Short run printers are those that specialize in print runs of 500 (or less) to 5,000. There are many to choose from throughout the U.S. and I've learned that they vary widely in a number of aspects, such as production time, customer service, shipping charges, and the quality of the product they produce. Choosing the best printer for you is not easy. Central Plains Book Manufacturing
The following are some guidelines based on my experience as a new publisher to help you make good choice:central plains book manufacturing
1. Location, Location, Location
All other things being equal, it's to your advantage to find a printer as close as possible to your location for several reasons. First, you will be going back and forth with proofs and the closer the company is, the less time and money this will cost you. If the printer is located in your own city, you may be able to save time by just driving to their office to sign off on proofs or make changes.Central Plains Book Manufacturing
Second, the closer the printer is the less expensive the shipping charges will be. Shipping charges should not be overlooked as they can add a significant amount to your per-book cost. Also, make sure to get an estimate on shipping fees up front, as some printers pad their shipping charges. Also, the closer a printer is the less time shipping will take each time you order a new shipment of books. An extra week may not seem like a big deal but when you are sold out of books every day counts. Winter storm conditions can cause additional delays if your printer is located in the Northeast or Mid-West.central plains book manufacturing
Finally, if things should go terribly wrong (as sometimes they do), and for some reason you end up in court, the printer will most likely have put a clause in the contract stating that legal proceedings will be carried out in their county. It will be a lot easier to deal with this unfortunate circumstance if the printer is located relatively close to where you live.Central Plains Book Manufacturing
Start by looking in your local phone book and if you can't find a printer in your area then look online for printers in nearby cities and neighboring states.
2. Shop Around
Once you've identified several printers, begin asking for quotes. Don't just go with the first printer you come across — take your time and get lots of quotes! The quotes I received varied by as much as 10 percent. As mentioned above, make sure they include a shipping estimate. You need an overall bottom-line price. It doesn't help you if a printer is $100 less on the quote but the shipping will cost you $400 more because either they are farther away or they are padding their shipping charges.Central Plains Book Manufacturing
Also, keep in mind the lowest quote isn't always the best deal! Quality is important too!
You'll need to decide on the types of materials you want to use for your book and make sure the quotes are for the same types and quality of materials. There are lots of different choices for types of paper and cover material. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions. If a printer seems annoyed or impatient with answering your questions, I'd move on. Some printers will give you a low quote but the materials in the quote are cheaper (e.g., 50# white paper as opposed to 60# natural paper, etc.) — this will result in a cheap looking book.central plains book manufacturing
Also, be wary of recommendations. It's always nice to get a personal recommendation for a company and to find a printer via word of mouth. However, just because someone you know used a company isn't always a good reason you should use them. Maybe their product is different than yours. Also, people will in some cases recommend a company they used even if they weren't entirely happy with the experience. Ask lots of questions and still follow through with Step 3, below!Central Plains Book Manufacturing
3. Investigate Each Company's Reputation
Once you've received your quotes and are considering moving forward, take a few minutes to check out each business on the Better Business Bureau website (www.bbb.org). My advice is pass on any company with unresolved complaints filed against them within the past 3 years. There are just too many other printers to choose from. Ideally you want to find a company that is actually a member in good standing with the Better Business Bureau, but at the very least a non-member with no complaints filed against them.Central Plains Book Manufacturing
If for whatever reason you are really in favor of using a company that you find has unresolved complaints with the Better Business Bureau, I would recommend at least inquiring about these complaints with the company and/or asking for a written copy of the complaint and the company's response to the complaint.Central Plains Book Manufacturing
Once you've checked the Better Business Bureau site, do an extensive online search for the company's name in quotes. This is a good way to see if anyone has posted a negative experience they've had with the company on their website or blog.central plains book manufacturing
4. Short Run vs. Print-on-Demand (POD)
You now have your quotes in hand and maybe the reality is setting in of parting with anywhere from $4,000 - $10,000+, depending on the size of your book and print-run. The question you need to ask yourself is: "How confident am I that my book will sell?" What is your target market? How will you be marketing your book? What type of market research have you done? Can you afford to print 500 or 1000 books if it takes a couple of years for you to sell them? Only you can answer these questions. However, there is an alternative to consider: print-on-demand. New technology has made it possible for books to be manufactured as they are ordered, one at a time. The pros: you have no up front costs, no risk, and no inventory. The cons: less profit per book. Check out www.lulu.com and decide which choice is best for you. In my view, if you are reasonably confident you'll sell at least 500 books in a year's time and you are not having to finance the cost of printing the books, you are better off having them printed with a short run book manufacturer. However, if you are questioning if you will even sell 500 copies and/or you don't have the cash on hand to print 500 books, try print-on-demand instead. Keep in mind, if your sales start picking up, you can always stop the print-on-demand process at any time and opt to do a print run of your book to increase your profits.central plains book manufacturing
