The on-demand publishing market began as a result of the digital printing technique.
While digital printing and offset printing are very different, each can meet different needs in the modern children's book market. Offset printing is the traditional book printing technique, involving large permanent printing plates. Digital printing uses computer technology and printers. The children's book market is a growing area for publishers, focusing on the reading needs of children up to preteen reading.
Per Unit Cost
The offset printing technique begins with the creation of large printing plates. Once these plates are ready, the cost to print an offset printed book is much less expensive than a digitally printed book, due to the type of paper, ink costs and computer technology required for digital printing. Publishers prefer the offset printing technique for books expected to be in high demand, as the long-term costs are much lower. In the children's book market, where popular characters or genres can spark buying trends, the offset printing method offers this reduced cost to publishers.
Printing Speed
Offset printing allows for fast publication of books, as the printing technology is much faster than digital printing. This increased printing speed translates to a quicker turn-around from the decision to publish a book to the day it ships to bookstores for offset printed books. Additionally, because the permanent printing plates are stored for later use, this allows publishers to reprint the book later with the same increase in speed.
Storage After Printing
The printing plates used for offset printing require physical storage space after the printing process. For publishing companies, this means dedicating safe storage space for these plates on a long-term basis, or risking the need to reproduce them for future printings. Digitally printed books are stored electronically, taking up very little space in computer memory. Additionally, because of storage requirements, a publisher would have to retrieve the plates from storage if it chose to print additional copies. Digitally printed books can be printed on demand. This creates an on-demand publishing market allowing young readers to select any book, have it printed for them and shipped within a few days.
Initial Investment
Printing plates carry an initial investment, generally more than $5,000 at the time of publication, for the cost of the printing plates. Publishers have to believe a book will sell well to make this investment worthwhile. This creates a more restrictive publishing market, keeping many young writers from getting a foothold in the writing profession, especially in the children's literature market where publishers must consider the changing tastes and trends of youth. Digitally printed books require no additional investment beyond the basic investment of technology. This reduced risk for publishers allows them to take more chances on new writers, since publishing companies have little to lose in the on-demand market if a writer is not well accepted.
