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How to self publish a book with Peecho print on demand

August 22, 2024
Publishing

Self publishing might sound like hard work, but the reality is that it’s actually pretty easy – at least, it is with Peecho.

Before print on demand publishing, writers and content creators had fairly limited options when it came to getting their work published themselves, including something called offset printing. This particular printing method typically involves costly upfront expenses as well as the ongoing challenge of managing inventory.

Furthermore, self publishing meant taking on the financial risk of printing a large number of copies in advance, often resulting in unsold books gathering dust in storage. Distribution was also a major hurdle, with authors struggling to reach a wide audience without the support of traditional publishing channels.

Then along came Peecho. Redefining the self publishing landscape, our print on demand platform offers a hassle-free solution for anyone interested in self publishing a book. Our range of print on demand books enables you to create and sell everything from photo books and graphic novels to professional portfolios and children’s books online – zero set-up costs or minimum orders required.

Our plug-and-print checkout solution automatically prints copies of books as and when they’re ordered, eliminating the need for large print runs and reducing the financial burden. It also helps simplify distribution by handling the fulfilment process from end to end, allowing authors to focus on writing or creating content instead of worrying about logistics. Better yet, with Peecho, you'll even have access to your very own customer support team.

So, how do you self publish a book with Peecho print on demand? Let’s get into it.

1. Create your free Peecho account

Sign up for a free Peecho account to access our suite of self publishing tools from within your personal Peecho dashboard. Here, you can upload and manage your publications, select which type of book you’d like to sell, set your product pricing, publish your book, view your order history and much more.

2. Upload your publication

The next step when self publishing a book via Peecho is to prepare your publication for printing:

Once you’ve prepared your print-ready PDF file, you can upload it to your Peecho dashboard and order a sample print to make sure you’re happy with the finished product.

3. Set your product specifications

Publication uploaded, it’s now time to set your product specifications, starting with your:

Book title

While this one might seem self-explanatory, your book title also serves as the name of your product listing, so take care to ensure that it accurately represents your content and appeals to your target audience.

Book type

Choose your book type, color and size. We offer three different types of print on demand books, all of which support photos and text, including hardcover books, softcover books and layflat books. We recommend reading the individual product descriptions in detail, as each of our books come with different paper finishes as well as varying minimum and maximum page counts.

Product pricing

How much profit you make when self publishing through Peecho is entirely up to you. If you need some pointers, you can check out our guide on how to set your product pricing. Otherwise, click on the gear wheel icon in the main menu of your dashboard and select ‘Catalogue’ from the drop-down menu. Set the percentage of profit you’d like to make, then click  ‘Save scheme’.

You can also set a fixed amount for your publication by clicking the ‘Go to custom settings’ button at the bottom of the page. Click ‘Details’ next to the product you want to set a profit for, then change the price of your publication to a fixed margin.

Book spine

All of the books we print are perfect bound, which means they have a spine. The spine is blank by default but can be customized if preferred. If you’d like to customize your book spine, fill in the text field and choose where you’d like it to be positioned, select a font and background color, then preview your book spine. Alternatively, you can pre-design your book spine and upload it as a PDF.

4. Publish your print on demand book

Now for the exciting part: publishing your print on demand book! Here are all the ways you can publish and sell custom photo books with Peecho:

Integrate with our print API

Automate your order fulfillment with our powerful print API. Ideal for businesses with developer access, our API connects you directly to our global print network and provides comprehensive reports, product details, shipping information and status updates for every order.

Use our Book Creator API

This specialist software solution transforms user-generated content into print-ready photo books. Our Book Creator is the ideal tool for apps and platforms looking to monetize user content – no coding necessary.

Try our instant print button

Don’t worry, integrating the print button is much easier than it sounds. All you have to do is copy a small piece of code and add it to your website! This code then creates a print button that guides customers through a complete checkout and payment process.

Share the print button link

We generate a unique print button link for every publication you upload, enabling you to distribute it through various channels. Simply copy and paste this link into your social media posts or email campaigns to promote your work.

To sum up…

And that’s how to self publish a book with Peecho print on demand. All it takes is just four easy steps: Create your Peecho account, upload your publication, set your product specifications and publish your book.

For tips on how to drive sales of your print on demand book, read our blog posts on how to sell limited edition prints and create coupon codes.

Sign up now for a free Peecho account, and start your self publishing journey today.

Self publishing FAQs

What is self publishing?

Self publishing is the process of independently producing and distributing your own content – be it text or image-based content – without the involvement of traditional publishing houses.

What is offset printing?

Offset printing is one of the most common types of commercial printing methods for printed products such as newspapers, magazines and books.

The process itself involves transferring ink from a printing plate to a rubber blanket or roller, before applying it to the printing surface, which is typically paper. This indirect method allows for high-quality and cost-effective large-scale printing, making it suitable for mass production of various printed materials.

While offset printing is often referred to as "true" self publishing, since it's entirely possible for you to do everything yourself, subcontractors usually require you to purchase in large quantities to make the price per item more affordable. Alternatively, the other option is to buy your own offset printer and start producing books yourself.

Either way, you’re responsible for the logistics, from printing, packing and shipping orders to handling returns. The entire process can be a hassle, which is why many authors are now shifting towards print on demand publishing as an alternative.

What is print on demand?

Print on demand describes a manufacturing process where products are made to order, in small batches or individual units, using digital print technology.

The model has no startup costs, since you don’t need to invest any money in printing equipment, inventory or manufacturing labor.

Peecho's intelligent software automates the fulfillment process from start to finish, all through one single dashboard. Our print on demand products can be printed in any quantity, and we’ll only charge you once you’ve made a sale.

How much money can I make through print on demand publishing?

Print on demand publishing offers more creative control and better royalties compared to conventional publishing. It’s usually the preferred option for those who are just starting out. Self publishing a book through print on demand helps increase the revenue that you can generate, as you’re free to set a margin over the base printing and logistics cost of your book – that margin being pure profit.

Where can I sell my print on demand book online?

Anywhere you like! Our print button enables customers to easily purchase your book through your webshop, guiding them through an integrated checkout. You can also share a link to the print button via social media or email.

Alternatively, our print API enables you to automate the creation and fulfillment of your photo book orders, while our specialist Book Creator API is perfect for apps or platforms looking to turn user-generated content into custom photo books.

What are the benefits of self publishing through print on demand?

When self publishing a book with Peecho print on demand, not only do you get the benefit of not having to pay any upfront costs or meet any minimum order quantities, but you also get access to a wide range of stock, without having to store, print or ship it yourself.

In other words, you only pay for printing once you receive an order. If you don’t receive an order, you don’t incur any costs or hold any excess inventory, making print on demand publishing a cost-effective and low-risk option for authors and content creators.

Print on demand with Peecho

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