How does the Snowfall Print Network work?
1. Are Snowfall printers also publishers?
No. We are a network of digital printers working to provide revolutionary services for publishers. Publishers have ownership over content, pay royalties, and are charged with marketing and selling that packaged content to consumers. We offer state of the art printing services and can help with distribution.
2. If I am an author, can I use the Snowfall Print Network?
Yes! We consider authors who are self-publishing their own books to be micro-publishers.
3. Will the Snowfall Print Network market and sell my books?
No. We do not market nor sell your books. We have a list of trusted experts who can help sell an author's or publisher's books, whether with marketing, PR, or sales and distribution. Please see our list of Expert Community for more information.
The marketing process can be a rewarding experience and no one can market their book better than the author. Using an expert to help guide you in this process can be an important asset.
4. Does the Snowfall Print Network integrate with web-stores?
Yes. One of the early features we developed was an API that allowed a publisher's ecommerce engine to connect directly to the Snowfall Print Network. In essence, a consumer order from a publisher's website triggers a purchase order in the Snowfall Print Network, and our server triggers the press to print the book(s) and ship them to the address on the purchase order.*
*Note: This solution is technically demanding and may require extensive knowledge of web development and programming. We have made this API available at no charge, but do not have the ability to do any substantial consulting or programming for publishers. It is the publisher's responsibility to make the required modifications to its own website for integration. For more info, please contact info@snowfallpress.com.
5. What is the perfect print run for the Snowfall Print Network?
We specialize in print runs of as few as one copy, but can print as many units as is required.
6. Are there any hidden fees?
No. You pay for printing and shipping. That's it.
7. Are there set-up or change charges?
No. A publisher can change their book as often as they like. Simply upload the changed PDF and print a proof to ensure the printed copy is as you wish.
8. How much royalty do you keep?
None. We are printers and do not own any rights to any publisher content. Therefore there is not a royalty to pay.
9. Will you own my book rights?
No. We are simply printers. The publisher always maintains full rights and control over their content and book files.
10. Are you moving towards e-books?
Yes. We anticipate offering our customers the ability to create e-books sometime in the near future.
11. Do I need to sign a contract with the Snowfall Print Network?
No. Customers are required to agree to our terms and conditions in order to open an account, but there are no contractual obligations for an account. Publishers are free to print as little or as many books as they like and are free to print with other printers.
12. Does the Snowfall Print Network do the printing or is it "jobbed-out"?
We are a network of printers. We don't outsource jobs to facilities not in our direct control. All production occurs on our custom automated hardware, unavailable to anyone else.
13. How long do shipments take?
We offer customers shipping options through UPS and the US Postal Service. We anticipate offering shipping through FedEx in the near future. Customers can choose the shipping option they prefer given the price and time to ship.
14. Do you offer discounts?
Because we print digitally on fully automated equipment, the economies of scale have already been reached with the first book. We are able to offer low prices with no minimum order quantity – the volume discounts have already been achieved with the first book and while we can print hundreds of units for our publishers, we give our best deal on the first unit. We welcome our publishers to compare our pricing for one unit, or hundreds of units with our competitors.
15. What are the payment terms?
All payments for orders through our website are made by credit card.
16. What is your return policy?
Like all printers, we encourage customers to print proofs before ordering multiple copies. Any issues with printing will show up in the proof. Any changes made to a book interior or cover should also prompt the printing of a proof. Unless the book has a manufacturing defect, we do not take returns or replace books.
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How are you different from a publisher?
We are not publishers. We are service providers who print books. We want to help you succeed by offering a strategic tool in your publishing toolkit.
17. When should I use a traditional publisher?
First, understand the different types of publishers in the market place. Then determine how much risk you are willing to take, how much revenue you are willing to give up (or keep), and whether or not you want to be in control of the process, or abdicate that control to someone else. Here are some helpful definitions of other options in the marketplace (This helpful list was original found at http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/vanity/):
A commercial publisher purchases the right to publish a manuscript (usually together with other rights, known as subsidiary rights), and pays the author a royalty on sales. Most also pay an advance on royalties. Commercial publishers are highly selective, publishing only a tiny percentage of manuscripts submitted. They handle every aspect of editing, publication, distribution, and marketing. There are no costs to the author.
