Recommend a printing company

Permalink Reply by Joel Friedlander on March 15, 2010 at 2:49pm

Darthy, not sure why you are frantic because it often leads to rash decisions.

CreateSpace is fine, they will do an adequate job with your book, if it's digital printing that you want. Why don't you provide a bit more information about the book and what you're looking for? That would get you better feedback.

Permalink Reply by Gary Roberts on March 15, 2010 at 3:02pm

I agree with Joel. A bit more information would help.

Book: color, b&w, grayscale images, pages, size
time line for completion
is the book ready to go and in what format
etc

Permalink Reply by Darthy Johnson on March 19, 2010 at 7:27am

Thanks,
Please see reply I sent to Joel.

Permalink Reply by 1106 Design on March 15, 2010 at 3:41pm

Hi Darthy,

Please tell us more about your book. Is the interior color or black and white? Is it straight text or does it contain photos? How many books do you need, how soon do you need them, and how do you plan to sell them? There are many options available (some say, too many) but there's no need to panic...the perfect printer for your book is out there and we're all willing to hold your hand and help you decide. Price should be only one of the considerations, because it's perfectly possible to find a cheap printer who will do a terrible job, and I'm sure you don't want that.

Permalink Reply by Darthy Johnson on March 19, 2010 at 7:27am

Thanks for your reply. I have published one title, but had too many issues with the printing company. In fact, I printed my title with 2 different printing companies because casebound books from the first printer literally fell apart, days before my scheduled release party...

I have appended the RFQ I sent to too many book printers :-). If you can recommend a printer, please LMK.

I am seriously considering Lightening Source or Amazon's Create Space.

Request For Quotation
Please quote your best price and delivery time for printing and binding the following book:

Title: Consequences: Murder on the Air Force Base
Author: D. P. Johnson
Publisher: Patton Publishing
Specifications:
Quantity: Please provide quote for: 100, 200, 500
Number of pages: 280
Trim Size: 6 x 9 inches. (Bound on long edge)
Interior Copy: Provided as electronic files in .PDF
Illustrations: None
Bleeds: None
Paper: Your house stock in natural white, 55 or 60 lb. opaque book, vellum finish.
Ink: Black throughout.
Proofs: Complete bluelines or electronic alternative from same RIP used for plates.
Cover: Print one side only. (Front, spine, and back of book.)
Extra Covers: Please specify cost per hundred of extra covers at each quantity.
Cover Copy: See the comments after "interior copy" above.
Bleeds: All 4 sides
Cover Paper: 10 or 12 pt C1S stock. Laminate with a lay flat gloss plastic lamination.
Cover Ink: Standard 4-color process.
Proofs: Color match print and complete bluelines or electronic alternative from same RIP used for plates.
Binding: Soft cover, perfect bind.
Packaging: Packed in a 275# burst test carton.

Permalink Reply by Gary Roberts on March 19, 2010 at 9:12am

Darthy

Based upon your needing this quickly, Lightning Source is out. It takes a while to apply and get approved. I think Createspace (which now uses Lightning Source as one of their printers as well as giving you the choice of access to Ingram as a distributor) is your best bet. You won't have whole lot of choice in the how and why. You do have to abide by their printing requirements, but that's the same with any POD printer. Forget the casebound books. Casebound or hardcover books with a perfect bind tend to be stiff to open and do not last too long.

Permalink Reply by 1106 Design on March 19, 2010 at 9:25am

Hi Darthy,

These are standard book specs that any book manufacturer should be able to deliver successfully. I'm guessing that at quantities under 500, you received digitally-printed books, and not offset-printed books. Even so, the binding should not have fallen apart. Lightning Source is an excellent choice for quality digital printing and profit.

Depending on how fast you sell books, offset printing may be a better choice, because you can get 1,000 offset books for the same price as 500-700 digital books, and with offset printing, the unit cost goes down as the quantity goes up.

We have successfully worked with Bang, Thomson-Shore, Sheridan, Bookmasters, and United Graphics for offset printing. Each of these printers has their own strengths and weaknesses, and we try to find the best balance depending on the book. Problems can occur at any printer, because book printing is a manufacturing process, but the key is that the printer must be willing to make things right when the problem is their fault.

Why don't you tell us, perhaps off-list, who supplied the books that fell apart. We'd like to know as well, so that we don't recommend them to our clients. (I think I can guess, based on an experience we had a few years ago.)

Michele DeFilippo
http://www.1106Design.com
Your Book. Designed. With Hand Holding.

Permalink Reply by Sandra Adell on March 29, 2010 at 6:24am

Hi, Darthy:

I just read your post and agree with others here, that it's important not to be "frantic" since you don't want to make costly mistakes. Also, my new book, CONFESSIONS OF A SLOT MACHINE QUEEN: A MEMOIR, was printed by Sheridan Books. I knew from the start that I wanted to use an off-set printing company and I wanted the book in hardcover and symthe sewn. It was expensive, but the book is beautiful. I also had more printed than you're considering, 3,000 copies. But I'm very satisfied with Sheridan Books. They also do digital printing, which will be much less expensive. I chose to go the way I did, because I am working on selling to libraries.

Sandy (www.eugeniabooks.com)

Permalink Reply by Darthy Johnson on March 29, 2010 at 1:39pm

Thanks

Permalink Reply by Brad Poulson on March 29, 2010 at 4:32pm

Darthy,
If you have time, please consider the printers who advertise here on SPANnet.org. They help us keep the lights on and have been referenced in the above recommendations! Here is a link to our SPAN Printing Advertisers.

Brad Poulson, SPAN Communications Director

PS. If you utilize our advertisers, please tell them where you heard about them. Thank you!

Permalink Reply by Ram Iyer on April 30, 2010 at 5:41am

Hello Sandra,
Can you please share some details about Sheridan? How much did they charge and what services did they provide? Why did you choose Sheridan over any other publishers? Thank you so much.

Permalink Reply by Clay Clarkson on April 7, 2010 at 2:34pm

Darthy,

You probably have more suggestions than you need at this point, but I'll throw in one more. That's what a forum is for! I just sent out an RFP this month for a 240-page trade paper book (60# interior; 12pt cover), for 1000/2000 short-run offset. I sent it to eight national print houses. Victor Graphics Inc. (VGI) in Baltimore, MD beat the next best bid by 8%, and the worst bid by 25%. I can't say you'll get the same results, but I recommend them for short run and digital printing. They've printed several of my books, and do a great job. And if you don't want to ship and warehouse your books, they also offer very easy and inexpensive storage and fulfillment. I'd like to see them become a SPAN sponsor.

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