Have you heard of the phrase ‘print on demand’ or POD? This practice, also called PQN (print quantity needed) and short run printing, is giving another definition to what is currently called in the book industry as self-publishing. These days, most authors who are considering getting into self-publishing deals are more likely to end up getting into arrangements with POD companies.

To better understand POD and self-publishing, it would be appropriate to take a review of the orthodox book publishing process. There are just too many people and writers who are dreaming of someday being called real book authors. To such people, having a work published could mean attainment of an ultimate dream. Unfortunately, book publishing is not an easy and smooth road to take. It is fully paved with disappointments, rejection, and failure.

In the traditional way, writers would have to approach publishers who could publish their work for commercial release and distribution. It is not as easy as it seems. Before any book is published, it has to be approved first. Publishers have been in the industry or quite some time. They have a knack for identifying and telling which materials could be appreciated and patronized by the public. Thus, they reject materials that are perceived not appealing to readers.

In general, if publishers do not like any author’s book, the material would be turned down. Publishing would then be impossible, unless the writer maintains determination and strong will not to give up. The next viable and practical option to take would be self-publishing. You should know that the practice is not as easy as it seems. When you decide to publish your own book, you should be ready to face and take all the required costs and efforts.

You could enter subsidy or vanity publishing. In both kinds, a writer would be required to pay fees for book publication. In other words, if you are a writer who wishes to have your book published for mass release, you have to pay the publisher to make it happen. In turn, you could have your book published as it is, without any editing and interference from editors and publishers. However, you have to suffer several consequences.

Because your book is not criticized or edited by a third party prior to printing, you could not be sure whether it would remain amateurish among the perception of the public. This way, you are more likely to incur losses rather than generate profit. To minimize risks of losing, you could turn to POD for self-publishing.

In POD, you have to submit your material to a POD company, who would take care of printing whenever there is demand. Your material could be in printable formats like text files, Microsoft Word document, or even RTF. Whenever an order for your book is received, the company would print a copy for the buyer. In this way, the need for warehousing and massive printing is avoided. Thus, every copy you print is actually sold.

What most authors love about POD is that their independence is also kept. Some regard this as a disadvantage because books that are not properly edited and judged by a third party publisher are usually slammed by critics as being amateurish. Thus, readers are usually not patronizing books that are published this way.