Publishing company BookLocker offers Print-On-Demand (POD) digital printing for paperback and hardcover books in addition to producing electronic books (e-books). Since BookLocker uses POD, its books are only available through online retailers like Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com. Readers who want to buy BookLocker books from their local bookstores must special-order them because in-store distribution is unavailable for POD books.
At BookPros we offer POD and offset printing with our imprints, Bridgeway Books and Synergy Books. The POD method prints one book at a time acting, essentially, like a giant copying machine. Offset printing actually creates plates with which to print your book, creating a higher quality output. This results in a higher initial cost, but the cost per book is lower when printing large quantities. BookPros also offers in-store distribution as well as online sales through Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com for both imprints.
In terms of design, a manuscript must be final before an author submits it to BookLocker. At BookPros, we assign professional, freelance editors to your book to ensure that your work gets more than one look. Cover design is the only extra service that BookLocker provides and it charges extra for a non-template design. BookPros ensures that your cover is original, and we employ professional graphic designers who work to create the best cover and interior possible for your book. Our covers are consistently of the highest caliber of design, conform to strict industry standards and catch the eyes of media personalities and readers alike.
As far as publicity is concerned, BookLocker offers free marketing and personal advice for authors, but its publicity campaigns are not as extensive as the services BookPros provides through its sister company, Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists. BookLocker prefers online marketing, while Phenix & Phenix helps you publicize through many types of media including print, television and radio, in addition to online. Phenix & Phenix's publicists target the media outlets that are the most likely to be interested in your book's subject matter.
With BookLocker, you receive 35% royalties for books sold through its online store and 15% sold through third party websites. BookPros does not pay royalties because your book is not sold by the company but distributed to wholesalers and bookstores. For this reason the payment sent to BookPros from the distributor is forwarded onto you.
BookLocker has a quick turnaround time of four to six weeks to publish its books. BookPros/Phenix & Phenix has a timeline recommended by industry professionals that ensures you do not feel rushed, that your book is the highest quality and that the publication date can come at a time when you can optimally market your work.
