Some folks just prefer to hold a physical book in their hands. So maybe you’ve decided that releasing just an ebook isn’t enough for you. So the next step would be to learn how to self print a book. 

In general, your options for printing are to print on demand or to stock up on a larger quantity right away. Your decision will be based upon your marketing and sales strategy. While there’s a risk in keeping stock, there may be a higher cost (and thus a lower profit margin) in using print-on-demand services. 

Once you take into account what your profit per copy will be, depending on where and how you’ll be selling and distributing your books, you can make an informed decision.

The Book Printing Process

Some knowledge of design is needed to correctly send formatting information to the printer. The cover and interior pages need precise settings to have a finished product that looks professional and to your liking. 

Here’s a tip: reach into your bookshelves and hold a bunch of books in your hand, and decide what’s nearest to what you want your own final product to look like. Then you can work on formatting your files correctly for the size and weight of your book. 

This job is easier to do when you can visualize the final product and have an idea of how it’ll feel in your hands. Once you’re feeling confident and you’ve run your designs by the printer themselves, it’s time for a test print! If you’re satisfied, then it’s time to move on to stocking and/or distributing. 

Steps To Self Print A Book

These days, there are so many options for authors to get their books out there. You can stock up and distribute them yourself, get them into storefronts with platforms like IngramSpark, or even sell directly on Amazon using their services. 

Once you’ve figured out which route will better reach your audience and (hopefully) hit your sales targets, you can get on to formatting. There are plenty of formatting tools online if you want to do this yourself, or you can hire a professional to format your book for you. Remember, when your readers have your book in your hand, you want to make sure that all the pages are in order, the text where it belongs, and that your cover is lined up just right. Some trial and error may be involved, which is why it’s always great to work with a group like Palmetto Publishing who can guide you along the way.

Book Printing Services

Palmetto Publishing offers comprehensive printing services for books of all shapes and sizes. As with any printer, the cost per unit varies depending on the physical size of the book, covers, embellishments, paper, page count, and other factors. Printing a high quantity of books will generally save you money in the long run versus printing on demand, but your mileage will vary. Do what’s right for your book, and contact us today!