Making the Right Choice While Purchasing a CD & DVD Publishing and Printing Unit

"It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are." A right decision in acquiring a disc publishing and printing unit can really work wonders with faceless media. How about a presentation DVD for the clients with the company logo and punch line, your digital modelling portfolio that gives a glimpse of your beauty. How about opening a kiosk? Not just this, we can also produce the most popular applications include video and music content, software, press kits, trade show handouts, instruction and training manuals, technical documentation, PowerPoint Presentations, catalogs and more.

A CD/DVD publisher can be a great help to us when trying to accomplish the above points. One of the things that we have to be sure of, is the unit we buy has fantastic software. With the right CD & DVD publishing software, we can do more than simply create a CD or a DVD. We can also create effective marketing materials with it and many more. How about gifting your girlfriend a CD with all her favorite songs with a photo of your rosy-eyed duo printed on the top of it? Well, everything is possible with a right choice we make while purchasing a CD/DVD publishing and printing unit. There are some factors that matter a lot in choosing a publishing unit. Some of them are:

1. The quality of the CD/DVD publisher and printer definitely makes a difference to our digital media.
2. The cost and capacity of production are the factors that define the performance standards.
3. Ink costs are the main consideration when buying a CD/DVD publisher unit followed by the speed of production and capacity. Higher the speed and larger the capacity, more expensive the CD/DVD publisher/printer will be.
4. The reliability of a CD/DVD publisher develops the framework that links specifications and product performance. The product reliability allows us to choose products that can project service costs, warranty costs and predictable sparing levels that will allow us to optimize profitability.

So, in the era of media publishing, XLNT Idea brings us the perfect media as a solution and can make our dreams come true. This excellent product can make our loved ones happier than ever. XLNT Idea is one of the well acknowledged names in the publishing and printing industry, not only in the originality in printing technology, but also has a distinct presence in the entire industry of innovative technology. XLNT Idea has introduced the Nexis series as the industry's leading DVD/CD Publishing Solution.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

Book Printing Software For Your Self Publishing Needs

You wrote the book all on your own, so why not publish your book by yourself? Purchases are available for book printing software that you can put on your home computer. You will be able to do all your self publishing needs from home. There are many types of software available on the market. You just need to make sure you purchase book printing software that is compatible with your computer.

Often times with any computer program you will encounter problems and difficulties. You can address your issues to the customer support department. It is very important that you find a company that offers customer support 24 hours a day all 7 days a week. Find a company that is determined to make you succeed.

When you are all ready to get your work of art into print you will want to keep these few things in mind. People really do judge a book by its cover. If the cover looks like its going to be a boring read, it will most likely be overlooked and put back on the shelf. By using book printing software companies to help you with printing your book, you will find a wide variety of options to increase the chances of your book becoming a success. Some options you will have to think about are what type of cover do you want your book to have? Hardcover and paperback are available. Also, you can have different types of finish for your cover. Did you want to put a jacket over your hard cover? You will need to think of eye catching art to be on the cover as well. The cover needs to cater to the target audience. If you are intending to capture an audience mainly of children, you will want a flashy look on the cover. Put something that children are interested in on the front of the book. Also, you want to artwork to be able to be incorporated with the story line.

Have you ever thought about using two covers? By doing this, you can create a cut out look on the cover. Perhaps the main character of the book can be seen from the second cover through the front. This technique is known as die cutting. Embossing letters and pictures is also a neat technique used by book printing software companies. Using foils and metallic ink will be a sure way to embrace your reading audience.

The best way to find book printing software or a printing company that is reputable and does a good job is to join a writers group. You will find out loads of information on every topic related to writing. If you live in a heavily populated area you will be able to easily find writers groups around that you can join. If you live in a small town you might just be able to find classes at the local university or you can always join groups online. These groups were created for people like you and by people who have been where you are right now. You will find people who are willing to help you and who have knowledge in the area that you're seeking answers in. Don't hesitate to ask questions. Writers groups are for writers of all levels.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

Publishing Businesses Benefit From Bookmark Printing

A bookmark is a unique tool to create a positive image of a company irrespective of its size or services. Specially, producers and dealers of books and periodicals benefit from this small but efficient medium to substantiate their customer base. Your advertising campaign can substantially gain from bookmark printing, when you are in the publishing business.

It will surely make impression on your customers when they find beautiful bookmarks with the publication material. Bookmarks are accepted by users for their neatness and saving books and periodicals from folding corners of a page. Well printed bookmarks are retained by customers for long use.

You must take this chance to advertise your product or services through a bookmark and get them printed by reputed printing company. Bookmark printing is executed in full color blast in both the sides of the material or on any one side. You have a wide range to select the material for the bookmarks. It is better to highlight one or two ideas and place them highlighted for your customers to remember for a long time.

You can select from special qualities of paper, color and coating materials like glossy cover, uncoated cover, AQ-coating, UV coating and green paper without any extra charge. Custom bookmarks are offered in three sizes, if not specially needed in special sizes. They come with holes with ring and tassels. Your customers will remember a brilliant piece of bookmark and consider your company.

You can take the advantage of the price calculator and find out the cost automatically. Reputed printing companies have very nominal turnaround time, which vary from 2-3 days from the date of approval of the design. You can order a customized bookmark for your company to make your marketing campaign stronger.

A bookmark is a wonderful promotional tool since it is very economic and accepted by readers universally. This means a greater coverage of your products or services to customers. A continuous process of advertising yields better revenue for your company. Simplicity and neatness are main characteristics of an effective bookmark, which provides the reader the message in a short and simple form. Crowding with several words make the product untidy and wasteful.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

Self Publishing Will Rule The Future

The printing industry is fast changing and one of the biggest advents of the modern publishing industry has been the popularity of self publishing. Not long ago the publishing world was dominated by traditional publishing companies which did not allow full creative freedom to all the authors. The explosion of the digital era has signaled a paradigm shift in the publishing industry making self publishing a buzz word among writers. Self publishing is the path many authors prefer to walk these days.

