Book printing is a less glamorous yet universal process that applies to every physical copy in every genre. It doesn’t matter if you’re an aspiring children’s book author, a talented photographer, a creative comic book artist, or any independent writer; understanding the book printing process is crucial in determining the outcome and expense of your project.

We’re here to explore the essential steps to get your book printed and printed professionally. We’ll discuss the different printing options available to self-publishers, along with the pros and cons of each. We’ll demystify printing terminologies like paper type, binding options, ISBN, barcodes, and the proofing process. 

Armed with this knowledge, you will have the confidence to navigate the printing process and ensure your book meets bestseller print standards. We also get that budget can be a significant concern, so we share strategies to help keep your printing costs manageable without skimping on quality.

Book printing options

Two primary options to consider when printing your self-published book are offset printing and print-on-demand (POD). Each method has its benefits and drawbacks. But in most cases, POD often works best for self-published creators, while offset printing can be more efficient for publishing houses working with established authors.

What is offset printing?

Offset printing is a traditional, cost-effective method suited for large print runs. It involves creating metal plates to transfer ink onto rubber blankets and, finally, onto the printing surface. This process is the industry standard for delivering high-quality results in large quantities. It’s ideal for creators with a substantial demand for their books.

Offset printing is cost-effective for large print runs and offers superior print quality, making it ideal for visually rich books. It allows for extensive customization, allowing you to choose from various paper types, finishes, and ink colors to match your vision. As the method used by traditional publishers, offset printing involves higher upfront costs due to plate creation and minimum print quantities. Managing inventory can also be challenging if demand is uncertain.

What is print-on-demand (POD)?

POD is a modern printing method that revolutionized self-publishing. With POD, you print books as you receive orders, eliminating large financial investments and tricky inventory management.

Print-on-demand reduces upfront costs as you only print books when orders come in, saving on storage and logistics. It also allows the flexibility to print single copies or small batches, making POD great for testing the market or niche audiences. However, the cost per unit may be higher than offset printing for larger quantities. 

Finding a printing service

The next step is pinpointing a reliable printing service that meets your requirements and publishing standards. With such an array of digital book printers available, evaluating several factors when picking your service is wise.

• Services offered. Begin by assessing the services provided by different printing companies. As a rule, only work with providers that specialize in book printing. These providers generally have the experience, expertise, and technology tailored to your requirements. 
• Printing quality. The quality of your book is super important, so thoroughly examine samples of their previous work. Request print samples or look for books they’ve printed to gauge the paper quality, binding, and overall finish. A professional printing service should showcase consistency and excellence.
• Customization options. Consider the level of customization each service can provide for your book. Ensure they offer a variety of paper choices, finishes, and binding options to actualize your creative vision. Look for the flexibility to create a unique and visually appealing book that aligns with your artistic direction.
• Turnaround time. Time is of the essence in publishing. Ask about each service’s production timeline and turnaround times. Be sure the company you choose can deliver within your desired timeframe without compromising quality.
• Pricing and quotes. Get detailed quotes from multiple printing services and carefully review their pricing structures. Compare the costs for different quantities and evaluate any additional fees or setup costs. Balance the overall cost to self-publish your book with the level of service and quality provided.
• Reputation and reviews. Research each printing service’s reputation. Seek customer reviews and testimonials to learn about the service’s reliability and communication and gauge past clients’ satisfaction.
• Distribution. Consider every printing service’s shipping options and distribution capabilities. Ensure they can handle the distribution of your book to various retailers—or directly to customers if you’d like.
• Proofing process. Verify every service’s proofing process to ensure you can review and approve a physical copy (proof copy) of your book before the full print run. Your review is crucial to catch any potential errors or layout issues before your book goes into production.

Working with the right printing partner can make a significant difference in delivering a beautiful, bookstore-quality product that exceeds your readers’ expectations and represents your work in the best possible light.

Essential elements that go into printing a book

You must check several boxes before submitting your work for printing. Preparing your manuscript, choosing your binding and paper type, and navigating printing costs are all necessary steps in turning your book into a tangible finished product. This section dives into the essential elements of printing a book, helping to ensure a frictionless journey across the final self-publishing line.

1. Manuscript: preparing for print

A critical step in pre-printing is ensuring your manuscript is properly prepared and formatted for production. Pay attention to your margins, font selection, page numbers, headers, and footers. Here’s how.

• Margins: Adequate margins ensure your text doesn’t get too close to the edge of the page, which prevents content from being cut off during printing and binding.
• Font selection: Choose a legible font that suits the genre and style of your book. If you publish an ebook, stick to standard fonts to ensure compatibility across different reading devices.
• Page numbers: Include page numbers consistently throughout your manuscript for seamless navigation.
• Headers and footers: Add headers with the book’s title and chapter names for easy reference.

While polishing your manuscript, consider investing in developmental editing services before getting into layout and print. A developmental editor will help you improve your book’s structure, content, and style before publication. Catching narrative inconsistencies and stylistic challenges early can pay dividends in the long run.

2. Professional editing and design

The quality and readability of your book’s content are pivotal to its success. While you can do a lot independently, recruiting support in this area makes sense for many self-published creators. 

It’s no secret that it’s difficult to catch typos in your own writing. Psychologists call this generalization—the mind’s default mechanism to store information and understand meaning rather than technicality. So, hiring a professional editor is invaluable in ensuring your book is free from errors, typos, and grammatical mistakes. Undoubtedly, a well-edited book elevates your credibility as a self-publisher. 

In addition to editing help for your copy, photos, and other content, consider a book designer. Investing in professional book design can elevate your book’s marketability and curb appeal. Designing a captivating book cover can distinguish your book on the shelves and capture potential readers. And an organized, aesthetically pleasing interior layout creates an enjoyable reading experience. 

In short, don’t skimp on proper book editing and design. You put a lot of time, energy, and resources into creating your book. Maximize your investment by ensuring your book looks and reads like a future bestseller.

3. Paper and binding options

Your choice of paper and binding significantly impacts the look and feel of your final book. With visually oriented books, like photo books, opting for quality is key. But for literary novels with hundreds of pages, efficiency is more of a factor. When weighing these options, consider the following.

• Paper weight: Different paper weights affect the thickness and durability of your book. A heavier paper adds substance and longevity, while a lighter paper is better for portability and affordability.
• Paper color and finish: Paper color and finish contribute to the overall aesthetics of your book. Choose between white, cream, or colored paper, and test out matte or glossy finishes. If your printing service offers a proof or swatch kit, try printing your photo book on different paper so you can see how your images show up on each type.
• Binding options: There are many options, including perfect binding, spiral binding, and hardcover binding. Each has unique advantages, with perfect binding being cost-effective, spiral binding providing flexibility, and hardcover offering durability and a premium look.

Some printing services offer swatch kits, allowing you to experience different paper types and finishes before deciding. Spend time figuring out which materials work best with your book vision and budget.

4. Cover options: paperback versus hardcover

The front cover is your book’s first impression, so choosing the right type is vital. If you’re unsure which book option is best, let’s explore both in detail.

• Paperback: Paperback covers are flexible, lightweight, and cost-effective. They are perfect for novels, zines, and serialized books with frequent updates or revisions. However, they’re less durable than hardcovers.
• Hardcover: Hardcover books exude a premium feel and durability, making them ideal for special editions, coffee table books, and books with a longer shelf life. However, hardcovers are typically more expensive to produce.

Consider your book’s genre, target audience, and budget when choosing between a paperback and hardcover. Or, best yet, offer both and let your fans decide! 

