What is a Print on Demand Paperback (POD)?

A paperback version of a book that isn’t printed until a customer places an order for it.

Gone are the days of an up-front investment to print an inventory of books, and storing them in your spare bedroom or garage, keeping your fingers crossed they sell, and you recoup your costs.

With POD your paperback isn’t printed until your printer receives a customer order. This flexible approach to printing has opened up a risk-free option to all indie authors. There’s no need to store an inventory of books and your paperback is never out-of-stock. 

If you’re not sure if releasing your book in a paperback version is the right choice for you, here’s some considerations:

Benefits of Print on Demand Paperbacks

1. Paperbacks can have a higher list price than an ebook: There’s more profit in print versions because the perceived value of a physical book is higher than a ebook, so you can add a higher profit margin for the same content.
2. Paperbacks give readers a choice: Some readers still want a physical book to touch (and smell!), and prefer consuming their content in a paperback. This is especially relevant for nonfiction content, and there is still a big demand for paperback travel guides.
3. Paperback content displays how you want it to: Paperbacks are printed from a PDF document so you have complete control over how your text and images are laid out in your book, unlike the dynamic/flowable formatting of an ebook where the reader controls how your book is displayed.
4. Paperback versions add an aura of professionalism: Literally anyone can publish an ebook, but it takes an extra level of effort to create a professional looking paperback version. Plus if you’re doing public speaking engagements or attending author events, you should have physical copies of your book available.
5. POD Paperbacks can be revised and updated: Given how quickly travel information changes, it’s important to keep your book current and accurate. Once you’ve updated your book content it’s quick and easy to make the file available to your publisher so they always have the most up-to-date file available for printing on demand.

Disadvantages of POD Paperbacks

1. Paperbacks have three cover design requirements: You can adapt your ebook cover design for your paperback, but you also need a back cover and spine design). Unless you have good design skills this has cost implications.
2. Paperbacks need different layouts: Depending on your paperback layout requirements, the file you’re using for your ebook may need additional focus and attention to get your content to display correctly in a fixed layout. So your timeline needs to account for this, or you may need to outsource this task to a freelance service if you have complex layout requirements.
3. Becoming an paperback publisher

Creating an paper version of your book is a choice not a requirement. You can ignore this format, release it with your ebook, or stagger your releases.

You’re the master of your own self-publishing destiny.

Read more articles in my How to Write a Travel Guide Series

I’m putting the finishing touches on my How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Series, which details a step by step approach for writing and producing your own travel guide. It’s part of a four-part series aimed at helping travel bloggers achieve passive income based on their passions and existing content.

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