5. Placing Your Order
Once you've received your quotes, verified the materials the printer will be using, and checked out each company, it's time to make a final decision and place your order. After you've done all your homework, your final decision may in part come down to a gut instinct or who you felt you had the best rapport with on the phone.Central Plains Book Manufacturing
Make sure you request a sample book they have produced that is similar to the one you will be ordering (hard cover, soft cover, etc.) if you didn't already receive one with your written quote. Central Plains Book Manufacturing
Next you'll be providing the book manufacturer with your digital files. It's up to you to make sure the files you provide the book manufacturer are free from errors. However, it's almost inevitable that there will be some small errors that were overlooked in your proofing that you'll notice once you have the manuscript in actual book form. Make sure you inquire with the book manufacturer as to how much text changes will cost after the initial print run. Some printers charge as much as $12/page to make changes.central plains book manufacturing
I strongly recommmend you have at least one test copy printed at Lulu.com before you order a print run with a standard printer. Lulu.com is a print-on-demand company that allows you to order and print just one copy of your book. By ordering a test copy, I was able to catch a margin width error on one of my chapters that I hadn't previously noticed on the print-outs.Central Plains Book Manufacturing
Because your first printing may contain some small errors and it will be your first time printing a book with a new company, I recommend you at least consider doing a smaller print run for the first time – say, for example, 500 copies if you were initally thinking of printing 1,000. The per book cost will go up with a smaller print run, but it reduces your risk if the book doesn't turn out quite the way you hoped it would. Once you have your printed book, you can then make any necessary changes and either do a larger print run with the same book manufacturer, or, if you were very unhappy with their product, start over with a new book manufacturer. Once you've found a book manufacturer you are happy with, you can begin ordering larger quantities.Central Plains Book Manufacturing
6. Listing of 20 Short Run Printers/Book Manufacturers by State
Below is a sample of short to medium run printers and book manufacturers from around the country. Please note, I am not endorsing these companies, only giving you a place to start — it's up to you to check the search engines and Better Business Bureau website and make a determination about these companies before you place an order with them. As you can see, there are many to choose from.
AlabamaCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
EBSCO Media, www.ebscomedia.com, 800-765-0852 (Birmingham, Alabama)
CaliforniaCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Angel Printing, www.angelprint.com, 760-967-0492 (Los Angeles & San Diego, California)
Dehart's, www.deharts.com, 888-982-4763 (Santa Clara, California)
Overseas Printing Corporation, www.overseasprinting.com, 415-835-9999 (San Franciso, California)
Printmedia Books, www.printmediabooks.com, 866-774-6893 (Anaheim, California)
ColoradoCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Outskirts Press, www.outskirtspress.com, 888-672-6657 (Parker, Colorado)
FloridaCentral Plains Book ManufacturingCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Whitehall Printing, www.whitehallprinting.com, 800-321-9290 (Naples, Florida)
IllinoisCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Publishers' Graphics, www.pubgraphics.com, 888-404-3769 (Carol Stream, Illinois)
United Graphics, www.unitedgraphicsinc.com, 217-235-7161 (Mattoon, Illinois)
MarylandCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Phoenix Color, www.phoenixcolor.com, 800-632-4111 (Hagerstown, Maryland)
MassachusettsCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Angel Printing, www.angelprint.com, 888-669-2643 (Boston, Massachusetts)
MichiganCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Sheridan Books, www.sheridanbooks.com, 800-999-2665 (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Thompson-Shore, www.tshore.com, 734-426-6392 (Dexter, Michigan)
NebraskaCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Morris Publishing, www.morrispublishing.com, 800-650-7888 (Kearney, Nebraska)
OhioCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Bookmasters, www.bookmasters.com, 800-537-6727 (Ashland, Ohio)
OregonCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Maverick Publications, www.mavbooks.com, 800-800-4831 (Bend, Oregon)
UtahCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Alexander’s Print Advantage, www.alexanders.com, 800-574-8666 (Lindon, UT)
WashingtonCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Gorham Printing, www.gorhamprinting.com, 800-837-0970 (Centralia, Washington)
RPI Print on Demand, www.rpiprint.com, 800-443-1875 (Seattle, Washington)
WisconsinCentral Plains Book Manufacturing
Worzalla, www.worzalla.com, 715-344-9600 (Stevens Point, Wisconsin)
For additional short run printers and book manufacturers see this website: http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/isbn/us/printers.asp
Printers / Book Manufacturers to Avoid
Central Plains Book Manufacturing
In doing my research I came across several blogs complaining about a company in Kansas called Central Plains Book Manufacturing. They also have recent complaints with the Better Business Bureau.
Update: I've recently learned that Central Plains Book Manufacturing has filed for bankruptcy.