A vanity publisher prints and binds a book at the author's sole expense. Costs include the publisher's profit and overhead, so vanity publishing is usually a good deal more expensive than self-publishing. All rights and completed books are the property of the author, and the author retains all proceeds from sales. Vanity publishers may exclude objectionable content such as pornography, but otherwise do not screen for quality.
A subsidy publisher also takes payment from the author to print and bind a book, but contributes a portion of the cost and/or provides adjunct services such as editing, distribution, warehousing, and marketing. Theoretically, subsidy publishers are selective. A subsidy publisher claims at least some rights, though the claim may be limited and non-exclusive. The completed books are the property of the publisher, which owns the ISBN, and remain in the publisher's possession until sold. Income to the writer comes in the form of a royalty.
Self-publishing, like vanity publishing, requires the author to bear the entire cost of publication, and also to handle all marketing, distribution, storage, etc. However, rather than paying for a pre-set package of services, the author puts those services together himself. Because every aspect of the process can be put out to bid, self-publishing can be much more cost effective than vanity publishing; it can also result in a higher-quality product. All rights, the ISBN, and completed books are owned by the author, who keeps all proceeds from sales.
18. Isn't everything moving to eBooks?
No. Popular books have already begun the migration to offer eBook editions alongside traditional print editions. In some cases, books are releasing in an eBook edition only, or prior to releasing in a bound edition. Many other books have not been viable in the eBook format for a number of reasons including graphics, pictures and color. With the introduction of the iPad and other tablet devices, there will be more titles moving to digital devices. As this happens, traditional print runs get shorter, and the need for
quality, efficient digital printers like Snowfall become more important.
According to Bowker, a leading industry aggregator of sales data, eBook sales still represent a small percentage (although growing) of overall book sales, despite the buzz around the platform. In fact, most publishers aren't selling more through eBooks. They are tending to cannibalize their sales from the overall book market.
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ISBN Numbers
19. Do I need an ISBN number?
Publishers only need an ISBN number if they are planning on selling a book at retail. This includes Amazon.com and other online retailers. If a publisher or author is only publishing a book for family, friends, conferences or direct-to-consumer distribution purposes,they do not need an ISBN.
20. What is the purpose of an ISBN?
The purpose of the ISBN is to establish and identify one title or edition of a title from one specific publisher and is unique to that edition, allowing for more efficient marketing of products by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers and distributors.
21. Who can assign ISBNs to a publisher?
There are over 160 ISBN Agencies worldwide, and each ISBN Agency is appointed as the exclusive agent responsible for assigning ISBNs to publishers residing in their country or geographic territory. The United States ISBN Agency is the only source authorized to assign ISBNs to publishers supplying an address in the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico and its database establishes the publisher of record associated with each prefix.
22. What do I do when I receive the ISBN and where should it be located?
An ISBN should be assigned to each title or product, including any back list or forthcoming titles. Each format or binding must have a separate ISBN (i.e. hardcover, paperbound, VHS video, laserdisc, e-book format, etc). A new ISBN is required for a revised edition. Once assigned, an ISBN can never be reused. An ISBN is printed on the lower portion of the back cover of a book above the bar code and on the copyright page.
23. How do I get an ISBN?
ISBN numbers can be purchased from Bowker.
Bowker also will create a barcode for you. The pricing structure for bar codes is as follows: 1 - 5 : $25 per bar code 6 - 10 : $23 per bar code 11 - 20 : $21 per bar code
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Shipping
24. What options do you offer for shipping?
We give customers full control over the shipping process. After the shipping destination information is fully entered online, shipping options and their prices for the order will appear on screen. The customer can then choose the shipping option they prefer.