5. Typeface: choosing the right font

Selecting the right typeface is essential for the book’s cover and interior. Typography complements your book’s design, helps set the tone, and enhances readability. But choosing the right font is not always easy. Here’s what to think about when picking.

• Prioritize readability. Clear and legible fonts are integral to any book design. After all, what is a book’s point if a reader can’t make out the photos, captions, or text?
• Match the font to your book’s genre and tone. The right font can immediately create a cohesive and immersive reading experience.
• Maintain consistency. Avoid using too many fonts; limit your selection to two or three for a cohesive design.
• Experiment with font sizes and line spacing. Play around to strike the right balance between readability and aesthetics.
• Seek feedback. Gather opinions on the font’s readability and appeal from mentors and trusted advisors.
• Consider san-serif and serif. Sans-serif fonts are usually best for contemporary genres, while serif fonts are great for classic or historical genres.

Remember that simplicity and legibility often trump decorative or overly stylized fonts. 

6. ISBN and barcode: the essentials for distribution

An International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a unique identifier that distinguishes your book from others in the market. It is essential for sales, distribution, and libraries. You can obtain an ISBN from your country’s ISBN agency or through self-publishing platforms. Blurb issues ISBNs for free with any book created using BookWright, our Adobe InDesign plugin, or our PDF to Book uploader tool.

Barcodes are also crucial for retail distribution. They encode the ISBN and facilitate accurate scanning at bookstores. Many printing services provide barcodes and ISBNs or offer guidance on obtaining them.

7. Proofing: ensuring perfection

Before proceeding with the entire print run, request a physical proof copy of your book. Many printing services offer this option, which allows you to review your final product and catch any remaining errors, layout issues, or formatting glitches. A proof copy is a great way to comb through your book and ensure it’s ready before giving the green light to initiate a complete print run.

You may also want to get a second set of eyes and recruit the services of a professional proofreader or copy editor. Hiring a professional editor can be invaluable for several reasons:

• Unbiased evaluation: Professionals provide an impartial review, catching errors you might miss due to familiarity with the content.
• Language expertise: Editors enhance grammar, punctuation, and clarity, elevating readability and flow.
• Consistency and style: Editors ensure consistent spelling, capitalization, and punctuation, maintaining a cohesive writing style.
• Enhanced content: Editors can suggest revisions to strengthen the book’s content and message.
• Visual elements: Proofreaders verify accuracy in images, captions, and tables, ensuring correct placement and labeling.
• Catching last-minute errors: Professional editors find those last-minute mistakes that may have slipped through multiple self-edits.
• Saving time and effort: Hiring a professional frees up time for other aspects of publishing, helping you focus on what you do best.

8. Cost considerations

Printing costs are a significant aspect of self-publishing, and there’s much to be mindful of. Here’s where to start.

• Setup costs: Offset printing may involve upfront setup expenses, like creating printing plates or molds for your book. These costs are more significant for offset printing than print-on-demand, where setup fees are minimal or nonexistent.
• Per-copy costs: The per-unit cost of printing each book varies based on print quantity, trim size, paper type, and binding options. Bulk printing with offset may reduce the per-copy cost, making it cost-effective for higher print quantities.
• Shipping: If you’re distributing physical copies of your book, you must consider shipping costs. The printing facility’s location and the book’s destination influence shipping expenses.
• Additional charges: Depending on your requirements, there may be additional charges for services like rush printing, special finishes, or customizations.

To keep costs manageable without compromising quality, consider these cost-saving strategies.

• Print-on-demand is cost-efficient for creators with uncertain demand or those testing the market. It eliminates the need for significant upfront investments and inventory storage.
• Digital printing is more economical for short print runs, as it eliminates setup costs associated with offset printing.
• Opt for a standard trim size for your book to avoid additional trimming costs during production.
• Bulk printing with offset may be cost-effective due to reduced per-unit costs if you anticipate high demand.
• Invest in self-promotion and marketing to increase book sales—it takes money to make money, as they say.

By grasping all the costs involved in self-publishing and implementing relevant cost-saving strategies, you can effectively budget your book printing expenses accordingly and price your product with an adequate profit margin.

Print your book with Blurb

We’re Blurb, a print-on-demand service built by and for indie self-publishers. Our easy-to-use bookmaking software tools, array of customization options, and convenient print and distribution capabilities provide a cost-effective yet professional-quality solution. 

With Blurb, only print what you need when you need it, saving on upfront costs and minimizing inventory risks. You can also leverage Blurb to help sell and distribute your book across popular channels, including Amazon. 

Start your self-publishing journey and turn your work into the print version you envision.

The post How to print your book: a guide for self-publishers appeared first on Blurb Blog.

The progress of printing has driven the progress of, well, just about everything else since the first wooden blocks touched ink. So come along on this brief historical printing tour of how the books we love came to be, and you might find you appreciate them even more.  

Types of printing

Woodblock printing

Early third century CE

While many civilizations devised some manner of pressing or rolling shapes and characters onto a surface, the history of printing as we know it began during the Han dynasty in China. The oldest remaining printed text is a copy of the Diamond Sutra, a Buddhist scripture dating back to 868 CE.

Artisans created these early printing presses by carving letters and artwork into wooden blocks in relief (standing out from the surface), which they then coated in ink. The ink was then transferred to fabric like silk (or relatively newly invented paper) by simply pressing down on the blocks. 

It may sound like nothing more than a big upside-down stamp, which isn’t inaccurate. But this block printing process marked the first time people could reproduce identical copies of complex works on a relatively large scale. We’d call that a bit more important than a stamp. 

Moveable type

1040 

While Europeans wouldn’t fully embrace woodblock printing until the 1400s, the next significant step forward occurred in China centuries earlier. Inventor Bi Sheng’s movable type drastically reduced the material and effort required to prepare a single page for print. It did so by replacing the one-of-its-kind printing blocks with individual characters. Printers could use these blocks to arrange one page (the first use of typesetting), rearrange the next (the second use of typesetting), and finally reuse them for other pages and printed texts. 

This modular approach also made correcting mistakes in a print far easier and less wasteful—so long as the type held up. The earliest movable type, made from soft or brittle wood, clay, or porcelain, wasn’t well suited to high-volume printing or frequent resetting. Interestingly, the first movable metal type (in this case, copper) wasn’t developed until the end of the 12th century. Using metal added the much-needed durability for printing frequently.

Printing press

1440 

The trickle of technology into Europe led to perhaps the most well-known leap forward in printing. While a Korean Buddhist document named Jikji is the world’s oldest surviving book printed with movable metal type, Johannes Gutenberg developed improved methods for casting the type and introduced a self-contained movable type printing press.

Gutenberg’s press worked by inking the type and pressing it against a sheet of paper on a flat surface. The press design allowed bookmakers to make multiple copies quickly and precisely. His advances and the advantage of European languages requiring fewer characters resulted in the historic Print Revolution.

At a time in history when all the books in the world numbered in the tens of thousands, this first printing press began printing hundreds at a time. Suddenly, troves of knowledge that were once exclusive to the landed gentry and clergy fell into the hands of an increasingly literate public in the form of books, pamphlets, posters, and even printed music. The appetite for learning and the dissemination of ideas fueled the scientific enlightenment that would define the era—and ours.

