SEVEN WARNINGS ABOUT PRINT ON DEMAND

(New York, NY)—Problems are beginning to surface with the publishing phenomenon known as Print on Demand (POD), according to Arbor Books (www.arborbooks.com), one of the leading ghostwriting and self-publishing companies in the world

What is POD? This printing alternative allows the production of single copies of books to be printed, instead of hundreds or even thousands at a time.

In the beginning, POD was limited to mainstream publishers as a means for them to spit out cheap copies of an upcoming book for reviewers and media people. In this case, the POD book—known in the trade as a “bound galley”—is marked with the phrase “review copy,” “not for sale” or “uncorrected proof.”

POD was never intended as a printing process for a commercial, store-quality book.

In order to help customers answer the question “What are the problems with POD?” Arbor Books has created a list called “Seven Things Your POD Subsidy Publisher Won’t Tell You.”:

1) POD has the same stigma as a vanity press. Unlike high-quality self-publishing, POD has a notorious reputation for poor production, design, and quality of writing. Everybody knows who the main POD publishing factories are and for almost all these authors, having that publishers name on their book is a kiss of death.

2) Nobody reviews self-published POD factory books. The trade press, such as Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and Booklist, won’t generally review POD factory books. (They will review self-published books.)

3) Bookstores don’t carry POD books for numerous reasons: it book won’t receive a review, there is a high price point and POD publishing factories do not allow returns. Most bookstores are not interested in stocking POD.

4) Because of the low prices charged by POD publishing factories, there is a tradeoff: money, care or time cannot be allocated to the design of a book. Everything is cookie-cutter, boiler plate—and the books look it. Almost everyone in the publishing industry can spot a POD subsidy book a mile away—and will run in the opposite direction.

5) Since the POD Company owns the ISBN, they control the book. Clients have NO access to their typeset material, etc.

6) Individual book production costs are through the roof. The per-unit cost will always be far higher than what the market will bear.

7) Marketing is non-existent with POD. They are printers—not marketers. They specialize in low-end clients, getting them in and out, and there is no customer service or support (though the irony is that many POD projects take a year or more to finish!).

Arbor Books and other book packaging and marketing firms focus their attention on creating a retail-quality product. The success of the book and author are paramount. The goal of a company like Arbor Books is to provide the author the best shot at having a bestseller, according to Arbor Books co-owner, Joel Hochman.

Arbor Books is the only publishing firm that is 100 percent insured against defamation and plagiarism and is associated with one of the most prestigious publishing law firms in the United States.

Arbor Books authors have seen their books become national bestsellers, have been offered movie deals and have been picked up by major publishing houses.

Arbor Books, a member of the Better Business Bureau, works with Fortune 500 companies, Hollywood celebrities, sports figures, politicians, businesspeople and anyone who is interested in having their fiction or nonfiction book become a reality.

Arbor Books provides a variety of services to their clients, such as; publishing, ghostwriting, design, and editorial.

Arbor Books authors have appeared on Oprah, Montel, CNBC, MSNBC, CNN, ABC News, and FOXNews and have become columnists for major newspapers and magazines, including USA Today.

Cofounders, Hochman and Larry Leichman are publishing industry veterans and are listed in the Literary Market Place. “Arbor Books is known for its ability to partner with organizations, advertising firms, and public relations agencies to create exciting, beautiful books,” says Hochman.

Arbor Books, Inc.
244 Madison Avenue, #254, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Ian Parsells
Phone: 201-236-9990
E-mail: ian@arborbooks.net

Arbor Books, Inc. is a leading provider of ghostwriting, self-publishing and marketing in the publishing industry. Arbor Books authors have become national bestsellers, been picked up by big-name publishers like Random House and have been featured on shows like Oprah, Good Morning America and The View.

This release was published on openPR.