Questions tagged [printing]

This tag should be used for questions about the process of printing a physical book.

This tag should be used for questions about the process of printing a physical book. You should specify what you are asking about by adding tags for the style of book you are printing, such as , for the genre, such as , for the topic you want to ask about, such as or the things you need for this , such as or

43 questions
34
votes
9 answers

Why do hardcover books retail for more than three times the cost of softcover books?

One thing I've noticed while browsing bookstores is that hardcover books tend to cost more than softcover ones. Oftentimes a hardcover book that's five times the price of a paperback doesn't have five times the mass of one. Is it the manufacturing…
Kalamane
  • 443
  • 1
  • 4
  • 5
17
votes
6 answers

Is there a way I can print a book only for myself?

As selfish as this sounds, I’m really interested in having my own book printed for myself as the title entails. I don’t intend to sell it or distribute it or anything of that sort, but just something I could read for my leisure with a physical…
AcidicProgrammer
  • 279
  • 1
  • 2
  • 9
15
votes
1 answer

What binding and paper should be used on a self-printed novel?

The last time I printed a book I just needed something done cheaply and quickly. The print store used very bright, glossy office paper (the same that they use for office documents) and used construction paper for the cover. I thought this would be…
Village
  • 265
  • 4
  • 15
  • 33
12
votes
3 answers

Is there a standardized size for Books?

I noticed that my softcover/paperback books are all roughly the same size, but have slight differences. Are there standardized sizes (and are they different between US and Europe, just as US Letter and Din A4 are different?) or does each publisher…
Michael Stum
  • 2,003
  • 1
  • 18
  • 27
12
votes
1 answer

Do publishers use LaTeX to produce books for the blind?

What software tools do publishers use to produce books for the blind, i.e. containing embossed Braille? Is LaTeX one of them? There is a braille LaTeX package, which can be used to print Braille, but I'm not sure it can be used to emboss Braille. If…
jub0bs
  • 288
  • 1
  • 9
9
votes
8 answers

What is the most cost effective way for me to get my book printed?

I have written a book that I would like to get printed. I am not looking to have it published at this time but would like to get a limited number of copies (100-200) printed up for family and friends. Are there any good companies out there that…
6
votes
1 answer

What printing methods and quality can I expect of POD companies?

Due to the growing popularity of POD, many small companies are coming to the market, and makes this business very competitive. However, I hardly see comments on the quality of printing (paper, binding, color, etc). These companies print even one…
Googlebot
  • 850
  • 2
  • 9
  • 17
6
votes
2 answers

How do I calculate how many copies I am planning to print?

I wrote a fan-fiction story and had emailed a company to get a license from them so I could publish it. (The license would cover copyright stuff, etc.) However, the person in charge of licensing asked me how many copies I planned on printing...…
5
votes
2 answers

Where to print a weekly black & white comic magazine

Me and a couple of friends are thinking of creating a comic magazine that contains a couple of different original comics. This is what we want the magazine to have. All the images inside will be in black & white We want it to be printed on a 5 x…
4
votes
3 answers

costs of self-publishing photo book, coffeetable

I am at a loss for a frame of reference regarding the costs associated with printing/publishing a photo book (like a coffeetable book) I'm sure it depends, but is there any kind of scatter chart where I could at least form my own variables and make…
CQM
  • 203
  • 2
  • 5
4
votes
3 answers

Why are the bids for printing our book so high and what can we do to reduce costs?

I work for a US state DOT. We are trying to print our new standard specifications for construction. When we published in 2018, we got 1,000 copies for about $11/book. This time, we advertised for bids and got prices ranging from $100/book to…
Jack
  • 141
  • 4
4
votes
3 answers

Color scheme for print and ebook

I am currently writing a book intended for print (POD) and eBook (PDF/ePub displayed on different devices, including iPads). I use InDesign (CS4) to create the book. The book uses colors for the tables (rows in alternating colors). Looking at the…
4
votes
2 answers

How can I generate paperback book from iBooks Author?

I'm starting to write a book and I am considering to use the iBooks Author app since I tend to like Apple products. Through my research, I learned I can publish it into iBooks, export it for iBooks or in another format, which all seem valid options…
Ricardo
  • 165
  • 8
4
votes
1 answer

PoD services that do hardcovers of custom dimensions?

Which print-on-demand (PoD) services allow creating hardcover books of arbitrary dimensions (e.g., 115 × 157 mm)? I'm looking to print 60 copies.
Geremia
  • 219
  • 1
  • 6
4
votes
4 answers

Is it much costlier to self-publish a 6x9 book than a 5x8 with a POD printer?

Does the amount of pages and/or the number of copies printed determine the cost just as much as trim size? I was thinking of using KDP or possibly Advanced Print & Finishing (bestbookprinting.com), which I think does POD as well, not just offset…
Claudia S
  • 41
  • 3
1
2 3