Self publishing is gaining immense popularity these days due to the fact that it gives the author creative freedom over his/her work. They can keep the copyrights of their work and gain huge monetary gains rather than a percentage from the publishers. Above all it relieves the authors from the hard-boiled editor who in most cases are interested in the commercial potential than the actual content of the book. Most first time authors have been at the mercy of the publisher for ages.

Self publishing is not as challenging as it used to be in the earlier times. The digital printing technology has brought down the cost of book printing drastically especially when it is in low numbers. Book printing doesn't need to go through development of plates and films and has become more like computer printing. This has given birth to what we know as 'print on demand' where a author has the freedom to print as many copies as he/she wants even as low as a single copy!

With the rates at which authors are opting for self publishing it won't be wrong to predict that they will soon take over the traditional author-publisher printing. Self publishing is also on a rise as there are options where people can host digital versions of their books online which are printed and given to readers. Never in the history of the publishing industry were the authors so powerful. Self publishing is a thing for the future as it empowers authors.

To ensure that your self published book is of high quality you need to hire the services of a professional printing service provider like Print Papa. They are a modern printing house who uses the latest printing technology available in the market and have a well trained staff.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

Self-Publishing a Children's Picture Book

Creating and publishing your own children's book can be a fun and rewarding project. Here are a few tips to help get you started.

Inspiration:

If you already have an idea of what your children's book is going to be about, you can perhaps skip to the next section. If you just have the general idea that you want to create a children's book, but you are not quite sure exactly what you want it to be about, here are some ideas to get you going:

First, start with what is known as a free-write. Just let you mind go, and keep your pen moving. Think about what it is you want your book to convey, and what the purpose of your book might be. Is it to teach your audience something? To make them laugh? To simply delight and amaze? All of the above?
With whatever it is that you have in mind as a basic guide, just let your imagination take over for now and get words and thoughts on the page.

Once you have some ideas down, you can begin to organize them into a narrative that you think your audience will enjoy. Remember that at this stage of their development, children do like a clear beginning, middle and end to their stories, and that you won't want to leave a lot of questions unanswered. Other than that, it is up to you where you take them.

Artwork:

If you are doing both the words and the art, great. If creating visual art is not your forte, then you may have to find someone to partner with on your project (or vice-versa, if you are naturally the artistic type rather than the wordsmith).

If you need to find an artist, there are a few ways to go about it. One way is to take a look around online or at the local bookstore at graphic artists whose work you admire, or who you think might make a good fit. Unless they are fairly well-known, artists aren't generally difficult to get a hold of, so search out some names and contact info and run your project past your choices to see what their rates and availability might be.

If you are discouraged by the rates you are quoted, consider running or posting an ad at a local art or design school. Often, art students need to do project to complete class requirements or at the very least may work a lot cheaper than their more established compadres.

Once your art and words are set, put your book together in a layout program such as Adobe InDesign or QwarkXpress.

Printing and Binding

Have your pages printed in the highest quality manner that you can afford. If your artwork is in color, consider four color process digital printing for best results.

As far as the binding of your book, one option you might want to consider is purchasing a thermal binding machine and doing it yourself. These machines are surprisingly inexpensive and very easy to use. With one of these machines, you can have a hardcover book ready to go in less than a minute. Depending on how many books you are going to self-publish, the savings can range from significant to substantial.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

Self Publishing Will Rule The Future

The printing industry is fast changing and one of the biggest advents of the modern publishing industry has been the popularity of self publishing. Not long ago the publishing world was dominated by traditional publishing companies which did not allow full creative freedom to all the authors. The explosion of the digital era has signaled a paradigm shift in the publishing industry making self publishing a buzz word among writers. Self publishing is the path many authors prefer to walk these days.

Self publishing is gaining immense popularity these days due to the fact that it gives the author creative freedom over his/her work. They can keep the copyrights of their work and gain huge monetary gains rather than a percentage from the publishers. Above all it relieves the authors from the hard-boiled editor who in most cases are interested in the commercial potential than the actual content of the book. Most first time authors have been at the mercy of the publisher for ages.

Self publishing is not as challenging as it used to be in the earlier times. The digital printing technology has brought down the cost of book printing drastically especially when it is in low numbers. Book printing doesn't need to go through development of plates and films and has become more like computer printing. This has given birth to what we know as 'print on demand' where a author has the freedom to print as many copies as he/she wants even as low as a single copy!

With the rates at which authors are opting for self publishing it won't be wrong to predict that they will soon take over the traditional author-publisher printing. Self publishing is also on a rise as there are options where people can host digital versions of their books online which are printed and given to readers. Never in the history of the publishing industry were the authors so powerful. Self publishing is a thing for the future as it empowers authors.

To ensure that your self published book is of high quality you need to hire the services of a professional printing service provider like PrintPapa. They are a modern printing house who uses the latest printing technology available in the market and have a well trained staff.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

Desktop Publishing Jobs - Work From Home Solution?

Many of the object and documents we view are put together with the help of desktop publishers. Desktop publishers, who are also referred to as DTP operators, publishing specialists and electronic publishing specialists, format and combine text, photographs, numerical data, charts and other visual graphic elements, in order to create publication-ready material.

Job Description

Desktop publishing projects include: calendars, books, business cards, newsletters, magazines, slides, packaging, tickets, bumper stickers, letterheads, envelops, logos, posters, name tags and websites. There are very few items these days that desktop publishers dont play a role in when it comes to the creation process. Because of this, employment of desktop publishers is projected to increase.