Etching

Around 1515

While movable type made the printed word more accessible, complex images still needed to be drawn or painted and reproduced by hand. This laborious process hindered the printing industry. The process of etching (a type of printing that involves cutting a design into metal using acid) has been used since antiquity to mark or decorate ornaments and suits of armor. In the 16th century, artists adapted the process to create printing plates of their work that could be used hundreds of times without wearing out. Etching made a huge impact on the history of printing as this allowed mass-printed books to contain mass-produced artwork and for entire volumes of art to reach a wider audience. 

We use etching to this day for some book illustrations. Plus, in another case of print changing our lives, tech companies use a modernized variant of the process to etch the circuit boards of whatever device you’re reading this on. (Unless you printed this blog out, thanks to the ubiquity of inkjet or laser printing, which are also coming up.)

Lithography

1796

Printed images took another step forward in the history of print with the invention of lithography. The process for this type of printing is like etching in that it uses acid, but the art is drawn onto a stone or metal plate using grease, and the acid creates water retaining or repelling surfaces for the lines. This simpler-for-the-artist process allowed for better accessibility, greater detail, and higher-volume art in print.

Everything turned kaleidoscopic in 1837, with the patenting of chromolithography, or lithography in color. By combining multiple meticulously aligned plates with separate inks, printers could reproduce near-perfect facsimiles of vibrant fine art—or get in on the golden age of poster design. 

(And stay tuned because lithography isn’t just for pretty pictures.) 

Rotary press

1843

The first regularly-printed newspapers appeared in the 16th century, thanks to Gutenberg’s movable type press. But it wasn’t until 1843 that The New York Sun made history by becoming the first paper printed on a rotary press.

The high-volume daily newspaper as we know it is the result of the rotary press, which replaced flat printing plates with cylindrical rollers and could print thousands of reasonably-priced issues every day. Of course, this step into modernity is also attributable to the industrialization of paper production and the proliferation of paper mills.

Offset printing

1875 (1904 for paper)

Offset printing is a type of printing that combines the oil-and-water chemistry of lithography with rotary printing and adds an extra layer of rubber (the “blanket”) between the print plates and the paper. Two significant printing advances, plus the inclusion of this then-novel material, enabled cheaper and faster production of plates, better control of ink, and generally sharper print results. 

Most books you’ve read were likely offset-printed, which remains the most popular print method for mass-market publications today. 

Screen printing

China 10th century CE, wider adoption 1910s

By the turn of the 20th century, the process of screen printing had been an artisanal practice for a thousand years. With this type of printing, artisans use mesh and stencils to transfer ink onto a surface when scraped with a blade—but this process was primarily limited to printing on textiles. It became far more popular when advances in chemistry allowed this process to be used on a much larger scale and on a wider array of surfaces, including on various types of paper. 

Further innovations led to photo-imaged stencils so that nearly any color image could be screen printed onto almost any fabric. You probably have more than one T-shirt that unintentionally advertises your appreciation for how far screen printing technology has come.

Electrophotography

1948

In 1948 there was another innovative step taken in the history of print. The invention of electrophotography was a huge leap forward in several ways. This type of printing involves a dry photocopying technique that uses light and electric charges to transfer an original image onto a rotary-style print drum using dry ink (toner), which is then rolled onto another sheet of paper to make a near-exact copy.

If that sounds familiar, that’s because we also refer to this process as Xerography; the first commercially available Xerox photocopier brought the technology to the public in 1959. Anyone with access to the photocopier could reproduce any document without preparing special print plates, dealing with harsh chemicals, or battling messy inks. 

Inkjet printing

1976

While many companies worked to advance a decades-old idea of propelling tiny droplets of ink onto paper, Hewlett-Packard was the first to offer this “inkjet” technology in a commercially available printer. Many others followed suit and developed their own methods to spray the ink. By the 1990s, inkjet printing was the most popular form of household printer. But the cost of the inks, and their tendency to degrade or clog delicate print nozzles, have seen that title move to the latest and greatest print technology.

Laser printing

1970s

Inventors applied principles of electrophotography to printing directly from digital sources in the 1970s, with the first “laser” printers. These were extremely expensive and primarily used in high-volume commercial applications, such as printing huge batches of individually numbered checks. As personal computers and desktop publishing software gained wider adoption, this type of printing made its way into many homes and offices in the 1980s, which also saw the development of color laser printing.

As you can see, the history of print has been impressive. Today, new iterations of laser printing have become so advanced that they can rival offset printing in volume and quality with a fraction of the setup cost. Systems like the HP Indigo digital printing press used by Blurb allow anyone to publish full-color books, one copy at a time or in runs of thousands. 

Gutenberg would be flabbergasted.

Ready to create and print a book of your own? We offer many options including API Printing to make it easy!

The post The history of print appeared first on Blurb Blog.

A fourth-generation, family-owned company of makers, Mohawk has served the creative needs of designers, brand-owners, and printers worldwide since 1931. Committed to providing materials that help make every printed project more beautiful, effective, and memorable, Mohawk is the go-to choice of discriminating creatives.

Mohawk Layflat Papers at Blurb

Mohawk proPhoto Pearl – Layflat

300# High-End Photographic Paper with Pearl Texture & Luster Finish (650 GSM)

Mohawk proPhoto Pearl is the finest printing paper available. No other type of paper has the same reputation for uniformity and timeless quality. With superb vibrancy and color and a soft pearlescent texture, this flawless paper inspires great design and delivers true archival-quality with a high age resistance (200+ years).

Best Use
Designed for high-end Layflat photo books, Mohawk proPhoto Pearl paper resembles the look and feel of pearl darkroom paper and is the heaviest of all our paper offerings. It provides great contrast, exceptional 4-color reproduction, and a delicate softness for portraits. 

Mohawk Superfine Eggshell – Layflat

300# Archival-Quality Uncoated Paper with Luxurious Eggshell Texture and Matte Finish (622 GSM)

Mohawk Superfine Eggshell is the benchmark for excellence when it comes to rich color reproduction. Its beautifully weighted texture and ultra-premium matte finish makes it the most lush, tactile paper available.

Best Use
This uncoated paper is the ideal choice for natural-looking reproductions in both color and black and white that call for an artistic look and feel.

Your best photos deserve a luxurious showcase. Start designing your Layflat Photo Book today.

The post Mohawk Layflat Paper Types appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Whether you’re providing a platform for clients to create and print their own content or selling your own branded print products, Blurb can help.

Our dynamic API integration software connects seamlessly with your business operations to help you make printed content and products part of your business offering. All of our work is done behind the scenes, so it’s your brand or your clients’ work that shines through in the final product.

How Does it Work?

1. White Label Printing

Our API Printing Services work on a print-on-demand basis. That means no bulk orders, upfront costs, or storage issues. Products are printed on-demand as your customers and clients order them. Without major investment, it’s possible to realize an immediate profit on every order.

You can choose to print content into any of our standard formats, including Photo Books, Trade Books, and Magazines. You’ll be able to choose from a range of trim sizes, paper types, and cover options to suit your content. Alternatively, we can work with you to create your own custom product.

2. Distribution

Blurb’s API Printing and Distribution Services connect you to markets in over 100 countries without the hassle of handling the logistics of global shipping. You’ll be plugged directly into our distribution infrastructure, which is already set up to get products into the hands of customers all over the world.

3. Customer Support

We’ll oversee each order from start to finish with our customer service team providing expert front-line support. We’ll deal with any questions or queries if they arise and keep things running smoothly.

Blurb’s API in Action

Blurb and StoryWorth invite you to give the gift of stories. Collect memories from a loved one and turn them into a beautiful Blurb book.

Each week over the course of a year StoryWorth sends a loved one a series of curious questions about their life. At the end of the year, these questions and their answers are collected and bound in a beautiful book printed and delivered by Blurb.

