Ensuring Book Printing Goes Well For You

11 November 2021
 Categories: Business, Blog


Self-publishing has allowed many people to publish books that are very good, but those books might have also sat in slush piles forever. One of the biggest issues that self-publishing authors face is printing the book. While you can work out ways to print and bind a book yourself, that's not really efficient for mass production. Ensuring book printing goes well means looking at shipping times and printing options.

You Want Them Printed

Wherever you go to have your book printed, have the copies printed locally (or wherever the majority of your readers will be). The supply chain and ports have been having a few problems for a while, with ships waiting for long periods and deliveries being slightly delayed. You don't want your book copies sitting in a crate on a ship for weeks instead of being in the hands of your readers. While deliveries within the U.S. are also facing delays, they are experiencing far shorter wait times than those shipping containers outside U.S. ports.

Look for Multiple Binding Options

Many people who self-publish tend to choose one format, such as trade paperback, and stick with that. However, sometimes you want different editions. Maybe you want hardback copies initially, with paperbacks released next year because you want to mimic traditional book releases. Maybe you prefer mass paperback but want a few trade paperbacks for special editions. Look for different binding and size options when you choose your printing service.

Order Test Copies

A printed book is more than a bunch of pages glued together; it's a whole package of story, graphics, typeface, material, and more. You want to be sure that your readers get what you think they're getting, so ordering a test copy, if possible, is a good idea. If you can't order a test copy, order the smallest batch possible. This lets you see what each printing service you're interested in will use for the book. Maybe one has pages that feel just right but doesn't offer a glossy cover, while another offers matte covers but has pages that are thinner than you'd like. You also want to see how well they pack the books to ensure your readers receive copies that remain in good shape from printing through shipping and receipt.

Book printing should be seamless for you. You or your readers should be able to order copies and get good-quality books sent in a reasonable amount of time. Look carefully at all your options to find a book printing company that offers what you want. Contact a book printing service near you to learn more.


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