Groups / Small Publishers and... / Ingram Spark vs....
I do not yet have the final proofs to compare the printing of Ingram Spark and CreateSpace editions of "Confessions of a Golf Slut" side by side. But I can explain why (and how) I've decided to use both, and share a few tips for like-minded publishers and writers.
- CreateSpace is much more user-friendly in every way. It guides the user through the process gently, which means one might make more mistakes and take longer through the proofing process than with Ingram Spark, which won't approve a title if it finds one measly little error.
- I am a little worried that my Ingram Spark cover might be a bit off and it seems I might have to pay $25 to resubmit it. Or maybe I misunderstand their proofing process -- which, frankly, is a bit confusing, but then, see Note No. 1. CreateSpace has a lot more experience in this niche.
- I had browser issues uploading with both companies. So I would just try Firefox, then Explorer, then Chrome, until something worked. Explorer probably was the most successful, Firefox probably the least.
- I have seen three proofs of my book so far with CreateSpace and have not seen a perfect cover yet, even though we used the template. The spine has not been centered yet.
- During the proofing process, CreateSpace added the matte cover option, perhaps to better compete with Ingram Spark. I think I will prefer it to laminate.
- It costs nothing to set up a title with CreateSpace, $49 with Ingram Spark (plus $12 annual maintenance fee).
- The royalty for a book retailing at $16.95 on CreateSpace: $5.70 if sold through Amazon, $2.31 if sold through other channels. The royalty for that book if sold through Ingram Spark: $2.80. So if I sell 100 books at Ingram Spark, I've paid off my $49 and will make 49 cents more per book thereafter than I would via CreateSpace.
I've read complaints about Amazon's relationship with Lightning Source/Ingram Spark, along with complaints that booksellers hate Amazon and, by extension, CreateSpace. So I decided to use CreateSpace if only to collect that bigger royalty (with probably better service) via its parent company Amazon, and to use Ingram Spark for wider distribution.
I also will use CreateSpace for its more favorable pricing on my own copies -- $4.47 per copy plus about 50 cents per book standard shipping or $1 expedited, if you're ordering 25 books or more. For that same 25-book shipment, Ingram Spark will charge me $4.89 for each book (its bulk pricing kicks in at 100 books) plus about $1 a book standard shipping.
If I order 50 books through Ingram Spark, I will get my $49 setup fee back. Since those books will cost me just $21 more than they would via CreateSpace's publisher pricing, I will surely do that.
Next up: ebook files!
Christine, thank you. We're in Rochester, NY, and now that the kinks are worked out, the hardcover and softcover books we have had printed locally are of fine quality. Maybe we could get similar results at slightly less cost, but then we'd also have to deal with shipping, and lose the plus of supporting a local business, and one only minutes away from us.
In any case, the real question/problem is how to get proper distribution. The answer might have to be that we can't, and must depend on personal dealings with shops and libraries and everyone...while hoping word-of-mouth will send people to places where the books are stocked on consignment.
If you've got a formatted pdf all ready to go, then all you need is a printing company. I use one out of Chicago. What state do you live in, Martin?
I'll go back to CS and have a look; thank you, Birdie. CS has what is probably a great advantage, as I think others have remarked upon, that you can talk to humans. I have totally failed to reach any actual person at IS.
Is there a person at CS you suggest I call, possibly to get a sample book from them? 8.5 width x 5.5 height sounds as though it might work. Would require redesign, of course. Thanks again.
Martin, I've done several books in CS in landscape format, though not as big as yours. One series is 8.5x8.5, designed with lots of space for sketches, notes, actors' marks, and scenery placement -- my Shakespeare Playbook series (www.shakespeareplaybook.com). Also, 8.5x5.5, for two-column text, and some pages with black ink art. CS will allow custom sizes, within limits.
Finally I have it straight. MY own errors, misunderstandings. As with CS, Ingram Spark does not offer a landscape format for a picture book. Or any book. All books from IS have to be taller than wide, and the widest is 8.5 inches. Maybe they will change or expand their menu of choices later on?
Meanwhile, does anybody here know of possibly good companies for publishing/printing and distribution of an 11 or 12 inch wide picture book by a new author/artist?
Good to know.
Susan, I continue to wait upon IS and wonder why it is taking so long for them to validate (or reject) the CMYK book file. Maybe with a picture book there are particular complications.
Meanwhile, though, I am encouraged by what you are saying here. Not only because CS does not even offer to do a 12-inch wide picture book, at least for now, but because I think the Ingram connection has far more promise than the one with Amazon, especially when one is hoping for sales of hardcovers and even softcovers, rather than e-books.
Maybe I have a lot to learn, but I count on genuine books to be the first choice for titles which incorporate artwork, photographs, special graphics. I've observed only a few toddlers flipping through picture books on the iPad...it is not an encouraging sight and they don't seem more than minimally interested in the images.
Must emphasize, I appreciate the way Amazon has served us in selling the actual books so far. But I hope IS (or some other outfit?) will provide a way to make the book available to independent shops, schools and public libraries. IndieBound.org seems to have great promise, and at no cost to people such as ourselves.
Hello, Susan. I don't think "amateur" is the word for someone who offers a "book" that has not been finished in terms of editing, proofreading and sufficient attention to design. Often, the only difference between the amateur and the professional is the amount of money each person earns from their efforts. There are also professionals who turn out, sometimes on a regular basis, work that is sloppy, ugly, bad.
This might be a weird analogy, but I've seen amateur tennis players who are unbelievable on the court, outshining many pros.
I also tend to think, though this may be my particular bias, if one is an adult and can't spell, one cares little if a text is loaded with errors.
Considering my age, even if the worlds of self-publishing and self-distribution are new to me, I should not be surprised that there are a great many authors and artists, sometimes also self-regarding and promoting themselves as editors, trainers, teachers, publishers and distributors, who are not qualified for any of those roles. One can have "published" ten dozen books and none of them are more than forgettable.
I don't mean to be bitter, sarcastic, a curmudgeon or any other unpleasant sort, but I'd love to see some humility instead of so much tooting of one's horn. Guess I should begin, of course, with watching how I come across myself. Especially as a new person at SheWrites. Cheers.