Format: Trade Book

We’ve partnered with Shoot My Travel to help you turn your travel photos into a beautiful photo book.

Shoot My Travel provides vacation photography experiences with professional photographers in over 450 destinations. Now, when they return home, their customers can easily turn the photos they captured along the way into a printed Photo Book.

Format: Photo Book

Create a professional, branded guidebook, full of tips and information for your guests.

Hostfully’s software enables vacation rental owners to create local guidebooks in PDF format. Integration with Blurb’s API Printing Services means that their users can now print their guidebook as a professional newsstand-quality magazine.

Format: Premium Magazine

Put the power of print to work for your business. Get in touch to find out more and get started.

The post Web to Print for Business: Blurb’s API Print on Demand Services appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Advantages of offset book printing

Unlike digital printing, offset printing becomes much more cost-effective as quantity goes up, provided you are printing a high enough number of books. Our minimum volume for offset printing is 750 copies for photo books. It’s a bit higher for trade books and magazines because it takes a higher volume to be cost-effective compared to digital printing. As you get into the thousands of books, you’ll see significant savings over our base retail prices—even past our very best digital pricing. Because each offset printing project is a custom job, quotes can take 5 to 10 business days.

The production and shipping time will be longer for an offset print run than a digital one. We have offset printers in both the United States and China. Orders from China will take around 12 weeks from start to finish, provided there are no changes to the files. Orders printed in the US will take 8-10 weeks. This translates to a longer wait, but the pricing will be the absolute best Blurb can offer on book printing.

Your offset printing guide

Offset printing is a bit more involved than using Blurb’s basic printing functions. This is where Blurb’s offset printing department becomes your secret book-printing weapon. Until recently, offset book printing was only available to professional printers making many thousands of books. Blurb makes it possible, and cost-effective, to print smaller runs.

We will consult with you to determine if offset printing is the right solution for your book. Then, we’ll start moving forward, getting pricing and files in place. We’ll handle all the technical details. We’ll deal with the offset printer directly, working with you to make sure your budget and timeline run smoothly. Right up to the delivery of all those new books.

Wondering whether offset printing is the right choice for you? Contact us today.

The post What is offset printing? appeared first on Blurb Blog.

1. No large, high-cost, upfront orders

When people think of self-publishing, we hear this question over and over again: “But what is the cost, really? What’s the catch? No, really. What is the actual cost of self-publishing?” It’s hard to believe the answer: Nothing. The only cost is your time and the price of one book. That’s the beauty of the digital printing revolution. Books are printed on demand as they’re paid for, so you don’t have to spend thousands to sell one book. Without a major investment, it’s possible to have immediate profit on every copy.

2. Digital on demand printing is faster

Traditional printing, or offset printing, takes months at minimum for setup and proofing, let alone printing and shipping the larger order from far away. Digital printing can do a small run in a matter of weeks, depending on the quantity, and the cost of proofing is one book at a time (depending on how many rounds of proofing you need to do.) Don’t mistake the faster speed for lower quality. These are not like the digital printers people have in their homes. These professional-grade printers can print up to 2400 dpi, with astonishing clarity, color saturation, and precise alignment. Even though it’s faster, the digital printing on demand process is still manually set and checked by a human each step of the way, assuring quality control and accuracy. 

3. Digital printing is scalable

The plates used in traditional printing can only be used once. This means that once a run has sold out, it can’t be reordered without setting up and proofing all over again. If you order 2,000 books and need 100 more, it’s too late. The opposite is also true. If you needed only 100 books but ran 2000 of them, you’re left with that significant investment and all those extra copies. Digital printing on demand removes the risk and need for guesswork! You can print your book 5, 10, 50, 100 copies at a time. The more you print at a time, the lower the cost. If you need more copies, you can have them in-hand in a couple weeks.

Additionally, order fulfillment is generally handled by the printer. You can sell your book online, and it will ship straight from the printer to your customer. You don’t have to track shipping costs and labor for yourself.

By putting your work in the world one copy at a time, it’s easier to iterate. You can make changes, print a few more on demand. You can fix errors, you can customize covers and content, quickly and easily, from the same file, at no extra cost. Printing on demand offers the lowest risk and the greatest flexibility. If you’re just beginning to consider selling your book or magazine, this is a great place to start.

How has print on demand worked for you? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 3 Reasons to Print on Demand appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Before you start putting your creativity on the page, you’ve got to make some decisions about the pages themselves. The type of paper you use for your book will impact just about every facet of your publication from the get-go, including factors like size, layout, page count, image quality, portability, and durability. Choosing the right paper for your book means asking yourself a number of critical questions—both creative and functional ones—and learning how different types of paper suit different needs.

We’ll cover all of that here. Trust us, you’ll be glad you knew all this going into your project. It’ll save you some time, and your finished project will absolutely be better for it.

Pro tip: If you’re a seasoned pro or avid book lover and already know a bit about paper, jump directly to our list of paper types below, with all the specifics on Blurb paper types by format for your photo book, trade book, or magazine.

First, what type of book are you making?

The first step in narrowing down your paper type is to simply identify what you intend to publish. Blurb offers multiple formats, from expansive hardcover photo books to high-volume trade books and magazines, in eight different sizes. Those variables determine what paper selections are available, and the paper choice can also impact how many pages you’ll be able to fit in the binding.

Once you have a basic idea of your book type, its trim size, and how many pages you need, it’s time to consider the paper itself—which can be hard because the paper industry has so many options.

Paper basics

Any paper, from printing paper to acid-free paper, will have a few key things in common. Let’s go through a few basics before we start discussing the types of paper Blurb offers like weight, coating, color, longevity, and price.

Weight

A paper’s weight, which generally corresponds to its thickness, is measured in either pounds (lbs. or #) or grams per square meter (GSM). If you’re already familiar with different paper weights, great! We list that value for every paper we offer—whether it’s lightweight paper or heavy matte coated paper.

In this guide about paper types, we’ll use more practical terms, ranging from extra light to extra heavy. Think of this range as the difference between a thin novel page and a seriously thick page in a premium art book.

Generally speaking, a heavier type of paper will hold more ink and be preferable for full-color pages. Lower paper weight will be more suitable for text-heavy and high-volume publications and allow for higher page counts in a single binding.

Coating

Paper can also be loosely grouped into two categories: coated and uncoated. Coated paper can have a variety of different gloss levels (its shininess), from just a hint of gloss to full gloss. Uncoated paper will have a matte finish, with no gloss at all—though its texture can still vary, from smooth to more textured.

All of these paper types have their own strengths, depending on what you’re printing. For instance, images printed on high gloss paper may pop more on the page, while images on matte paper will change less under the light. This guide lists the coating status of each paper type, along with how that coating will impact color and other factors.

Color

The color of the paper doesn’t necessarily refer to its hue—although that can be a factor, too. When we talk about paper color, we mean how white or creamy it looks. A whiter piece of paper will produce brighter colors and sharper contrast while a creamier piece of paper will appear more muted.

As a general rule, the more bright white a sheet of paper is, the more accurate the print color reproduction will be. This also usually equates to a higher quality, more expensive paper. More economical sheets, on the other hand, tend to have less brightness with a slightly yellow tint and that will impact the color reproduction.

If you have a color-critical project, like a fine art or photography book, the whiter the sheet the better and the more realistic the color reproduction will be! Cream paper, on the other hand, is great for text-heavy book projects. The cream paper helps reduce eye strain, making it an ideal choice for novels, anthologies, and other content-rich books.

