| Author |
Message |
    
Steven Shrewsbury
Unity Member
Post Number:
1040
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 08:35 am: |   |
http://www.locusmag.com/2004/Features/03Wallace_PODEssay.html
www.stevenshrewsbury.com |
Gloria Marlow
Unity Member
Post Number:
1188
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 09:50 am: | |
I found that to be one of the more informative and understandable articles I have read on POD. Thanks for the link.
Gloria |
Bill Nelson
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
560
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 10:46 am: | |
Good article, Shrew.
bn |
Sharon D. Martin
Wandering Member
Post Number:
176
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 07:48 pm: | |
Thanks for the link!
Sharon |
Nancy Marie
Unity Member
Post Number:
1882
Registered: 08-2001
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 05, 2004 - 07:17 am: | |
A good article. Interesting that a certain publisher was listed as among those abusing the system.
Kitty |
Steven Shrewsbury
Unity Member
Post Number:
1043
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 05, 2004 - 12:45 pm: | |
I try to help out other writers with info as best I can, no matter what the cost to my career, apparently...
www.stevenshrewsbury.com |
Dennis Collins
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1283
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 14, 2005 - 12:29 pm: | |
Ingram and Lightningsource update:
I. UPDATE ON INGRAM POD BOOK STOCKING. In late summer 2004, the Ingram
Book Company, founder of leading POD printer LightningSource, announced it
would no longer stock POD books in its warehouses. We speculate that this
was caused by a glut of unsold vanity press books, clogging its
facilities.
In theory, this was a natural extension of a pure "on-demand"
philosophy: printing books one at a time, only after they are ordered.
However, in actual practice, it created a huge obstacle for popular POD
books.
Retailers reacted immediately, downgrading their listings for many POD
titles to reflect long delays in shipping, surcharges, and in some cases
(hardbacks in particular) no longer offering them for sale at all.
LightningSource reacted by offering to stock at least copy of each title,
in an effort to ease the problems created by IBC going into the crucial
holiday season.
LSI also offered to work with retailers to streamline orders, with a goal
of making POD titles competitive by April of 2005.
During late 2004, retail orders for POD books dropped sharply, because
retailers often found POD titles out-of-stock and were reluctant to
back-order. The impact was especially hard on the best POD titles; those
that sell dependably, month after month.
IBC simply did not keep up with demand, in its zeal to reduce inventories.
Early in 2005, it appears that LSI and IBC have made modest progress
convincing retailers to list POD books competitively.
For example, hardbacks are no longer excluded, but typically show shipping
in 1 to 3 weeks, rather than days. Paperbacks fare better in terms of
shipping times, but are often out-of- stock when retailers inquire.
In summary, retailers remain reticent to place back-orders, regardless of
how quickly they are filled. To make POD books competitive, IBC must
address this issue. Until then, POD books remain at a disadvantage in
mainstream book trade channels... especially those POD books that enjoy
more than token public demand.
Stay tuned for another update in April 2005
--Dan Snow |
Steven Shrewsbury
Unity Member
Post Number:
1181
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2005 - 06:39 pm: | |
Thanks
Certain POD folks did not care for my posting such info.
It cost me a book contract as well. 2 in fact.
Ah well, onward and upward...
www.stevenshrewsbury.com
GODFORSAKEN
Behler Publications |
Jennifer Lynn
Unity Member
Post Number:
1639
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2005 - 07:05 pm: | |
Sorry to hear that Shrews. The article wasn't a negative one, it pointed out WHY things are the way they are. It's really too bad that others saw it as a threat.
J
Jennifer Lynn
www.jenniferlynn.ca |
Todd Hunter
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
2126
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 07:05 am: | |
I imagine if posting such info cost you a book contract, it probably wasn't a great loss...
as you said, onward and upward...
Mindsight Moderator
Check out Who Needs a Hero?
|
Gridley Schimlap (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 4.13.175.124
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 11:48 am: | |
Exactly, nothing lost. POD is at the bottom of the pile and greatly disadvantageous. For the well-healed and bold who truely self-publish 300 copies is the breakpoint to switch to offset and the per copy cost goes way doem to $1.12 per copy. Then there's the rest of the ala carte processes needed. Traditional publication is the goal to achieve. Any writer can get there with the right topic and quality. Keep at it. |
Laurel Johnson
Unity Member
Post Number:
3666
Registered: 01-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 12:01 pm: | |
I know several successful writers who publish their own books. It isn't because no one else will publish them either, but because they want and need that control throughout the process, plus they make more money per book sold. That works beautifully for them. For me......since the whole process is a mystery, I prefer someone else take over once the book is written.
I'm a writer who likes the concept of POD and POD publishing. I have three books published and a fourth nearly in the chute. All will be published POD. And I will be happy with my lot.
Laurel Johnson
Author: The Grass Dance
The Alley of Wishes
Color of Laughter, Color of Tears
|
Steven Shrewsbury
Unity Member
Post Number:
1182
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 01:15 pm: | |
Eh, it is all a learning experience and I keep going forward.
If I had any more irons in the fire, I would become a blacksmith.
www.stevenshrewsbury.com
GODFORSAKEN
Behler Publications |
Fred Dungan
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
777
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 05:12 pm: | |
Gridley Schimlap,
I am currently experiencing delays of upwards of 30 days in ordering POD books from Barnes and Noble. Where can I get 300 copies published by offset for $1.12 each?
http://www.fdungan.com/sent.htm |
Gridley Schimlap (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 4.13.175.124
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 06:08 pm: | |
That's the 3000 price. 300 is the breakpoint. At that level the price is $3.50 per copy. AA printing in Tampa.
www.authorslawyer.com Has a calculator for printing books offset. I'll find you the link exactly, but it's in there. |
Gridley Schimlap (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 4.13.175.124
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 06:12 pm: | |
http://www.authorslawyer.com/l-print0.shtml
There you go. PODs aren't found on shelves. Bookstores sell books off shelves. No shelves, no book really. Nothing can change that.
If you do it yourself and offer returns you are a publisher. Voila. No more vanity press.
There I've done my part to spread the wealth. Enjoy. |
Fred Dungan
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
785
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 11:37 am: | |
I have received several offers from companies based in India for offset printing and other services. Has anyone gone this route? They claim it's dirt cheap.
http://www.fdungan.com/vigilantes.htm |
Gridley Schimlap (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 4.13.175.124
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 02:00 pm: | |
Domestic companies are cheap. You have to print 3000 copies though. That's the deal with offset v. POD. The latter is worthless after 300. |
Dennis Collins
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1299
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 02:32 pm: | |
As I understand it, the biggest challenge in self-publishing is distribution. Ingram will no longer handle any publisher who turns over less than $10,000 annually in sales. Some self published authors that I know use "fulfillment houses" for distribution. I don't know how fulfillment houses work or how effective they are.
Perhaps the answer would be for several authors to band together under the same imprint. I dunno, just a thought. |
Gridley Schimlap (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 4.13.175.124
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 02:47 pm: | |
I don't what the distributors charge. Fern Reiss has more on this and all other aspects and claims to have made over 100K on each of her books. I find that far-fetched but haven't read her books on publishing. |
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