Desktop publishers are taking over traditional methods of presswork using their computers and software. This allows companies to minimize expenses and improve production rates. It is predicted that a great amount of new positions will be created for desktop publishers in the computer printing and publishing firms.

The jobs for desktop publishers are found mainly in the printing and publishing industries, however, some work in house at various firms, educational industries and government agencies. The increase of computer development has made it simpler for one person to set up this business as a freelance professional.

Employers favor workers who have experience in desktop publishing. Although many companies provide on the job training, how much you receive varies with each company. Employers also look for the following requirements and qualities:

-Knowledge in advanced PC or Macintosh computer skills
-Basic to advanced prepress skills
-Understanding printing technology
-Understand the fundamentals of electronics and computers
-Good communication skills
-Hard working
-Courteous
-Strong Attention to detail
-Able to work alone
-Good vision, especially visual acuity
-The ability to focus quickly
-Artistic ability
-Able to work under pressure and flexible

Making yourself employable

Although it is not necessary to hold a degree, it is an advantage. Competition is still fairly low, but as more experience desktop publishers emerge on the scene, the fight to obtain these positions will be more competitive. In order to be among the top earner in this profession you will want to consider getting an associates degree in applied science or bachelors degree in graphic design, graphic arts, or graphic communications. Graphic arts programs allow you to learn how to use desktop publishing software but applying such knowledge is typically for someone who is seeking employment in management positions. For those who are looking to become skilled employees in desk top publishing areas you will want to consider a two year associates degree.

Much of knowledge required to become qualified for desktop publishing positions can be obtained through universities, vocational schools, collages or the web. To increase your desirability you should seek out jobs that take advantage of your existing desktop publishing skills. As well, focus on niche markets or specialized desktop publishing projects to grow your new or current home business.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

Why to Avoid Print on Demand

Print on demand is not a good option if you are serious about getting your book sold. Print on demand, or POD, is a printing process in which copies of a book are either not printed until an order has been received, or they are printed in very small amounts, for a very limited audience. With POD you can only do direct-sell marketing; in other words, you can only sell online (through Amazon, for instance) and even then there are further restrictions (Amazon now requires that all POD books sold through its site be printed by its subsidiary, BookSurge). Most bookstores and major book retailers will not accept POD books, as they are generally the mark of an untested author and are usually nonreturnable.

What often initially draws people to POD printing is the lower cost. By printing a smaller number of books, your costs are obviously lower than with a high-volume print process. However, it can be less cost-effective in the long run. Because the cost per book is typically higher with POD than with a larger print run, it is common for POD books to be more expensive than similar books that come from more conventional printing methods.

Other drawbacks include the difficulty of publicizing POD books, as reviewers tend to look down on them. Moreover, the quality of the binding is often inferior to that of large-scale printing techniques.

So, now that you're convinced POD isn't for you, you may be wondering "What next?" If you want large-scale distribution to bookstores, you should try offset printing, the most common form of mass commercial printing. Offset printing is a process by which an inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket, and then to the printing surface. Offset printing offers consistent, high quality images; quick, easy production; and cost efficiency. Most of the price goes into the preparation of the plates before printing; therefore, any additional print will only cost the client the price of the paper and ink (which is minimal). Thus, with offset printing, the more you print, the less you pay per book, making it ideal for high-volume print runs.

Before making any decisions about the printing process for your book, be sure to think about your needs, your audience, your time frame, and the costs involved.

Printing and Publishing Children's Books - Counting the Costs

My visit to Published by Westview proved to be a great learning experience. While I'm accustomed to how the publishing industry operates, I did not know much about the printers that publishers work with.

Lightning Source, In (LSI) is probably the most popular printer for books. Having LSI print a book means automatic distribution through Ingram. That doesn't mean your books will be on the shelves at your local bookstore, but it does mean that the store can order your book for a client because it will be listed in the Ingram catalog. It also means your book will be available through Amazon.com. This is something you may or may not want. Let me explain.

During the first printing of the Sid Series, I discovered that color pages are about three times more expensive to print than black and white pages. But, I couldn't offer a children's picture book and not have it in color. The heavier, glossy paper I used for the cover cost extra and so did having them stapled in the center. Had I selected a non-standard size for my book, that would have cost more too. There were about eighteen to twenty pages in each book, so my first print cost me about $6 per book. I could not justify selling such a small book for more than $7, so I ended up losing money on them by the time I paid tax and shipping. I kept the stock in my office closet. Because these books were self-published, I had to manually create mailing labels and stuff envelopes whenever a customer placed an order. The books were only available on my Web site.

When I sold out of the first print run, I did not reorder because I had written another nine books for the series by then and I couldn't afford individual printing of all twelve books. So, I offered the stories as e-books and put the project on hold until I could get all of the stories illustrated.

Now that I nearly have all of the stories illustrated, I've decided to put all twelve stories into one print book and republish them. I don't want to self-publish because I don't want to handle distribution this time. I thought I would go with a publish-on-demand company so the books could be listed in Ingram's catalog.

That's when I started my research with Published by Westview. Mary Catherine walked me through my options. I could print with LSI for about the same price as I could print with another company. However, LSI does not offer glossy pages; the other printers do. LSI offers Ingram distribution; the other printers do not. The drawback is that my book will be listed on Amazon.com. You may not think that is a drawback, but if you consider that Amazon purchases your book for 55 percent off your list price (bookstores only charge 45 percent), you will make no money in the transaction. Let's say your book retails for $15 and Amazon buys it from you for $6.75. It cost you $9 (plus tax and shipping) per book to print in paperback (hard cover would be $10 per book), so you just lost 75 cents on that paperback book sale. If you price the book at $20, you would break even on a softcover. If you go much higher on the retail price of your book, you lose your market because no one wants to pay much more than $20 for a 48-page book. I can't keep Amazon from selling my book. They can even offer it in e-book format for their Kindle Reader. If I don't go with LSI, I get to pack and ship my own books again. What's an author to do?