Longevity (archival quality)

Most inexpensive paper stock contains a naturally-occurring part of plant cells called lignan. As that lignan breaks down over time, it becomes acidic, which causes the paper to become brittle and yellow. If you’ve ever looked at old newspapers or school assignments, you’ve seen what that acid can do to paper. The effect is sped up by light and heat, but, even stored in a cool, dark place (like a basement shelf), regular paper will break down over time.

Because we believe every book should be built to last, all of Blurb’s paper offerings are acid-free—and different coatings can extend the life of the paper even more. For example, the coating on our archival-quality Mohawk Pearl paper is made to last more than 200 years. The great-great-great-great grandkids will really appreciate it.

Price

Besides the layout and content of your project, price is also going to be an important factor to consider. Even us paper superfans know that ultra-premium heavyweight paper isn’t the best choice for every publication—a punk zine passed out at a mutual aid fair might not require the same quality as a memorial book for your great-grandmother meant to last generations.

Each Blurb book trim size and paper combination has its own base price, plus a cost-per-additional page. So, if you’re printing hundreds of copies of a trade book or plan on listing your book for distribution, you’ll want to seriously consider how your paper choice will impact your costs. And if you’re printing a single keepsake, you might decide a pricier paper is worth every penny.

Sustainability

The pulp used in papermaking comes from trees—and, as you might expect, that process has an environmental impact. To help make print products more sustainable, there are various methods to reduce that harm.

At Blurb, we have a variety of paper types produced by manufacturers committed to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Any paper branded with this logo promotes the responsible management of the world’s forests, bringing together experts from the environmental, economic, and social spheres.

A note on test books

All the descriptions in the world won’t tell you as much about your book’s paper as actually holding a copy will. Whether you’re only printing one copy, or plan to print multiples, making a test book will benefit you greatly, and ensure you’re on the right path.

When you think you’ve got a good handle on the right trim size and paper type combination, print an abridged version that includes a few finished pages (as well as some experimental ones, if you’re still exploring things like fonts, margins, and more). You’ll get to experience exactly how the paper feels, how the images look, how it reads in different lighting, how the binding lays—all sorts of useful insights to make sure your first full run or (or first full copy) turns out exactly how you want it to.

Blurb’s types of paper

Armed with all this new paper knowledge, you can explore our paper selection with the confidence of a seasoned bookmaker. Below, you’ll find each paper’s weight, coating, printing characteristics, use cases, and its Forest Stewardship Council certifiability.

Have a look, and start imagining all the possibilities for your next project! We’re breaking them out into paper options for photo books, Layflat books, trade books, and magazines—so you can quickly find the paper right for your project.

Photo book paper types

Blurb photo books are ideal for memorializing any occasion, from weddings to birthdays, baby books to travel albums. And because each project is so personal, we give you the option to choose exactly the right paper for your book.

If you’re a professional in the art or photography world, you might gravitate toward photo books for client presentations—so we offer you the widest variety of paper options as well!

Mohawk proPhoto Pearl

If you’re looking for a luxurious, high-end paper that will make your images pop and your book last for generations, Mohawk proPhoto Pearl is the perfect paper type choice. In fact, this acid-free, archival-quality paper means that your book will last for more than 200 years without deteriorating. The pearl texture of the paper gives your book a high-end look, and the paper’s superb vibrancy and color reproduction make it ideal for photography books.

This paper is FSC certifiable which means that it’s also better for the environment, while the high whiteness ensures that your images will stand out. And if you’re worried about minor spills or dirt, don’t be—this paper is water and dirt-resistant.

Crafted by the highly respected makers of paper for photography and design books: Mohawk Fine Papers.

Best for: Photo books featuring images with warm colors and skin tones, deep blacks, and silvery greys.

Mohawk Superfine Eggshell

Crafted to communicate elegance and refinement, our Mohawk Superfine Eggshell is a heavyweight text paper with an eggshell-textured, uncoated finish. It’s acid-free for archival-quality books and FSC certifiable, for pro-planet printing. This ultrabright white, high opacity paper will make your colors truly shine while the uncoated surface absorbs ink for a more artistic look and feel. Just note that this paper will magnify grain.

Manufactured by Mohawk Fine Papers, one of the most respected makers of paper for photography and design books.

Best for: Illustration, printmaking, collage, watercolor painting—or any type of fine art project. Also wonderful for photography books where you want an artisanal look.

Premium Lustre

Our Premium Lustre paper is a great choice for any project that includes a lot of full-color images, like photography books and cookbooks. The gloss coating on this paper type gives your book’s images sharper and brighter colors. Because the sheen from the gloss can reflect a lot of light, we recommend using this paper type for projects with little text.

Best for: Yearbooks, family photo books, comic books, and other image-heavy publications that benefit from a bit more gloss and a heftier page

Premium Matte

Choose this premium matte paper type for photo books that are text and information-heavy. This medium-weight paper, built for text, has a matte coating that gives off very little shine in both the print and unprinted areas. This matte coating will keep your text legible and avoid eye strain, particularly in direct sunlight or in places with bright, direct lighting. Some authors use a matte finish to give art a soft, washed, somewhat chalky look.

Best for: Photography and art books with a gentler, more subdued feel. Paintings and drawings in particular are best represented in matte (but if you’re a fine art creator, try the Mohawk Superfine Eggshell).

Standard

Our standard paper allows for books up to 440 pages—so if you’re going big, this is the paper for you. This lightweight paper features a semi-matte coating that offers less sheen than a gloss-coated paper and much less glare. The paper’s surface is smooth, which means that you’ll have high-quality image reproduction—perfect for print designs where both images and text are equally important for readability.

Best for: Gallery books, memorial books, or any other lengthy book where text and photography hold equal weight. It’s a perfect combination of quality and affordability.

Layflat photo book paper types

For those times when you want to create a book that truly wows, choose a Layflat photo book. Without a gutter, your images can flow edge-to-edge of your spread for a panoramic experience as you flip through your book.

Ideal for client-facing work or memorabilia, Layflat books allow you to choose from our most premium paper types.

Mohawk ProPhoto Pearl – Layflat

Our heaviest Layflat paper option offers extra heavy weight, triple thick pages. This allows your pages to lay flush without a center gutter—built for breathtaking panoramic image spreads. The paper’s pearl texture on high-end photographic paper means awe-worthy vibrancy and color reproduction. Of course, it’s also archival-quality with an age resistance of more than 200 years. Just note, this paper is available for books up to 110 pages.

Built by Mohawk Fine Papers, makers of the finest quality paper for artists and designers.

Best for: Photo books with bright colors, warm skin tones, deep blacks, and silvery greys.

Mohawk Superfine Eggshell – Layflat

Our Mohawk Superfine Eggshell is an extra heavy weight, triple thick paper with an eggshell-textured, uncoated surface that is designed to communicate polish and sophistication. The premium binding process means your book (up to 110 pages) lays completely flat without a gutter—making this choice ideal for two-page spreads. It’s acid-free and FSC certified, ensuring the long-term preservation of both your book and our environment. The uncoated surface absorbs ink for an artistic feel while the ultrabright weight, high-opacity paper creates vibrant colors.

Created by Mohawk Fine Papers, a leading manufacturer of fine papers for photography and design books.

Best for: Fine art projects like gallery books for illustrations, prints, collages, watercolors, and more. It’s also perfect for photography books aiming for an artisanal feel. 

Premium Lustre – Layflat

With two versions of our Premium Lustre Layflat paper, you’ll always get locally sourced and locally produced gorgeous, layflat books.

