It could be because the paper they use in the pocket sized books are white instead of cream? (They seem a bit thicker too?) But I'm not sure how much difference that makes, and I'm also not sure why they can't just use cream paper in the smaller books either.
I'd love to know the 'whys' too, please!
I've recently switched / am switching to pocket-sized paperbacks, because everyone I know has stated they prefer the smaller size, hands down, no exceptions! I prefer the smaller size too.
I moved to only creating pocketbooks ages ago because they are cheap to make, and that is very important when creating via BOD, and yes they are a handy size.
Unfortunately, I have to take a cut in royalties to make them anywhere near affordable. Offset with the fact that more people will (hopefully) buy the smaller copies, I'm hoping this won't make too much difference to my earnings in the long run.
Yes, that's another problem with any BOD book, competing with mass-printed books, but as we are the publishers, often selling direct, we can have a lot of mark-up to mess with. (Lulu call it Royalties for some reason). But even if you are 'only' making 50p per book it is still a lot more than a publishing house will pay you in 'real' royalties. (But they would possibly sell more for you!)
But it's annoying. Createspace do not charge so much to print / produce small paperbacks.
I think 'Lulu' books sold via Amazon are printed by Createspace anyway (because Createspace 'is' Amazon). I suspect that Lulu mark-up the price the Creatspace charge them, but Lulu have to make money somehow, it's a free site do not forget.
I've spent the past two months pondering on whether to move over ... the only thing holding me back at the moment is their ridiculous shipping prices (because they don't have a UK printers),
Who's shipping prices? Who don't have UK printers? You are aware that Lulu's basic free ISBN only gets you on to Amazon.com, which is a US site. **
and the fact that they don't pay out in £ (only $). I'm in the UK, so both of those things are a pain.
See above **
But they print small paperbacks for cheaper, so I'm still considering it...
Printing price is not the same price as they sell them for.
Hi Kevin,
It's Creatspace that don't have a UK printers (if you order your copies through them they come from the states = HUGE shipping charges).
I am not to sure about that because years ago at some huge UK book trade fair, the CEO of Amazon said they will be installing BOD machines. But I would have thought that with Amazon's vast distribution network, that they spent all profits on for years, would mean shipping would cost peanuts by the from anywhere!
It's also Createspace that don't pay royalties in ££, only $$. They also don't pay you via PayPal.
Bit shortsighted that is it not?
In the above respects, Lulu are kinder for the UK authors.
Lulu have one huge disadvantage, they do not own any BOD machines.
It's nice to know someone else who uses pocketbook sizes -- everyone I know really does prefer them. And I do still wonder the answer to the original question -- why are they so expensive to produce. I think your suggestion about Amazon's profit margin on those books may be accurate!
I was not aware that they are! I changed to pocketbook when I saw the high cost of the other project options! It could be that some types are only printed in the USA and if you do not live there, then tough!
BTW, the two books that I've had go through ExtendedReach, ALSO appear on Amazon.co.uk, not just Amazon.com. I'm sincerely hoping this is still the case?!
It swops and changes so it is hard to keep up with it all! But >>> http://connect.lulu.com/t5/ISBN-Distribution/Distr