First of all, more research is needed. Therefore, I'm going to a used and new book store to compare paper, finished size, and average price for this genre, and to see how certain bindings hold up after use. Afterward, I should have a better idea of which route to go and whether or not the market will pay enough per book to cover my expenses and perhaps allow me to make a profit.

Printing and Publishing Children's Books - Counting the Costs

My visit to Published by West view proved to be a great learning experience. While I'm accustomed to how the publishing industry operates, I did not know much about the printers that publishers work with.

Lightning Source, In (LSI) is probably the most popular printer for books. Having LSI print a book means automatic distribution through Ingram. That doesn't mean your books will be on the shelves at your local bookstore, but it does mean that the store can order your book for a client because it will be listed in the Ingram catalog. It also means your book will be available through Amazon.com. This is something you may or may not want. Let me explain.

During the first printing of the Sid Series, I discovered that color pages are about three times more expensive to print than black and white pages. But, I couldn't offer a children's picture book and not have it in color. The heavier, glossy paper I used for the cover cost extra and so did having them stapled in the center. Had I selected a non-standard size for my book, that would have cost more too. There were about eighteen to twenty pages in each book, so my first print cost me about $6 per book. I could not justify selling such a small book for more than $7, so I ended up losing money on them by the time I paid tax and shipping. I kept the stock in my office closet. Because these books were self-published, I had to manually create mailing labels and stuff envelopes whenever a customer placed an order. The books were only available on my Web site.

When I sold out of the first print run, I did not reorder because I had written another nine books for the series by then and I couldn't afford individual printing of all twelve books. So, I offered the stories as e-books and put the project on hold until I could get all of the stories illustrated.

Now that I nearly have all of the stories illustrated, I've decided to put all twelve stories into one print book and republish them. I don't want to self-publish because I don't want to handle distribution this time. I thought I would go with a publish-on-demand company so the books could be listed in Ingram's catalog.

That's when I started my research with Published by Westview. Mary Catherine walked me through my options. I could print with LSI for about the same price as I could print with another company. However, LSI does not offer glossy pages; the other printers do. LSI offers Ingram distribution; the other printers do not. The drawback is that my book will be listed on Amazon.com. You may not think that is a drawback, but if you consider that Amazon purchases your book for 55 percent off your list price (bookstores only charge 45 percent), you will make no money in the transaction. Let's say your book retails for $15 and Amazon buys it from you for $6.75. It cost you $9 (plus tax and shipping) per book to print in paperback (hard cover would be $10 per book), so you just lost 75 cents on that paperback book sale. If you price the book at $20, you would break even on a softcover. If you go much higher on the retail price of your book, you lose your market because no one wants to pay much more than $20 for a 48-page book. I can't keep Amazon from selling my book. They can even offer it in e-book format for their Kindle Reader. If I don't go with LSI, I get to pack and ship my own books again. What's an author to do?

First of all, more research is needed. Therefore, I'm going to a used and new book store to compare paper, finished size, and average price for this genre, and to see how certain bindings hold up after use. Afterward, I should have a better idea of which route to go and whether or not the market will pay enough per book to cover my expenses and perhaps allow me to make a profit.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

Cheap Magazine Printing Secrets Revealed

Purchasing low cost magazine printing can be a daunting task, especially if you're new to print buying. This is because there are several different manufacturing methods used by magazine printers. It could cost you a small fortune, if you make the wrong buying decision and choose the wrong method.

The three primary manufacturing methods magazine printers use are digital, sheet-fed, and heat-set web printing. The determination of the best method is based primarily upon the number of magazines you need printed.

But, first the term "cheap magazine printing" must be defined, as it has important implications for choosing a great company with which to work.

The term "cheap magazine printing" is defined as obtaining the best value for your dollar when buying magazine printing, not necessarily the absolute lowest price. Value is a combination of a reliable, honest and ethical company, quality, service, turn-around, and price.

Many people looking for cheap magazine printing place too much emphasis on price alone. Thus, they end up very disappointed with their final product without any recourse because the company they chose is only interested in making a sale. Other frequent buyer complaints are using unscrupulous companies which give you a low price, take your money, and then half way through production, tell you that you need to pay more money before you get your product.

So when buying magazine printing on the internet, the Latin phrase, caveat emptor, is applicable which means, "let the buyer beware."

A more prudent approach is to find a good printing company with the following attributes, develop a relationship, and stick with them, provided they can print your magazine using the production method you need.

1) The company makes every effort to establish open lines of communication, with which you relate well.
2) They care about your business.
3) They make every effort to advise you about how to increase profits by lowering costs and increasing your revenue.

Let's move on to give you the approximate quantities of the three methods used for magazine printing: digital, sheet-fed, and heat-set web, which service the small, medium and large quantity print runs, respectively. There are no hard and fast quantities to determine which method is appropriate because the number of pages of the magazine acts as an additional variable.

However, there are general guidelines which will overlap near the break points, again dependent upon the number of pages in the magazine. Generally, small quantities are from 1-1,000, medium quantities are from 1,000-10,000 and large quantities are 10,000-200,000 magazines.

Please be advised that few, if any, magazine printers have all three types of equipment because of the high capital expense, and the different expertise required for each. So be careful that they don't try to fit your job into the equipment that they have in-house.

In conclusion, we defined the term, "cheap magazine printing" as getting the best value for your dollar, and discussed some of the attributes a magazine printing company should possess to accomplish this. The three major production methods were identified as digital, sheet-fed. and heat-set web printing. Ball park quantities were given for each method, while noting that the number of pages of the magazine can skew these quantities in either direction.