The following shipping options are offered for orders:
- USPS Express
- USPS Priority Mail
- USPS Priority Flat-Rate
- USPS First Class
- USPS Parcel
- USPS Media Mail
- UPS Next Day
- UPS Second Day
- UPS 3-Day Air
- UPS Ground
25. How long do shipments take?
We offer customers shipping options through UPS and the US Postal Service. We anticipate offering shipping through Federal Express in the near future. Consumers can choose the shipping option they prefer given the price and time to ship. We encourage customers to educate themselves on how long it will take, using different shipping carriers and option, for their books to ship from our printing facilities in Phoenix, Arizona and Elizabethton, Tennessee.
26. Can I ship internationally?
Yes. Currently, we only offer a USPS Priority Flat-Rate option for international shipments. Keep checking with us as we add new shipping options like FedEx.
27. What about FedEx?
FedEx will be offered in the near future
28. Why do you warn me when shipping media mail?
Media mail is offered for domestic shipments under five pounds. Although this is the cheapest shipping option, experience has shown that is by far the most unreliable shipping option. We will not replace anything shipped by media mail, and we cannot help you track it.
29. Can I use my own shipping number for shipments?
Currently, we do not offer this option. If you have questions, please contact info@snowfallpress.com
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Details
30. What kind of bindings does the Snowfall Print Network offer?
Currently, we offer perfect bound books (paperback). The prices on our website reflect perfect-bound books only. In the near future, we anticipates offering coil bound and saddle-stitched books (stapled on crease) and case bound (hardback) books.
31. How do I stop a print order?
Because of the rapid turn-around of our print process, a book is often printed very soon after it is ordered and therefore impossible to stop. For that reason, we urge publishers to print a proof before printing larger quantities. If you have made a mistake please send us a message marked "Urgent" to: info@snowfallpress.com.
32. What is the average turnaround time for printing?
We produce book orders in three business days or less (not including the day of order).
33. What are the trim sizes the Snowfall Print Network offer?
We offer any trim size from a minimum of 4"X6" to A4 (slightly larger than 8.5"X11").
34. What paper is used by the Snowfall Print Network?
We offer a variety of paper options. To see our current list, click here.
35. Do you print photos and grayscale illustrations?
Yes, we do print excellent B&W photos and grayscale illustrations within the text of a book.
36. When will you start printing books with color interiors?
We do not print color book interiors, though there are plans to add this option in the future.
37. Do you do hard cover/case bound books?
Not currently. We plan to add this option as early as Q1 2012.
38. What is "bleed" and how does the Snowfall Print Network deal with bleed?
Bleed is a printing term referring to printing that goes beyond the edge of the sheet after trimming. Bleed ensures that the color on the cover goes all the way to the edge and no "white appears at the edge." In our case, the recommended bleed is 1/4th of an inch on each side.
When designing a cover for our system, the bleed should be designed into the cover size. For a book that is 6 inches wide, the cover will be 12.5 inches + the spine width (6" for the front; 6" for the back; plus 1/4 inch for front and back bleeds).
39. Do you laminate or UV coat covers?
We use a lay-flat gloss laminate cover. UV coating is currently not an option.
40. Do you offer matte finish on your covers?
Currently, we do not offer matte laminate covers.
41. How do I get my "out-of-print books" printed?
If there is not a digital file available, a publisher can scan the book and load the scanned PDF files into their account per the normal uploading procedures. We have worked with a number of companies who scan books. These experts can be found here.
42. How do I scan my out-of-print books?
There are a number of services that will take a physical book and scan it to prepare digital files for digital printing. The best services will actually take the scan and re-typeset the book as well as create e-book files at the same time. These experts can be found here.
43. How do I make a PDF?
Click here for a full discussion on this subject.
44. What is font embedding?
Embedding is a way to ensure that all the fonts and graphics you have used in designing your book will be printed. For a more complete discussion on this subject, click here.
45. How do I upload a book?
For full instructions, click here.
46. What if my PDF file does not work?
We recommend using a Microsoft XPS or PDF/X-1a file for uploading to our servers. For a full discussion regarding how to make a PDF or XPS file, click here.
47. How can I get help with formatting my file(s) for printing?
We have worked closely with a number of experts who can help you with a single issue, or can be a long term resource for printing your book and bringing to market. For a full list of experts, click here.
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