Traditional Printing--Color

[timfire]

Hi everyone,

As some of you may know or may have guessed, the color illustrations in The Mountain Witch are expensive to print with a POD printer. Lately I've been curious if doing a traditional print run would save me some money... Well, I know it would, but I'm curious how much.

TMW is 164 pages, 5.5 x 8.5, perfect-bound, with nine color illustrations. If I printed 1000-1500 copies---any more than that is ill advised based on my sales---what kind of per-unit price do y'all-with-experience think I would have to pay? I was just hoping for a ball-park figure.

Thanks!

[Valamir]

Quotes will be all over the board.  My b/w quotes for Uni ranged from 2.50/unit to over 5.00.

I recommend using one of the print quote consolidator sites and request as if you were doing another print run.  I'd ask for quotes for several different run sizes due to the breakpoints with scale.  You'll probably get half a dozen responses and that will at least give you a range of real numbers to work with.

[MatrixGamer]

Tim

You're in the volume range where off set printing will be cheater than POD. The exact costs will, as Valamir mentioned, be all over the map. Volume is only one factor. There is also paper quality, are your color plates front and back (thus saving a side of paper), and binding.

Checking out the on line price places is okay to get a ball park figure for costs but it is a good idea to work with a company where you have a phone relationship. That person contact means you have someone who can answer your questions and who you can go to with problems. (Like rattling their chain when they go slow.) There a blue million sneaky printer tricks that a personal contact will insulate you from. I know when I have to talk to someone on the phone about a job I'm working on I want to do it right so there is no conflict. That is useful leverage to use.

One thing to ask about is if they are outsourcing the book binding. Most printers are not book binders. Also most printers do not specialize in book printing. I'm in Bloomington Indiana (Where IU is) and there are only two book printers in town - well three if I'm included). Outsourcing the binding is not automatically a problem but if they do it it will slow things down and it is a good idea to know who is doing it so you can call them if need be.

My experience is that 3/4th of a book job is in the binding. Since I hand build the hardback cases and hand collate and fold the signatures and hand feed them into the smyth sewer my labor would be that high but even in regular printing binding is more than 1/2 of the job. Ask them what kind of machines they use and them check them out on the internet. That should reassure you as to their quality. And don't be afraid to ask them to send a sample of their work. They will have book over runs laying about that they can send you. You may have to play shipping - but it's worth it.

Ron has mentioned that printers do not have to be local - and I agree with that. Anywhere in the US is good (assuming you are in the US). If they have to cross boarders it can be a pain. Canada slaps hefty tarriff on goods. I lack Spanish so I wouldn't go south or over seas for the same reason. There are great printers in Europe but the shipping home can be VERY slow.

Glad to hear you're doing well with The Witch Mountain. Personally my Origins blew. If I didn't self produce I'd be hurting. As it is I'm only annoyed.

Chris Engle
Hamster Press = Engle Matrix Games

[Matt Wilson]

Tim:

I just got Primetime Adventures done via Cushing-Malloy. The price point was kickass. Contact them, and they'll quote you for both 1000 and 1500.

[Luke]

Hey Tim,

As you'll soon see, I've had a bit of a go at 4 color printing myself. Let's talk at Gencon. I'll give you the gories.

-Luke

[andrew_kenrick]

I've not been tempted (or able) to have a go at colour printing yet, but I might do soon. So with that in mind - Tim, are you able to tell me how much MW cost to print POD colour?

[timfire]

I've not been tempted (or able) to have a go at colour printing yet, but I might do soon. So with that in mind - Tim, are you able to tell me how much MW cost to print POD colour?

The book alone (without other production concerns) costs about $6 to print. (This is a tad high. I use RPI because I like their service, but they cost a tad bit more than other places.)

In general, a B+W page will cost 1 to 2.5 cents. On average, color cost about 25 cents per page. The nine color illlustrations in the book nearly doubles the price of printing.