The Artists’ Guide to Self-Publishing and Printing Booklets
Self-publishing is a challenging endeavour because of the amount of work one needs to put in to achieve success. Despite this, artists in many fields are turning to self-publishing as a means to promote their work. Booklet printing services nowadays offer plenty of support for those who are looking to make their work more visible and well-known to the public. Many booklet printing companies nowadays can provide artists with a wide range of options, allowing for highly customised prints that don’t compromise on quality.
The main thing that attracts artists to self-publishing is the amount of control over the output that they can have. Some big names are taking matters into their own hands because this is a more convenient and empowering way of putting their work out there.
Many choose to go independent so that they can showcase their works and have control over what will be printed, as well as how it would look like an end product. Self-published artists say that doing it yourself makes your work seem more important, and there is a lot more emotion attached to it. Check out our content on unveiling the artistry and individuality of creative writing, typography and poetry zines..
In the early years of self-publishing, it was almost guaranteed to be gruelling work. In a book full of pictures, one had to shell out upwards of £5,000 just to get it published.
Another challenge in self-publishing a bookazine has always been that you have to surpass the standard that commercial publishing has set. The end result must be stunning.
Thankfully, independent authors and artists nowadays can simply hire a professional to help out with the printing process. Moreover, they now have a lot of say in terms of the overall design of the prints, as well as which materials are used. Independent authors and artists are encouraged to hire reliable booklet printing services from a reputable company so that the end result will be consistent with what they have in mind.
Those with little to no training or knowledge in designing an art book for self publishing can also benefit from an expert’s services. Hiring professional assistance can get what you have in mind laid out and so that you have a good idea of what could end up looking like.
However, if you do not have a lot of connections, self-publishing may also entail some self-learning, but that that is not necessarily a bad thing. You can learn a new set of skills that may become useful for you in the future.
Sometimes, learning a new skill may take as long as a month. Familiarising yourself with the equipment may mean investing even more time, but at the end of the day, when you learn these things, it will be easier for you to independently publish your booklets. Although there will be an adjustment period, through experience, you will find that you can really do it yourself.
Checking the quality is one of the biggest factors why many do not go the independent route. If you are signed with a publisher, all you need to do is to send the drawings or photos, and they do all the manipulation, layout, and quality control.
But when you self-publish, you have to oversee all the aspects of the process. So, if you spot any mistakes, you have to learn how to own them and be responsible for it.
Art and photography books need to be of top-tier quality, so it pays to check even the smallest details. Any small mistake in the printing or grammar can become obvious, so it pays to take great care when checking your work. You can ask your printing company to help out if they have this type of service.
One of the ways you can ensure a good booklet is to first create a dummy. You can print out a crude version of the booklet so that you can check it and have others see how it would flow and how the actual pages of the booklet would look.
An early version or a prototype can help immensely in getting feedback on what can be further improved or, more importantly, what needs to be revised or edited. Sometimes, a prototype may cost money, but the amount of stress it can reduce for you is priceless.
Choosing your partner printer is another great consideration to make, as they are the ones who will turn your vision into reality. You must note that different printing companies have different styles, which means each will put out a slightly different result.
You can ask your printing company to send a final on screen PDF proof to show what your booklet would look like once it has been printed. This is an essential step in choosing a printer because anyone who is flexible enough to accommodate small changes will be as passionate as you are about the output.
They should also not insist on implementing their own templates. While these can be useful when it comes to setting the printer, these can be limiting and could lead to massive changes to your vision.
A professional printer will also be more concerned about the deadline, always striving to meet and exceed the set expectations and timelines. If you want to sell your booklet at a certain time, the printer should be able to provide you with the copies at the date agreed upon or even earlier.
Professional Booklet Printer
Self-publishing is a challenging but immensely rewarding undertaking. To ensure the best results, it’s crucial to work with a professional and reliable booklet printing partner. Such a company will have many options and services to choose from, allowing you to turn your booklet plans into a profitable reality.
At Ex Why Zed, we provide all the necessary services to assist you. We have worked with thousands of artists, self-publishers, children’s book authors, magazines, photographers, illustrators, and just about anyone who wants to see their work in high-quality prints.
Don’t hesitate to reach out, and we will do everything we can to produce the best possible results.
