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Hard Cover - where do you print?

2K views 21 replies 11 participants last post by  KidSlumber 
#1 ·
So I have been using Create Space to POD out paper backs... but if i wanted to do Hard Cover, who is the best company to go with? I have used Lulu in the past and I guess I could again. I sell very few paper backs, but my family wants hard cover copies.

Suggestions?
 
#3 ·
JanThompson said:
When you find out, LMK.

I'm looking into this as well as part of my SP research e.g. for non-fiction coffee table books. TQ.
When I was producing my Astronomy books, I used Lulu. The books had lots of full color, full page bleed photographs and Lulu did well with them, but that was a few years ago. Do not know if the options have changed since then.
 
#11 ·
I use LSI. I have three hardcovers so far.

Lulu and iUniverse use LSI. They make it easier to do. LSI has hoops to jump through with account set up and file submission, plus it costs about $115 to set it up between the fees and the proof.

LOVE mine though. I have done both dust jacketed fabric and full color covers.
 
#12 ·
TexasGirl said:
I use LSI. I have three hardcovers so far.

Lulu and iUniverse use LSI. They make it easier to do. LSI has hoops to jump through with account set up and file submission, plus it costs about $115 to set it up between the fees and the proof.

LOVE mine though. I have done both dust jacketed fabric and full color covers.
Hmmm. Didn't know Lulu also used LSI. It's a bit odd that they don't offer the cloth bound hardcovers, then. Well, they didn't the last time I looked into it, anyway.
 
#13 ·
VydorScope said:
You can pay extra to make it available to do that, but I have not looked into that at all.
Thanks. Looks like from the other replies, Lulu is packaging LSI so going to LSI directly would seem better.

So if anybody has gone through LSI for hardcover, what options did you choose and how much does it cost?

Do they use glue or thread for the spine?

Did you also have jackets for your books?
 
#14 ·
JanThompson said:
Thanks. Looks like from the other replies, Lulu is packaging LSI so going to LSI directly would seem better.
Not sure about that. I need to check, but based on comments on this thread Lulu is cheaper. If they are truly repackaging LSI then it does not make sense to go to LSI if Lulu is cheaper. I will need to compare... and hopefully soon. :)
 
#15 ·
My clients have always used LSI. No problems with them.

The hard cover books you're getting from most digital printers are not actually traditional hard covers. One way to tell this is to lie the open book on a table. A  book with sewn ligatures will have a deep arc between the outer paper that is adhered to the book board (not to be confused with the jacket) and the pages at the spine, creating a gap where you could stash a pencil or coffee money.

Glued hard covers, like LSI creates, do not have this, or it's not nearly as significant. They don't sew ligatures, it's all glued, much like any perfect bound product.
 
#16 ·
If I were going to print hardbacks of my trilogy, I would go an offset printer like McNaughton & Gunn so I could choose the endpapers (or even have them printed, perhaps with a map), the headband (the colored strip on the spine), and a die stamp for the front cover.

I've designed hardbacks that were printed at Lightning Source and at offset printers. The LSI books are glued. The foil on the spine uses their standard fonts and is kind of rough, not crisp. They offer a custom stamp option, but I don't know anything about it. On one of the LSI books, the spine feels too tight, and the pages splay open a bit. The endpapers are white.

Yes, you can get dust covers with LSI. You can also get case laminate — the cover is built into the book, no dust jacket needed. I have a sample of a case laminate book LSI printed for Warner Aspect. It looks pretty good.

If you only want a handful, POD is OK. You need to print 500 or more to make offset economical.

If I were to do hardbacks, I'd collect preorders, money upfront that would pay for the printing. Not enough demand? No hardbacks.

Maybe you can tell that I would love to have my books in hardcover...
 
#18 ·
KidSlumber said:
I intend to have a print on demand title ready in about 2 months. My first port of call will be publishing.booklocker.com. Have a look at their site and see what you think.
Please look a little closer at BookLocker before you use them. They take a significant chunk of your royalty and have rules about pricing.

OUR COSTS (BLACK AND WHITE INTERIOR WITH COLOR COVER):

BookLocker has four publishing packages:

D.I.Y. - DO IT YOURSELF - $0 setup fees, $18 annual hosting fee, $35 Print Galley.

PAYMENT PLAN PROGRAM - $567 deducted from future royalties.

AT-YOUR-SERVICE PROGRAM - $317 ($517 with original cover design).

EXPEDITED PROGRAM (two week turnaround) - $967.

That's it. We don't have any hidden fees, we don't charge extra
for photos/graphics, etc., and we don't upsell authors on a bunch of
products/services they don't need.

Authors who use BookLocker for their second and subsequent books qualify for $199 setup fees.

COLOR-INTERIOR PRICING IS BELOW.

~~~~~

ROYALTIES:
PRINT ROYALTIES
35% of the list price for public sales of POD books sold through Booklocker.com
15% of the list price for POD books sold through other distributors/retailers/etc.

BOOKLOCKER.COM E-BOOK ROYALTIES
70% of the list price for ebooks priced $8.95 or higher.
50% of the list price for ebooks priced under $8.95.

THIRD-PARTY EBOOK ROYALTIES (Amazon, BN.com, Apple)
65% OF THE NET AMOUNT Booklocker.com is paid for each ebook priced $10 or higher.
55% OF THE NET AMOUNT Booklocker.com is paid for each ebook priced under $10.

Our minimum list price for ebooks is $2.99.
Pays royalties - Monthly
24-Hour online access to royalties? - Yes
List price - Author assigns (see minimum list prices below)
Minimum list prices for PAPERBACK books of
up to 108 pages - 12.95
109-150 pages - 13.95
151-200 pages - 14.95
201-250 pages - 15.95
 
#19 ·
Steve W. said:
Lightening Source/Ingram (LSI)

Use them. They're cheaper, and better quality than most (aside from off-set printers)
LSI isn't accepting Indie authors anymore. You have to go through Spark. Not sure they're that good of a deal. Also, last I heard, Spark contractually forbids current & former customers from discussing anything to do with the company.

Spark screws up your files, ships misprinted products or overcharges you? Keep it to yourself or else. Can't stomach their latest mandatory contract addendum? Again, keep it to yourself or else.

Not really appealing imho.
 
#20 ·
Jack C. Nemo said:
LSI isn't accepting Indie authors anymore. You have to go through Spark. Not sure they're that good of a deal. Also, last I heard, Spark contractually forbids current & former customers from discussing anything to do with the company.

Spark screws up your files, ships misprinted products or overcharges you? Keep it to yourself or else. Can't stomach their latest mandatory contract addendum? Again, keep it to yourself or else.

Not really appealing imho.
I knew they were suggesting authors go with Spark rather than Lightening Source, but I didn't know they demanded it. That must be new. I thought the only difference between Spark and LS was the forced 55% discount.

Were you with Spark? I ask because I was curious if you were sure they contractually obligate their customers to NOT speak of the company. That seems like a rumor that might have morphed a bit as it's been spread. It's just that it would seem they'd want people to sign up for Spark, since that's how they'd generate revenue, and referrals would be a major way of accomplishing that goal.
 
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