For North American bookmakers

The Premium Lustre Layflat paper sourced locally in North America features extra heavy weight and triple thick pages. It’s especially popular for its glossy coating that presents sharper and brighter images. If your book will be mostly pictures, especially double-page spreads without a center gutter break, this is a great choice. Due to the amount of light that reflects off the sheet, text may not be as legible as on other types of paper.

With a good balance of cost and quality, this is a fantastic choice for books up to 110 pages. It’s also FSC certifiable, for more environmentally responsible printing.

Best for: Yearbooks, family books, and any photo book that benefits from more gloss and a weightier page.

For European bookmakers

The Premium Lustre Layflat paper sourced locally in Europe is slightly different than the North American variety, which helps to reduce the paper’s carbon footprint for our customers in the UK and Europe. (This also happens to mean you get your orders faster and with lower shipping costs.) The extra heavy weight, double thick pages lay completely flat when opened—a printing method that’s become increasingly popular for its clean look. The result is a book that feels substantial in the hand and displays photos across two pages without the center gutter break.

The premium silk paper and matte lamination provide less sheen and glare than gloss-coated paper, giving your art a soft, washed, somewhat chalky look. The lamination provides added protection and durability—making this paper ideal for creators looking to balance cost and quality in books up to 110 pages.

Best for: Wedding albums, baby books, and all books that would be best with a matte look and feel.

*Shipping to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

Trade book paper types

Priced for sharing and selling, trade books provide you with a wider margin for the times when you want to order and distribute multiples. Choose from a variety of professional-quality paper types that not only look great but also are affordable.

Standard Color

Our uncoated, bright-white finished Standard Color paper allows for printing on our highest-quality four-color print machines. That means your book (up to 480 pages) prints featuring rich, black ink and deep colors. This paper type provides a slightly smooth surface with some texture and feel. This lightweight text paper is ideal for full-color images that take up the entire page.

Best for: Notebooks and journals, along with books featuring photos, paintings, collages, illustrations, and graphics.

Economy Color

Choose this lightweight text paper with an uncoated, bright-white finish for books (up to 480 pages) that have graphics, art, or little pops of text color—all at a lower price point. This makes Economy Color paper a great, cost-effective way to have color printing in your pro-quality book. The slightly smooth surface also features some texture. Popular with some creators and their photography books, you’ll want to note that images should stay small and will likely have a lo-fi look. 

Best for: Notebooks and journals, plus zines and poetry books combining text and smaller images.

Standard Black and White

Pick our Standard Black and White paper for books that don’t require color but still have lots of detailed illustrations, graphics, or line art. This extra lightweight text paper is uncoated, white paper boasting a slightly smooth surface with just a hint of texture. It’s a great way to show off art for books up to 480 pages.

Best for: Black and white comics, coloring books, and poetry books with line art.

Magazine paper types

If you’re planning a recurring magazine publication, a low-cost portfolio, or even a comic book or zine, magazines are made for you. Our magazine paper option keeps costs low while continuing to keep standards high.

Premium

This velvety, matte finish Premium paper renders photographs, drawings, and designs beautifully. This paper is fantastic for full-color images that take up the entire page—like those found in photography journals, fashion magazines, and more. The matte cover has a satin UV coating and can hold up to 240 pages.

Our premium paper is also FSC certifiable, meaning it allows you to print while being responsible for the planet.

Best for: Photography-heavy pieces, like fine art magazines, comic books, and fashion publications.

Ready to pick your paper? Get started with a photo book or trade book, today!

The post How to choose the best type of paper for your book appeared first on Blurb Blog.

[subtitle]Open Impressionism: Vol II – Erin Hanson 12 x12” with 4-color offset printing, Hardcover with Black linen with Gold foil-stamp and deboss. Dust jacket with matte finish, emboss & spot gloss varnish. Premium Lustre paper , Std. mid grey end sheets, head and foot bands, 300 pages.[/subtitle]

She was extremely happy with the quality and service with her large coffee table book project. During the production process, Erin sent this note to Andrew, one of our Large Order Services Representatives.

“I received the advance copy yesterday… It is stunning!!! It is exactly everything I wanted, and the quality is the best I’ve seen.  Thank you so much for all your help making this happen!! I am already setting aside money to order my next book at the end of the year!”

Blurb was never about “cookie-cutter things”when we started the company. That’s why our classic, hardcover color books are of (somewhat) non-standard sizes. When we launched our first product, now called Standard Landscape, we didn’t default to letter-size or A4. We kept making books until we got the one that looked and felt right. We repeated that process as we defined our other “Photo Book” products, as well as when we looked for paper and bindery options. It was always about making books that felt not only special but somewhat unique.

As our company has grown we have added some standard options in the form of Trade books to better fit with the author marketplace, and we kept the classic sizes after acquiring MagCloud a few years back. But one of the sometimes little-known secrets about Blurb is that we’ve never stopped making books that are a little more out of the ordinary.

Our Custom Book Options offer precisely that. Through our global network of printing craftspeople, we can make your book more unique. Whether it’s adding a custom foil stamp and deboss or a simple ribbon marker, our Large Order Services team are here to walk you through your options or brainstorm to figure out some new ones!

[subtitle]En Pointe by Luis Alvarez 12×12 Linen Hardcover. Premium Matte Paper. 126 pages. Foil Stamping on cover and spine, with embedded laminated photo on cover.[/subtitle]

Erin ordered 1500 copies so it made sense to go offset. But what if you only want or need 250? That was Luis Alverez’ request. He runs a salon and hair product company, and he’s a photographer to boot, so he made his book to be sold at a conference and privately after. He wanted the look of an offset book, but didn’t need offset quantities. Specifically, their expectations were that it would look just as dark and rich in the blacks as an offset book, so we ran it much slower and more carefully than a normal POD book.

[subtitle]Farmhouse Manna by by Chinyelu Kunz, Courtney Diener-Stokes, Seneca Shahara Brand. 8×10, Hardcover ImageWrap with Uncoated ProLine paper, 192 pages. Custom Gold Foil Stamp on front cover. On the production floor, ready to ship![/subtitle]

Cookbooks are all the rage, and we see our fair share of those as well. Authors Chinyelu Kunz, Courtney Diener-Stokes, Seneca Shahara Brand were looking to create a cookbook to educate and inspire parents of young children as well as educators on “nourishing rituals for head, heart, hands & soul”. Their book, Farmhouse Manna, has photos shot by a professional photographer and written by a professional writer, so this isn’t your run-of-the-mill school cookbook. Their aim was to distribute way beyond their school community, due to the national and global network of Waldorf Schools. They took pre-orders and set up retail locations to carry the book. They had their first book signing/sale of the book  at Kimberton Whole Foods on June 4, 2016. All proceeds from the book will benefit early childhood education at Kimberton Waldorf School, a non-profit.

These are just a few of the custom book printing projects we’ve worked on recently. We’ve done custom slipcases, custom printed endsheets, photo tip-ins, mixed paper types—the options are seemingly endless. We can work with you for as few as 100 copies, or into the tens of thousands. We can help set up delivery to your address, or we can warehouse and ship directly to your customers worldwide. You can sell your book in the Blurb Bookstore, or via the Amazon Marketplace, or on your own. Pricing depends upon total volume, timing on the project, and the product you select. In some cases, we have samples we can provide for you or, depending on which custom options you are looking for, we can create a pre-order proof.

Just drop a line to our Large Order Services team, and we’ll get the ball rolling.

