: Re: What printing methods and quality can I expect of POD companies? Due to the growing popularity of POD, many small companies are coming to the market, and makes this business very competitive.

I can't speak to any small companies that might be popping up out there, but I can bring my experience with CreateSpace, which is the Amazon POD service. I recently used CreateSpace to provide a print version of one of my books, and when I received the proof copy to review I was truly quite impressed. I compared it side-by-side with a trade paperback that I had recently purchased froma major publisher at B&N, and the quality was every bit as good. The paper stock was actually, in my opinion, better with CreateSpace, but that is probably because I chose a different paper stock to be used. The binding was done in the same manner as the book from the major publisher, and the cover quality was stunning.

I believe that ultimately the cost of production for paperbacks and the processes for creating them have changed so much that it is now much easier and more cost efficient than it ever was in the past. Whereas major publishers have historically used large offset printing presses to mass produce their books, that is no longer a major requirement anymore. With current laser printers and new binding equipment, companies that are willing to make the investment in the proper tools are able to produce similar or better quality at similar prices without having to mass produce.

BTW - With CreateSpace (and other POD programs) you can choose the size of the finished book,, the type of paper you want to use, the font size and style, and the cover. A writer looking to self-publish can make changes to any or all of these areas to reduce the cost, so ultimately you get what you choose. If you go with the cheapest option in every category, then the final product wil be inferior to something produced by a major publisher. However, if you are mindful of your readers and make appropriate selections, you can very easily get the same or better quality.

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: Re: What printing methods and quality can I expect of POD companies? Due to the growing popularity of POD, many small companies are coming to the market, and makes this business very competitive.

More posts by @Murray165

: How can I edit my own, very old work? I have about a hundred pages of a novel I wrote in high school, I like the concept behind the writing but I'm finding it extremely difficult to go

: Is it frustrating not to know the narrator's gender? I have written a 1st person piece and reading it I realize it's very difficult to tell if the narrator is male or female. There are one

: How can I get book my non-fiction book reviewed by professional reviewers? I had my book reviewed by people who are interested in the topic of the book. Now interested in reviews by professional

: Inventing names for Sci-Fi characters How can I invent names for fictional characters in a future-setting Sci-Fi story so they won't be connected to any existing culture? I considered the following

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