How to Be a Self-Publishing Millionaire

Self-publishing simply means writing, publishing and marketing your own work, maybe a novel or autobiography, poetry or family history, a newsletter or 'How To' book, or any of numerous other writing forms.

Self-publishing allows you to write what you want and market it any way you choose. The right titles and topics could earn you a fortune.

REASONS FOR SELF PUBLISHING

- To see your name in print.

- As a keepsake or heirloom. Family histories are useful examples, as are autobiographies, diaries and poetry.

- To enhance one's image and standing. Doctors, dentists, lawyers and other professionals frequently self-publish to enhance their professional image and standing with colleagues.

- As a form of advertising. Some self-published products are little more than advertising vehicles for other of the writers' goods and services. Mail order newsletters are a notable example.

- For money.

This blueprint is written with the latter objective in mind.

WHY DIY?

Why bother with self-publishing? Why not instead offer your book for someone else to publish and market?

Generally speaking, traditional publishers are only interested in high volume sales, to wide markets and for items with a long-shelf life. Getting a mainstream publisher to handle your work can be a very long and painful process. There's no saying you will be successful and even big names face their share of rejection. Frederick Forsyth's 'The Day of the Jackal' apparently had 19 rejections and one of Jeffrey Archer's most popular works got 18, showing publishers don't always get it right.

VANITY PUBLISHING V SELF-PUBLISHING

The two are frequently confused, although few similarities actually exist. Vanity publishing generally means having someone else print, publish and market your book for you. Costs can be high and benefits not always proportionate. For products intended as gifts for family and friends, vanity publishing can be a worthwhile option; no always so for commercial products.

That said, however, there are numerous firms - not vanity or subsidy publishers - who can print and publish for you, leaving you to concentrate on marketing and distribution. Such firms can be found advertising in most writers' newsletters.

FAMOUS SELF-PUBLISHERS

America boasts a wealth of super-successful self-publishers, including heads of multi-million dollar publishing companies. Names like Joe Karbo, Dr. Jeffrey Lant and Melvin Powers spring readily to mind.

WHAT CAN BE SELF-PUBLISHED?

Virtually anything can be self-published profitably to a greater or lesser extent. Novels, poetry, short stories, local and family histories, newsletters, autobiographies and 'How To' books are all worthy examples.

MOST PROFITABLE AREAS OF SELF-PUBLISHING

The most successful products are those that fulfil universal needs or desires, especially where they contain information not available elsewhere. Examples include:

- Directories (e.g. Designer Clothes Discount Guides, Factory Shop Guides).

- Newsletters (e.g. Business Opportunities Digest).

- 'How to' books (e.g. '£100,000 in My First Year Just by Working Weekends', 'Last Chance Guide to Financial Success').

' Self-Help Books (e.g. 'How to Flatten Your Tush', 'How to Talk to Your Cat').

The above are examples of topics and do not indicate self-published titles.

WHAT INVESTMENT IS NEEDED?

This depends on a number of things including the length of the finished product, whether it is to be typeset and who is responsible for typesetting, what printing and binding methods are used, size of the initial print run and what marketing and distribution methods are involved.

Generally speaking, most first-time self-publishers opt for a low print run with the majority of capital reserved for aggressive marketing. Profits are subsequently ploughed back into longer print runs.

BENEFITS OF BEING YOUR OWN PUBLISHER

* Cuts out the middle man and generates higher profits for you.

* No working to someone else's deadlines.

* Total control over your work, from conceiving the idea to researching and writing, to printing and publishing, advertising and distributing.

* Very cost-effective if handled properly.

* Allows virtually anyone to compete with big names writers and publishers.

* Self-publishing is a business like any other, offering freedom, the chance to work your own chosen hours, work where you like, etc.

* Massive potential market for some titles.

DRAWBACKS TO BEING YOUR OWN PUBLISHER

Some outside help might be necessary for various aspects of your project and costs can be high. This might involve help with writing and editing, proofreading, desktop publishing, printing, marketing. Do as much as you can yourself, as long as quality is good.

WHAT YOU CAN EARN

Ask most people about profits in publishing and they'll turn to the bestseller lists, mainly compiled for sales through book shops. A more accurate guide would include other methods of marketing and distribution, primarily mail order. In 'How to Publish a Book and Sell a Million Copies', Ted Nicholas explains that another of his books 'How to Form Your Own Corporation Without a Lawyer for Under $75' has been among the top 10 nonfiction bestsellers in the United States for over 20 years, but has never appeared on a bestseller list. The main reason he sells it himself, by mail order.

PRACTICAL TIPS

- Be realistic about your initial print run. Don't be too ambitious and be saddled with lots of unsalable stock. But don't underestimate popularity either. Extra print runs frequently mean higher costs than a larger initial print run.

- Have readers finance your printing costs by obtaining orders before you print your book, even before you research and write it. Legally, you are not allowed to offer anything for sale unless adequate supplies are available. So be careful how you word your advertisement or direct mail copy. A 'pre-publication' offer is usually acceptable. Offering your book this way has other benefits, including allowing you to test the market for your book and to test the optimum price where the product is offered at different prices and response rates and profits compared. If results aren't satisfactory, you can issue refunds.

- Some writers simply do not have a head for business. If this sounds like you, have someone else concentrate on publishing and marketing your products while you devote time to writing.

- Be careful about pricing. What you charge will affect your advertising strategy and vice versa.

- Consider various printing and publishing options. Desktop publishing produces a quality look and can be introduced to most computers. For binding your products, consider the many options from saddle-stitching (basically stapling), to comb binding and heat binding (both need special equipment).

MARKETING

The most common marketing methods employed by self-publishers are direct marketing (mail order) and direct mail.

Direct marketing means advertising your product in appropriate publications, using classified or display advertisements or a combination of both.