The post Dress it up: All About Blurb’s Custom Book Printing appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Indigo Vs Offset

Toner-based output (or, in the case of HP Indigo output, Electroink) has become a viable alternative to offset in terms of color and resolution quality.  At a recent meeting of HP Graphic Arts users, I picked up a marketing piece from one of our paper providers, Verso.  It had an  Indigo print page overlaid on an offset printed piece. They are virtually indistinguishable. But Howie’s chart shows pretty clearly the big issue – price. The cost of on-demand, one-off digital printing is quite a bit more expensive than offset or inkjet. I would argue that the “cross-over point” is lower than 1500 in Blurb’s world. Especially when our customers have enough time to use our offshore printing options.

Inkjet

So where does inkjet play in this mix? That’s where color and resolution quality comes in.  Currently the output from high-speed inkjet presses like HP’s PageWide line doesn’t quite meet the standard that Blurb’s clients expect.  I expect this gap to continue to narrow over the coming years though as the inkjet heads used by these presses are actually the same technology as photo-quality desktop printers.  It comes down to ROI when you slow the press down to improve quality as well as the cost of laying down the amount of ink needed to match offset.  Both of these, like all technologies, will continue to improve toward lower pricing.

I would argue that the “cross-over point” is lower than 1500 in Blurb’s world. Especially when our customers have enough time to use our offshore printing options.

There’s a current spot in Blurb’s line for inkjet in the form of our Economy Print Magazine. It’s priced 1/3 lower than our Premium product printed with Indigo. There’s also our Economy Color Trade Books. These come in at 1/2 the price of our Standard, Indigo-printed line. These products don’t meet everyone’s needs, but if cost is an issue they’re great alternatives.

Blurb’s customers bridge a wide range of requirements and uses.  We’re especially sensitive to authors looking to resell their editions for profit. Because of this we continue to push the envelope of new and improving technologies to marry the best quality and price to meet the varied needs of our clients.  A good place to start comparison shopping is with a Blurb Swatch Kit. It costs $7.95 but you get a promo code that lets you apply that amount toward your book purchase.

From our inception in 2005, we’ve always tried to disrupt tradition and expand opportunities for authors of all types . From one-off family photo books to editions in the tens-of-thousands, our book printing options give you industry-best flexibility for your projects.

The post Indigo, Inkjet, or Offset: Why We Offer All Three appeared first on Blurb Blog.

For over 10 years, Blurb has developed unique and dedicated systems to assure your vision and content are represented as you saw them in software, whether you use BookWright, Bookify, Lightroom, InDesign, or your personal PDF. We have made books since day one at a time where marrying digitally printed pages with classic library binding was not as ubiquitous as it is today.  Early on, we wrote the rules that helped spawn a self and personal publishing revolution. So what exactly happens when you place that order?

When you order books you are interacting with Blurb’s commerce system.  We manage that, along with our storage and production systems, in house to assure we always have a finger on the pulse of the bookmaking environment.  Your book file is pre-flighted to look for any errors and is then routed to one of the members of the Blurb Global Print Partner Network—a closely vetted and managed cooperative group of the most skilled craftspeople we can find.  Many of them have been with us since we were barely a blip on the book radar screen and we’ve grown, and learned, together over this past decade, becoming experts in combining the technology and the craft needed to produce books that you will be proud to show off and that will last for years to come.

Which member of the Print Network receives your book for printing is dependent on multiple factors—your location, the type of product you are ordering, and the current state of production at each facility are the main determinants.  Over 99% of Blurb book files flow right though the systems that impose the book pages for printing.  If we find an error, we contact you to solve the issue and get your book back on track.  When the pages come off of our presses, primarily HP Indigo models, that’s the first time human eyes see your printed product.  A first QA step is done before sending the book along for binding.  This is where the craft plays in.  Book binding in quantities of one are still done by hand, one at a time.  Wearing white gloves and keeping a close eye out for any manufacturing defects, your book finds its way from book block gluing, to cover marrying, and yet another QA check before heading to dedicated shipping stations where it gets securely packaged before our shipping partners pick it up to begin its final journey to your mailbox.

I’m constantly amazed as I walk the floors of our partner’s printing facilities to see what our customers create using our tools.  I never get tired of seeing the results of your passion and creativity and I still get as excited now as I did when I saw the first Blurb books coming off the presses in 2005.  It’s what we do at Blurb, and we love it. A final word of advice, keep some tissues handy when you give your personally created book to that loved one—you’ll need them.

The post What happens after you order your Blurb book? appeared first on Blurb Blog.

The most basic criteria for choosing the right method for your book is straightforward: Choose based on volume. If you’re printing thousands of copies at once, offset printing is likely the way to go. If you’re printing only a handful of books, or one at a time, without question, it’s a great reason to choose print on demand. But there’s a lot of middle ground between those scenarios and many factors to consider if you’re on the fence. Knowing some details will help you make the right choice. 

What is offset printing?

Modern offset printing is an advanced version of the printing presses that put more books in the hands of more people beginning in the 15^th century. Today, rather than huge blocks of moveable type, set by hand individually, several “plates” are made for each book page. Creating and setting up all the plates for a single book takes time, but once it’s all up and running, these warehouse-sized offset printers can churn out hundreds of books per hour. As a result, the more copies you print in a single offset printing run, the more economical the run becomes—while printing just a copy or two would be incredibly expensive on a per-book basis. 

What is print on demand (POD)?

Print on demand, on the other hand, is a digital process that put bookmaking in the hands of everyone near the beginning of this century. By printing directly from the file to the page, the best POD systems (like the HP Indigo presses used by Blurb) allow anyone to upload and publish a book that’s as comparable in quality to those produced with offset printing. All that with a fraction of the setup time and materials. There are still some economies of scale, but the ability to produce just a few copies at a reasonable price has made POD such a game-changer for an ever-expanding new generation of authors.

What’s the difference?

The most significant difference between digital printing (used for print-on-demand books) and offset printing is that printers print-on-demand books as customers order them, while offset print books are printed all at once in a large print run. But you already know that! So now we’ll get into a deep dive into a few essential differences between the two, like quantities, speed, size, distribution, and way more.

Quantities

The differences in upfront costs give a print on demand a significant advantage for smaller runs but offset printing starts to make more sense at a certain point. The cutoff can range from somewhere around 750 copies to 1,000 or more, and it depends on a huge number of factors. We’ll dive into many of them here, but if you’ve already got your project planned out, directly consulting one of our Large Order Services experts can give you all the answers you need to make the right call.

Speed

Print on demand holds the advantage for self-publishing projects that call for copies right now. If you’ve got your files ready, you can get a POD book in your hands in as few as 5-7 business days, while an offset printing run will typically take at least 12-13 weeks to reach its destination.

Book sizes

Today’s print-on-demand systems offer more ready-to-print book sizes than ever (they’re called trims in the industry). Offset printing offers just as many, so there’s not too much a difference here. But if you’re printing a particularly exotically-shaped book, you’ll want to talk to your printer first—and the costs for your book will likely reflect the unique setup. This is something to keep in mind from the moment you start your book project.

Revisions

The end of a book project is a triumphant moment—and it’s often followed by the realization that there is still more work to do. Even the most fastidious self-publishers may want to revise their work, from simply addressing typos and tweaking page breaks, to updating content, artwork, attributions, and about a million other things. 

If that book was published with offset printing, making those revisions will mean more upfront costs to set up another run. There will likely also be more existing copies already printed, and if the change was critical, the inventory implications will be, too. This factor alone can make POD a safer choice for less seasoned self-publishers.

