Control over your books

If you want total control of your books, you may want to look elsewhere. Huge POD services market and brand products with their logo. For most writers, this is fine. However, if you wish to track who buys your books, this can be a problem. You don’t have access to your list of buyers. You’re selling on the POD site, so you won’t be able to find out who enjoyed reading your work.

Quality issues

Not all PODs deliver what they promise. In some cases, the quality of printed books is compromised. As an author, it is in your best interest to find out which PODs deliver the best printing. It’s disappointing and annoying to get a hold of your printed books only to find that the pages easily rip off from their binding. Try to visit a POD site of your liking and order one of their books to check out the quality of the print.

They may do the marketing, but don’t expect easy sales

You’re not the only author acquiring the services of a POD. It can be challenging for your book to stand out among rows of other books being marketed by the same POD service. Just because they provide distribution to major online and physical bookstores doesn’t mean that it will generate immediate sales. The key here is to remain active by creating your online presence. Yes, you still have to do some promotions like informing people about your latest book and where they can buy it. You can provide promotions like discounts on a limited time frame.

Take your time to look around

It’s better to be safe than sorry. Look for the top POD book services online. Peruse their profiles and visit their sites. Names of popular PODs like IngramSpark, KDP Print, and Book Baby often pop up in search engine rankings. This is a great way to narrow down your search. In addition, many blogs on writing provide listicles related to the publishing business, and here you can find articles on the top POD platforms.

Whichever POD service you want to try, study their specific requirements carefully. Not all PODs are on the same footing when it comes to quality service, and it all boils down to getting your money’s worth. Remember that a POD service is an investment. Expect to have a learning curve on your part. Make sure that all the effort is worth it because you want returns on your profit. Each platform has its own distinct offers and is transparent about the kind of service it will provide.

Consider this piece as a primer on print on demand publishing. Trends in publishing change from time to time. You may want to research common misconceptions about POD services as well. Whatever publishing route you wish to take, expect different challenges that you will encounter. Understanding these challenges may well help you find the right publishing route. If you decide to take the POD route, may the service you choose provide you with a reliable service.