books

Maybe it’s just me! Maybe i’m the crazy one, but if I’m about to spend nearly $8,000, I better get more than 25 books, I better get at least 100 books. The other kicker for me though is that if they want to buy more books, they can at half the cover price.
What!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You just got nearly $8,000 of my money and you still want me to spend more money! That’s crazy! Let’s look at it another way:
I know that when I go shopping at Walmart that $78 gets me a whole shopping cart full of stuff. I can only imagine how many carts I could fill for $7800. It absolutely boggles my mind how writers just accept this and spend money with publishing companies who have these standards. These publishing companies provide so little books for so much money. They do it because they know that most writers accept this as the standard and are so desperate to publish their books, that they will take any amount of books offered to them, regardless of how small or large the quantity.
Let’s do a little math:
312*25=$7800
an average book is $15 paperback, $20 hardcover
100 books*$15=$1500
200 books *$15=$3000
300 books*15=$4500
So on average, if you’re going to spend over $3000 to get a book published, you should get at a minimum 100 books and that’s if the publisher is charging you full price for those 100 books. Sadly, there are so many greedy self-publishers that only want to give you so few books because they are afraid that if they give you more and you sell them, that they won’t make a profit. If they give you 100 books and you sell those 100 books, not give them away but sell them, then that’s all money in your pocket and less in theirs. They figure if they give you a few books, then you’ll come back for more. They also figure that you’re not going to sell those 25 books, that your only going to give them away, so they think that they are doing you a favor in providing you with 25 books to give away. 25 books that you already paid for, so it’s not a favor, but you also paid for those 100 as well, but you’re not getting those.
The other issue is that some of these publishing companies also don’t believe in what the author has written. They publish for the sake of publishing and don’t publish the books because they think they are going to do well. In addition, because most writers don’t have marketing plans, these publishers highly doubt that an author has the capabilities of selling 100 books, let along the 25 they are being given. Thankfully, there are some self-publishing companies out there who are more honest than others and will truly give you your moneys worth. They may or may not care if you sell 25 books or 100 books but they will give you what you deserve for the money you paid, and have faith that you will selll all your books, regardless of the number.
As is always-Author Beware! Do your research and stay away from those publishing companies who are only out to get your money and provide you with 1) few books, 2) book templates, and 3) keep your rights. As I always so-Your baby deserves better than that!
Until the next one!

Welcome back to another edition of-What You Should Get For You Self-Publishing Dollars-Part 2!
The other day we talk about book covers, but today we will digress from what the book looks like to who should own it. Looking over this contract from the potential client the other day, I noticed that they wanted exclusive rights to her book. Exclusive rights means they own the book and all rights to it. That means that if it’s good enough to be made into a play or a movie they own the rights to it.
Now, maybe it’s just me, but if I’m paying you to publish my book, why should I also have to let you own it? I could see if it was traditional publishing where they spend the money to publish and market you, then they have the right to own your work. I look at it like this? Just because you pay a contractor to fix your house doesn’t mean they own it. Just because you pay the grocery store money for their goods mean they no longer own the food. Even the bank says you own the car or the house once you’ve paid it off. Should Staples own your work because you pay them to make copies? Even a lay away place no longer owns the merchandise once you’ve paid it off, so why should the rules be any different for paying to get your book published? They shouldn’t!
Allowing them to keep what you’ve paid for prevents you from giving your work to a traditional publisher or even switching publishers. I don’t care if they claim they want to own it for two weeks, two days or two years when you pay for it, they shouldn’t own it. I almost feel bad for the writers who feel they have no other options with publishing than to allow this madness to place them in such a tight spot. These publishing companies are acting on the writers emotion and desire to be publsihed as well as the writers lack of research.
Let’s recap: It makes no sense and there is no excuse to pay someone to publish your book and at the same time let them own it. They should publish it and let it go when you no longer want anything to do with them. This means release the ISBN number, but you own the book and the rights. That ISBN number is similiar to your receipt number or customer invoice number from Staples. It provides they provided you a service and in the event that you need more copies or proof of service it is there and there to you no longer desire their business.
Please don’t be duped into giving someone ownership of your book. Do your research and go with a trust-worthy publishing company who doesn’t want to own your baby!
Until the next episode!