Paper stock choices

Your choice of paper has a massive impact on your published work, creatively and from a budget standpoint, and choosing the right paper is an art unto itself. But this is one area where the differences in offset and print on demand aren’t that significant. 

The paper stocks available in the two processes are technically different, but functionally very similar in look and feel. In fact, close alternatives are available with either method. And generally speaking, the cost implications are similar too. Choosing heavier or more premium paper types will cost more, no matter how you print. 

Binding

Your binding options are also more or less the same with offset and print on demand, so you aren’t technically limited to the type of binding you choose with either. Economically, though, some especially durable and elegant bindings (like Smyth sewn) take longer to set up and cost more, so it’s not suited to smaller POD book runs.

One of Blurb’s most popular choices for print on demand is PUR (polyurethane reactive) adhesive binding, which is strong and stretches without becoming brittle when a reader opens a book repeatedly. Saddle-stitching, AVA glue, and wire-o binding are also available at some print-on-demand suppliers and can be more cost-effective for magazines, low-page-count volumes, and other applications. 

Printing in color

Regardless of the print method, color printing costs extra. When you choose to print on demand, if your book calls for any color beyond black and white, the entire book will need to be printed in color. Offset printing allows for separate printing of black and white pages, with color pages inserted separately before binding. 

If you’re printing a large run of a text-heavy novel with a few color images interspersed, you’ll find that offset printing can offset some of the color-printing premium. But if your book features glorious color images on every page, the cost advantage can shift back to digital printing (typically used with print-on-demand books), especially at lower volumes.

Costs aside, offset printing has a slight edge in the quality of color reproduction, with more consistent color from sheet to sheet. Offset ink also sinks deeper into the paper, perfect for black and white photographers wanting a deeper black. However, as print on demand technology has improved, this consistency gap has shrunk considerably, and because the inks sit on top of the sheet, colors can pop more on a digital press (which is used for POD). 

Storage and distribution

If you go the offset route and print a large number of books at once, you’ll suddenly have just that: a large number of books at once. Without pre-arranged distribution, you need a way to store the books—and account for climate control, ease of access, and all those associated costs. Make sure you’ve got an appropriate place for those books since sitting on extra copies until they’re ready to move can quickly become uncomfortable.

Print on demand earns its name in this department. When more copies are needed (by a distributor, retailer, or you), you can simply print more to dropship or sell through Blurb or Amazon, in batches or one at a time. Even large publishing companies have embraced POD to avoid extra inventory and fill gaps in production when demand is high. 

Profit margins

When printing a book you intend to sell, another significant consideration that impacts your choice of printing method is how much you plan to make from the book. Add your desired profit margin to the cost of producing, printing, shipping, marketing, and storing a book, and that’s your book’s list price. 

High-volume offset printing requires a higher upfront cost but offers a lower cost per copy, so there’s room for more markup relative to the printing cost. On the other end of the spectrum, if you’re trying to sell a limited-run print-on-demand book, you’ll find it’s hard to reach a reasonable list price without seriously cutting into your margin—or pricing it out of the market entirely. 

Remember, however many books you’re printing, you must price them competitively if you want them to sell. When choosing your printing method, paper stock, binding, and defining your margin, keep this in mind. Sometimes you’ll find a bigger audience with a lower cost-per-copy option. If your book doesn’t need full-page images on heavy high-gloss stock, trade books can get your work out into the world at a lower price, with a bigger share of the sales going into your pocket.  

Environment

Ecologically-conscious authors take note: print-on-demand books are much more environmentally friendly for several reasons. First, the process typically yields fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than offset printing. Next, the setup process for offset requires printing hundreds of press sheets before the live run can start. POD books reduce waste and spoilage because you only print the number of needed copies. 

Misconceptions

If you’re trying to sell your book through traditional bookstores or a distributor, you might find that they have some opinions about your choice of printing method. Some favor offset-printed titles based on lingering misconceptions from publishing days gone by, while others will share valid realities of the always-shifting publishing landscape as it exists today. 

The vast majority of misconceptions about print-on-demand center on print quality, book durability, and general acceptability in the marketplace. We’ll dispel some of those misconceptions so you can make a well-informed choice. 

Quality

When it comes to print quality, offset printing is often considered the gold standard—and there’s some truth to that. However, print-on-demand technology has improved dramatically in recent years. The days of grainy black and white images and barely legible print are gone. Today’s print-on-demand books boast resolutions of up to 2400 dpi and print as crisp and clear as any offset book. 

Durability

As for durability, because the paper and binding offerings are nearly identical in offset and print-on-demand printing, they’re both every bit as durable as their counterparts. 

If you print an offset book on cheap paper with a flimsy binding, it will fall apart just as easily as a print-on-demand book. Likewise, if you print an offset or print-on-demand book on high-quality, acid-free paper with a stitched and glued binding, that book will withstand the rigors of time. So if you’re considering print on demand for your next book, don’t let outdated misconceptions about print quality or durability dissuade you.

Acceptability

What about general acceptability in the marketplace? This is a valid concern, but it’s essential to keep two things in mind. First, the print-on-demand market has grown exponentially in recent years, and POD books are now widely accepted by booksellers, distributors, and librarians.

Second, many traditional publishers often mention their limited shelf space and the need for a guarantee that a stock of books will sell—and that there will be more copies to sell if and when needed. Luckily, both offset and print-on-demand services can deliver new stock relatively quickly.

Keep in mind that unless you have a publisher helping to market your self-published book and drive demand, you’ll probably need to do some legwork to boost your book’s sales appeal and ultimately get it on the shelves. Printing more copies won’t make your book more marketable. You’ll likely want to start with smaller POD runs until the demand is there. 

One batch at a time

Don’t be alarmed if your head is still spinning or you can’t nail down a variable or two. Remember: You can always change your print method on the next run. That’s the beauty of today’s self-publishing options.

If you start with print on demand, you may find it’s time to shift to offset in the future. Maybe you’ve finally ironed out all the bugs and your perfect book is ready to hit thousands of shelves, or perhaps demand for your masterpiece is spiking—time to make a move to offset.

Or maybe you’ve already successfully published and distributed a big offset printing run but have a few extra orders to fulfill or a limited-run special edition to offer your superfans. Print on demand to the rescue!

Run with it!

All of this should give you a good idea of which printing option is right for your book—and reassurance that you can always choose a new option for future runs. But if you still have questions, feel free to reach out to us by submitting a request, and let us help you navigate the world of self-publishing.

Ready to print? Check out Blurb’s print-on-demand and offset book printing options.

The post Print on demand vs. offset printing for self-publishing appeared first on Blurb Blog.

I recently gave a talk at Inspire! International Book Fair on the differences between offset printing and print on demand. I’d assumed it’d be a sparsely attended talk. After all, how many people even know what offset printing is? But, as it turns out, over the three days I gave this talk, I had an audience with rapt attention. Some of those present were authors who were still writing their first book, but others already had books under their belts.

The post Going Offset and Going POD appeared first on Blurb Blog.

In the world of book printing, you have two options: POD (print on demand) and offset. POD is nimble, scalable, extremely cost-effective for small and single print runs, and fast. Offset, the traditional method of book printing has its advantages too, the primary one being that it’s more efficient and economical for large print runs.

So which option is right for your self-publishing book project? That depends on a lot of factors, including your budget, schedule constraints, and the size of your print run.

The post The pressing issue of how to print your book: Print on demand or offset appeared first on Blurb Blog.