Direct mail means offering your products by post, usually to prospects identified from mailing lists. These are available from various sources including competitors, other mail order and direct mail specialists and mailing list brokers.

Numerous books are available to explain the basics of marketing by mail order and direct mail. Other ways to market your products.

- Press Release. A simple letter providing information about you, your book and what benefits it has for readers can generate hundreds of sales through appropriate sources. One Canadian publisher reports tens of thousands of sales for two books promoted by press release through international newspapers and magazines. Copies should also be sent to television and radio stations local and national.

- Through bookshops. This can mean negotiating wholesale terms through major outlets or offering copies on a 'sale or return' basis through independent retailers. Increase profits by holding autograph parties in larger bookshops.

- Write a course about self-publishing or organise classes, seminars and lectures. Offer your book to students and participants.

- Write articles and readers' letters about your book or its subject. Alternatively, write about something else in return for a mention for your book.

- Where appropriate, market your book through schools, colleges, book clubs, local history groups, or other appropriate organisations.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

Publishing Companies Vs Freelance Hiring in Book Publishing

Working with experts in publishing companies can save you money in the long run, and certainly minimize headaches.

Many years ago, I acquired a German-made car. For its upkeep, I would visit a car mechanic that worked on all types of cars, regardless of their make. With this mechanic I ended up at his shop a couple times of year, which grew tiresome. My car still had problems and bugs pretty frequently.

I eventually switched to a mechanic who only worked with German cars, which ended up costing me more than the generic mechanic. But now, I found the service to be better since the shop's expertise was with German cars. After the switch I was only visiting the mechanic about once a year. Even though I was spending more, I ended up saving money because I wasn't going to the mechanic three times a year, and I was getting better tune-ups for my car.

This may seem far from the topic of publishing books, but please read on:

As we all know, book publishing is a cooperative effort. As someone who will be publishing a book, you have two primary options: work with the help of a book publishing company, or independently hire individual freelancers.

A book publishing company comes with a consulting manager and the team's publishing services, but for a higher price. Independent freelancers who will take a job in book publishing will usually cost less.

Enlisting the help of a publishing company or hiring freelance is one of the first basic decision towards determining the quality, cost and overall spirit of a book project. Please remember that to publish books which are successful, how much money you have left after book printing will not be your biggest factor. Instead, how that money was spent, and if it was spent well, will be the biggest indicator of your book publishing success.

When shopping around for publishing services, you want to make sure you are getting the best possible book for your buck. The number one reason people use freelancers in publishing is to save money. At face value, you may find cheaper prices with individual freelance book editor-however costs can crop up in other areas. When you work with a book publishing company and its team, they know the industry. Some of the costly pitfalls in the book publishing process, such as errors in layout recognized too late, or a novice book editing job, can rob your book of serious value.

In the case of book editing, hiring your copy editor individually by freelance can be a huge mistake. It seems that 3 out of every 4 clients I speak to already have a copy editor in mind for their project. "Oh yeah, I've already taken care of the book editing." Who is being hired to ensure the quality of your book? Is it someone who works inside the book editing and book printing regularly? Are they up-to-date on the most recent publishing standards? Often I ask a freelance book editor what standards they are using to proofread, and they had no idea themselves. Publishing standards are ambiguous at best, and can change from month-to-month depending on literary trends. Even though many authors are talented writers and even spectacular at grammar, they should never be the book editor of their own project. I repeat, do not be the primary book editor of your own book! An excellent, well-presented book is only possible with professional and quality book editing. An unqualified freelance editor will demean other areas of your hard work.

How does one find the right type of book editor and publishing services for their unique project?

A benefit of working with book publishing companies is the connection to other industry professionals. A book packager should have a Rolodex of publishing contacts from inside the publishing network who are experienced. When packaging and printing books, you'll want to know the best book editors and book printers to employ, and a book project manager will resolve this quickly. On top of their skills, experienced contacts bring cooperation and cohesiveness to a project, especially when they are used to working together. In an effective book publishing company, the illustrator has already worked with the layout designer for several previous projects, the copy editor is used to working with the project manager, and each person knows their role in the book's journey. Cooperation and easy communication between a familiar team is both time- and cost-efficient. By hiring freelancers individually, you run the risk of employing people who have never worked with one another, who have unbeknown st levels of different skills and expertise. This often leads to difficult communication and disjointed work.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

Printing Press Financing

Printing press financing is a finance solution that is considered by the publishing houses and printing houses all over the world. Printing press was assembled circa 1439 by Johann Gutenberg, a gold smith in Germany. However, there have been references in history which point to the fact that printing press may have been in use in the ancient lands of Korea, China and East Asia. A mechanical device that applies pressure to an inked surface that rests upon a paper or a cloth, a printing press was capable of transferring images. The invention of such a press was a boon to the art of publishing. This mechanical press was later replaced by the more modern versions of the same machine. These machines work on digital technology and can take care of the various printing needs of a business.

Printing press financing takes care of the monetary needs of companies who wish to buy such costly equipment. Printing options that are needed by different kinds of people could be summarized as training manual printing, product manual printing, employee handbook printing, financial statement printing, etc. The cost of printing press generally depends upon a number of factors such as the quality of finished product, the speed of our turnaround and the cost of our printing service. Good quality printing press ensures that every print job has unique graphical features for more professional look aided by a touch of creativity. Printing press requires routine maintenance since it may undergo considerable damage because of daily wear and tear. Therefore, a finance package that ensures investment in printing press equipment is vital.

Printing press financing is thus, an investment choice that organizations need to make. If the cost of buying these machines is compared against the cost of paying for printing and other purposes, it will be found that investing in such a machine proves to be more beneficial in the end. So, it becomes imperative to chalk out a finance plan that covers the possibility of investing capital for an office duty-printing press. Normally, business houses require two types of capital- the long-term capital and the short-term capital. The long-term capital may be raised from sources like share capital, retained earnings or venture capital funds. The short-term capital may come from bonds, financial institutions etc. Ultimately, every company decides the best source of finance for investing in printing press and printing machinery. .

