POD Publishers

[ysabetwordsmith]

Here is an interesting comparison of Lulu and Lightning Source as potential places to turn a manuscript into a paper book. If you want to share your work with an audience, and you know your readers are into hardcopies, it's worth doing some comparison shopping to find the best place for your needs.

Edit: Here's another thread on the same blog that compares different types of printing services:
http://drivingblind.livejournal.com/315530.html

Comments

[lupabitch.livejournal.com]

Interesting. He's coming specifically from the RPG arena, which seems to be its own little world in the publishing biz. A friend of mine started an RPG publishing company a while back, and it's been interesting trading notes with him.

On the occult/pagan end of things, Immanion uses LS, which only deals with professional publishing companies, not individul self-publishers. LS automatically gets you into Amazon.com, Baker and Taylor, and Ingram for no extra charge (I believe Lulu charges extra to get you into Amazon, and doesn't get you into B&T and Ingram). Plus with LS you do have to have your own block of ISBN #s, whereas Lulu will sell them to you individually (I'm guessing at a profit).

One of the biggest issues with Lulu is that their basic cost for printing is higher per book, which makes it tougher to give the necessary discounts that distributors such as New Leaf want. If you want to have your books in brick and mortar bookstores at all, Lulu isn't that great a choice, unless you want to do the distribution yourself and buy a bunch at a bulk discount, or unless the stores use the wholesaler that Lulu uses.

I know small presses that use LS, ones that use Lulu, and ones that will cough up the money for short run traditional printings.

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing! These are longtime interests of mine, and more data is always useful. It's really cool that you and teriel pitch in stuff about Immanion Press. I hope you pick up some new readers from here.

[lupabitch.livejournal.com]

*nods* It helps give context, mostly. That way I'm (hopefully) talking out of the correct orifice, at least from all appearances ;)

[estaratshirai.livejournal.com]

Interesting, and for me, timely. :D (I don't know if you've read far enough back to know why - I'm flirting with putting a novel on POD, most likely with Lulu. I can see how it's not the best option for serious distribution, but it is for my total disinterest in marketing.)

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

Of course, buying ISBNs will cost you $275 for a block of 10.