Not too long ago offset printing was the only way most books were printed. Offset printing used film and ink and it was expensive. Now days most printing is done digitally making it more affordable.
To determine printing costs decide how many books you’ll want to print. If you need less than 250 consider print-on-demand (POD). This process does not use film and uses a toner instead of ink. Many printers and online publishers offer this service. It’s ideal for printing short runs, however, the price per unit is higher than offset.
Let’s look at printing costs for a 5-1/2” x 8-1/2,” 112 page soft cover, perfect bound book with one-color (black) ink interior and a four-color cover.
To print 250 books using print-on-demand, the unit price is approximately $6.00. To print 1,000 books using offset, the unit price is approximately $2.00 per book.
There are many variables to estimating your printing costs including: the page count, physical size, type of paper, the use of photos or other graphics, and binding. It’s necessary to know the physical specifications of your book to receive an accurate cost estimate from a printer. Also, get bids from several printers as they may specialize in a specific process or type of book.
Self-publishers need to evaluate their budget, the quality and quantity of the book they desire, and their potential sales, as well as thoroughly investigate printing options.
