There are many ideal applications for Print on Demand when only a small number of books are needed. They include family genealogies, church histories, cookbooks and autobiographies with limited appeal to mostly family and friends. Other instances where this print approach makes sense is if an old book still sells a few hundred copies a year, you need a few dozen copies of a manuscript to send out ahead of time for advance blurbs, possible book club sales, or to interest an agent or trade publisher. Some speakers use POD when they need a small quantity of a customized workbook for a special client or a seminar.

While POD can be the perfect answer for the above situations, it often is not the best approach for a serious author/publisher. Short runs can be shortsighted. There is so much bewilderment surrounding this publishing venue, it's as if Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen combined to craft a baffling mystery. So to help you sort out the options, here are some clarifications:

While you can save money by printing fewer books with POD printers, each book will cost you more. When you figure out what the fees are to print the interior and the cover of your book (each is separate), you'll probably be in the $5 - $7 per book range. That gets expensive in a hurry if you plan on sending out many complimentary review copies