| I am happy with my current publisher, a small, | | | | Publishing," journalist Elham Khatami tells why. "As |
| specialized house. But the publisher and I are not | | | | the economy takes its toll on traditional publishing |
| happy with the American economy. To remain | | | | houses... more authors are looking to online |
| financially stable, my publisher created a subsidiary | | | | self-publishing companies." |
| company. This company publishes books if they | | | | According to Khatami, authors are abandoning the |
| meet criteria and if the author pays for printing. In | | | | "vanity press" approach of buying books in bulk |
| return, the company maintains inventory, fills | | | | and selling them. Instead, they are turning to the |
| orders, and pays royalties. | | | | Internet. |
| According to the executive director, the | | | | Brenda Rollins discusses the pros and cons of this |
| subsidiary company is not a print-on-demand | | | | publishing trend in her article, "The POD Quandary: |
| company. When I spoke with her recently, 10 | | | | How to Decide if Print-on-Demand Publishing is |
| manuscripts were ahead of mine, and she said | | | | Right for You." Her article was published in "The |
| she would not get to my book for months. But | | | | Writer." While some POD companies offer |
| I'm senior citizen and grandmother, and do not | | | | marketing plans, Rollins says authors have to pay |
| have months to wait. So I contacted a | | | | extra for them. Rollins thinks an author who opts |
| print-on-demand (POD) company. | | | | for POD needs marketing savvy. |
| Dozens of reviews about the company are | | | | "Despite divided opinions and skepticism, |
| posted on the Internet and most are favorable. I | | | | on-demand publishing is growing," Rollins notes. She |
| emailed the company and asked for more | | | | thinks authors who are looking for a wide |
| information. A representative called the next day | | | | audience "must be all business as they make their |
| to explain the process and fees. I agreed to use | | | | decisions." |
| the company's services. | | | | Before I signed with the POD company I decided |
| Email instructions for uploading a manuscript were | | | | how much money I was willing to spend. I see |
| sent to me. The uploading took seconds. I had no | | | | this expense as an investment in my work. My |
| sooner uploaded it, when I received a call from | | | | new book is a collection of affirmations to help |
| my production contact. Talk about speedy | | | | people cope with grief. Grief is a hard sell and I |
| service! You can design your own book cover, | | | | may not make enough money to cover publishing |
| but I hired a local graphic designer and found a | | | | costs. Yet I will have the satisfaction of seeing it |
| royalty-free photo. | | | | in print and helping others. |
| Print-on-demand publishing is a book industry | | | | Are you an author caught in the recession |
| version of "just in time" manufacturing and makes | | | | quandary? Print-on-demand publishing may be the |
| sense in this economy. In a website article, "More | | | | solution for you. |
| Authors Turn to Web and Print-On-Demand | | | | |