The main source of printing press financing could be loans since they are the most preferred form of capital for business houses the world over. Banking institutions offer many different types of loans like personal loan, housing loans, business loans etc. These can be made use of while raising capital for printing machines. The first type of loan that can be raised for investing in such technology is the loan with a fixed interest rate. In this case, the rate of interest rate does not change throughout the lifetime of the loan. This is the most archetypal type of a loan favored by people. The variable rate loan has an interest rate that changes over the life span of the loan. Many different lending bodies offer such loans. Some of these institutions are lending houses, banks and moneylenders.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

What's Wrong With Printing?

Publishing is often mistaken for printing. Though printing is an integral part of publishing, nevertheless it is a different business with its own set of challenges. This argument will not convince many who have dealt with printers who in their eagerness to secure the client's business readily undertake the publisher's job to the detriment of the final product. Unfortunately wily printers are adept at convincing clients that what they deliver is the best there is until a wary client puts paid to this by demanding a reprint or reduction in price for not delivering as requested. Some printers in all honesty do not themselves understand the role of a publisher. To compound the issue, there exist errant 'publishers' with no sense of the propriety, discipline and rigour of publishing, portraying their work as a published work.

Publishing starts with a concept. This image is usually in the head of an initiator. This person may be a junior person but in all major undertakings a senior executive sets the direction. When asked to get designs for the company's logo, I remember some years ago, its administrative manager calling up the printer. The importance of the logo, like the company's mission statement, cannot be emphasized enough in building a company image. The printer called will seek the help of a typesetter who will throw up some nice looking designs and after some presentations and discussions, in its haste to get things moving, the better looking of the designs submitted will be chosen. The company is then stuck with that design and image for years.

Though it's not uncommon for businesses to operate in the early years with a weak logo or even without one, there usually comes a time when they seek to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Shouldn't the logo's relevance be studied in greater depth and the management be guided by professionals who relate passionately to designs as a livelihood? Design houses, advertising agencies and publishing houses are peopled by such creative bodies who look beyond the niceties to how the management wants the company to appear in the consumers' mind. MacDonald's and Singapore Airlines have logos that are strikingly symbolic of what the companies stand for.

A clear concept laid down by top management, interpreted professionally by a responsible designer, can well be the flag employees feel proud to fly. Design does matter and with publications, each has a character of its own and this has to be transparent. Think of all great books you have read and each will have a distinct character even if one is an adult fiction with an abridged content, and the other is a children's edition. Take Harry Porter books, the adult and children edition have different covers and presentations which give each a different character.

Design involves knowledge of the target audience, the format of the book, the type and size of fonts to use, the illustrations and pictures, colours to employ, type of paper to print on, etc. Each area, be it format, fonts etc has its own peculiarities that the experts use to produce as near perfect as possible.

Presuming the text is written (writing is another subject we won't discuss here), it would have to be set in an appropriate typeface, proofread and edited so that there is a good flow. Spelling and grammatical mistakes will not be permitted. A professionally managed publication will hardly have any such mistake.

Once the design is complete and the text is laid out, it is handed to the printer either as an artwork or in a CD format. The printer will then have to colour separate the pictures (if in colour) and ensure the reproduction is no worse than the original. Colour proofs are provided the client to verify and approve. The rest of the text is laid out according to a scientific layout so that they run page-wise consecutively and do not clash with overall positioning. The binding method, aside from reflecting the expectation of the market (for example, lawyers prefer hardbound books), also determines the pricing of the book. Books are generally bound as paperback, saddle-stitched or thread-sewn. Once the printing is complete and the printed sheets are folded and bound with the cover into a book, the printer has only to deliver the book.

If the book is meant for a restricted audience, the books are delivered to specified locations and the trail ends there.

However if it is to be made commercially available, publishing becomes more complex and requires the services of others who are experts in their field. Obviously a marketing plan must be in place and this would have helped to determine the retail price, print run, profits and so on. A good publicity programme will help to promote the book and raise public awareness of its availability. The author must also have considered the saleability of the book in foreign markets in which case he would have to engage foreign representatives (distributors). Dealings with distributors and retailers can be involved and for the uninitiated an exacting experience.

The marketing and distribution of books is a challenge worldwide and publishers employ various platforms to sell their books. This aspect of the business has to be fully understood before even engaging in writing and designing the book. I have had many authors approach me with a finished book asking me to sell to specific markets. However the pricing strategy employed would be wrong most of the time and the packaging may not be appropriate (for example, a hardcover novel is a poor proposition for certain markets).

I have attempted to dispel the misunderstanding that prevails between printing and publishing. Printing is a fascinating field and was my first love until publishing came along and swept me off my feet. I suppose knowing that I don't have to disown printing to engage in publishing makes it an easy transition. In fact, knowledge of the printing process has made publishing a more exciting proposition.

Self Publishing A Book Is Inexpensive and Simple

Self publishing a book has to be one of the most satisfying things you can do in your life. You will increase your value to society by offering information to people who seek it. You will have opportunities be offered to you without even looking - we are talking amazing and interesting opportunities you never considered possible before you wrote a book. You will make money while you sleep - internet bookstores do not close, they are open 24 hours. The question, however is how are you going to make it happen? Many people are thwarted by the idea that self publishing is only for the rich with an abundance of time on their hands. That idea could not be further from the truth.

Okay, well the truth is that ten years ago self publishing was for the rich who had an abundance of time on their hands. Sort of, it was called vanity publishing and it was mainly for folks who wanted to see their name in print. That was the perception anyway. Some very famous authors have self published including Edgar Allen Poe, Mark Twain, Upton Sinclair, ee Cummings, Virginia Wolf, Henry David Thoreau and even John Grisham. Some pretty famous writers got their beginnings in self publishing.

