Print On demand (POD) Falls Short Of Promises

June 13, 2009 - PRLog -- (New York, NY)—While print on demand (POD) offers an alternative to some self-publishers, it is falling short of meeting the expectations of authors and book buyers alike, according to publishing experts.

POD is a process whereby books are printed one at a time with a glorified Xerox machine, as opposed to using a traditional web offset printing press that runs off 50, 500, 1,000 or more copies of a book.

Recently, there has been a spate of articles in major news publications—The New York Times, TIME, US News & World Report and others—discussing the option POD provides self-published authors. However, rarely are the shortcomings of POD addressed.  

While print on demand offers authors the chance to self-publish, industry insiders question the quality of the editorial and customer support offered by companies like Author Solutions and Lulu, and instead support a new model that includes ghostwriting and professional marketing for those asking, “Where can I get my book published?”

“There are critical shortcomings in the POD model that should be examined before an author chooses it over more-complete book-design companies,” says Joel Hochman, cofounder of Arbor Books (www.arborbooks.com). According to Mr. Hochman, those factors include:

• Poor editorial support
• Unattractive cover design
• Amateurish back-cover copy and layout
• Inadequate marketing support
• Embarrassingly bad production quality
• Problems with royalty payments to authors

“It’s great that someone can have these POD choices, and it’s a solution for some people,” says Arbor Books cofounder Larry Leichman. “So if you’re asking, ‘What is POD?’ then consider looking a little further into a comprehensive writing, editing and book-packaging company.”

“Don’t skimp on the detail work when you’re having your book put together,” says Mr. Hochman. “You’ll live to regret it, and you might waste a great story.”

Arbor Books provides an array of publishing services to their clients, such as ghostwriting, editing, typesetting, design, printing, marketing and distribution, that are all on a par with the bigger publishing houses.

Arbor Books has continued to be the choice for self-publishers looking to put out the best independent works in fiction (thrillers, sci fi, mysteries, humor, romance, historical, chick lit, children's books, etc.) and non-fiction (business, memoirs, military, diet, cookbooks, health, medical, beauty, family histories, how-to, advice, self-help, investment, history, coaching, politics, etc.).

Arbor Books authors have appeared on MSNBC, CNN, ABC News and FOXNews and have become columnists for major newspapers and magazines including USA Today. Cofounders Joel Hochman and Larry Leichman are publishing-industry veterans and are listed in Literary Market Place.

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