Okay so now you know that some very famous people have self published and that self publishing used to have a negative connotation. Today, with the invention and proliferation of internet usage, self publishing is now available to anyone who has something to say. In fact, it is so simple and inexpensive that there are almost 90,000 small publishers.

What makes it so easy?

Competition is a huge factor. Because the internet has made it so easy to publish, there are tons of fulfillment options, distributors, printers and even book writing tools. In fact, there are a number of tools you can use online to help you write and publish your book that are completely free. For example open office offers a word processing program. Weebly offers free website hosting and design and open source marketing tools.

In addition to free options and low cost printing there are an abundance of distribution and fulfillment centers.

Additionally, the internet makes it tremendously easy to research for your book, including research for the target market, your competition, and research for the book itself. The internet also makes it easy to market your book. A website and a few tools to drive traffic to your website and your book can take on a life of its own.

Lastly, the internet makes it easy to become a publisher. All of the information you need from naming and establishing your publishing company to applying for an ISBN number can be found and implemented online.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for Publishing Products and Services, magazine publishing, outsource book publishing, desktop publishing in India, self publishing in India, poetry publishing, publishing graphic, business to business desktop publishing, laser printing machine, printing machine, printing ink sellers, internet design services, and web design services.

The internet has made self publishing tremendously inexpensive and simple. All you need to publish a book is a little time and determination.

What's Wrong With Printing?

Publishing is often mistaken for printing. Though printing is an integral part of publishing, nevertheless it is a different business with its own set of challenges. This argument will not convince many who have dealt with printers who in their eagerness to secure the client's business readily undertake the publisher's job to the detriment of the final product. Unfortunately wily printers are adept at convincing clients that what they deliver is the best there is until a wary client puts paid to this by demanding a reprint or reduction in price for not delivering as requested. Some printers in all honesty do not themselves understand the role of a publisher. To compound the issue, there exist errant 'publishers' with no sense of the propriety, discipline and rigour of publishing, portraying their work as a published work.

Publishing starts with a concept. This image is usually in the head of an initiator. This person may be a junior person but in all major undertakings a senior executive sets the direction. When asked to get designs for the company's logo, I remember some years ago, its administrative manager calling up the printer. The importance of the logo, like the company's mission statement, cannot be emphasized enough in building a company image. The printer called will seek the help of a typesetter who will throw up some nice looking designs and after some presentations and discussions, in its haste to get things moving, the better looking of the designs submitted will be chosen. The company is then stuck with that design and image for years.

Though it's not uncommon for businesses to operate in the early years with a weak logo or even without one, there usually comes a time when they seek to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Shouldn't the logo's relevance be studied in greater depth and the management be guided by professionals who relate passionately to designs as a livelihood? Design houses, advertising agencies and publishing houses are peopled by such creative bodies who look beyond the niceties to how the management wants the company to appear in the consumers' mind. MacDonald's and Singapore Airlines have logos that are strikingly symbolic of what the companies stand for.

A clear concept laid down by top management, interpreted professionally by a responsible designer, can well be the flag employees feel proud to fly. Design does matter and with publications, each has a character of its own and this has to be transparent. Think of all great books you have read and each will have a distinct character even if one is an adult fiction with an abridged content, and the other is a children's edition. Take Harry Porter books, the adult and children edition have different covers and presentations which give each a different character.

Design involves knowledge of the target audience, the format of the book, the type and size of fonts to use, the illustrations and pictures, colours to employ, type of paper to print on, etc. Each area, be it format, fonts etc has its own peculiarities that the experts use to produce as near perfect as possible.

Presuming the text is written (writing is another subject we won't discuss here), it would have to be set in an appropriate typeface, proofread and edited so that there is a good flow. Spelling and grammatical mistakes will not be permitted. A professionally managed publication will hardly have any such mistake.

Once the design is complete and the text is laid out, it is handed to the printer either as an artwork or in a CD format. The printer will then have to colour separate the pictures (if in colour) and ensure the reproduction is no worse than the original. Colour proofs are provided the client to verify and approve. The rest of the text is laid out according to a scientific layout so that they run page-wise consecutively and do not clash with overall positioning. The binding method, aside from reflecting the expectation of the market (for example, lawyers prefer hardbound books), also determines the pricing of the book. Books are generally bound as paperback, saddle-stitched or thread-sewn. Once the printing is complete and the printed sheets are folded and bound with the cover into a book, the printer has only to deliver the book.

If the book is meant for a restricted audience, the books are delivered to specified locations and the trail ends there.

However if it is to be made commercially available, publishing becomes more complex and requires the services of others who are experts in their field. Obviously a marketing plan must be in place and this would have helped to determine the retail price, print run, profits and so on. A good publicity programme will help to promote the book and raise public awareness of its availability. The author must also have considered the saleability of the book in foreign markets in which case he would have to engage foreign representatives (distributors). Dealings with distributors and retailers can be involved and for the uninitiated an exacting experience.

The marketing and distribution of books is a challenge worldwide and publishers employ various platforms to sell their books. This aspect of the business has to be fully understood before even engaging in writing and designing the book. I have had many authors approach me with a finished book asking me to sell to specific markets. However the pricing strategy employed would be wrong most of the time and the packaging may not be appropriate (for example, a hardcover novel is a poor proposition for certain markets).

I have attempted to dispel the misunderstanding that prevails between printing and publishing. Printing is a fascinating field and was my first love until publishing came along and swept me off my feet. I suppose knowing that I don't have to disown printing to engage in publishing makes it an easy transition. In fact, knowledge of the printing process has made publishing a more exciting proposition.