Epigraph’s POD publishing couples superior print quality with incredible distribution at no extra cost to you!

Feel the power!

Your book available here:

And printed and delivered for you on-demand in any quantity.

What is POD?

Print-on-demand publishing is a breakthrough technology that allows for:

1)            Printing books in small quantities and/or

2)            Distribution through online resellers

Some self publishing companies such as Lulu and Blurb primarily offer only the first capability while Epigraph offers authors both. By having your book available for sale on stores like B&N.com and Amazon you create the vital mechanism to produce royalties and reach the widest market of readers.

Epigraph’s print-on-demand publishing system is also a revolutionary breakthrough in publishing financing. No longer is it necessary to print large quantities of books in anticipation of sales. With the Epigraph POD system, your book’s basic ‘data’ including cover image and description appear on resellers sites as available for purchase. As and when your book is purchased on those sites, your book is printed (and shipped) specifically for those orders. The money paid for the books, minus the wholesale discount and print cost, is paid to you as royalties by Epigraph who oversees the process.

Professional quality

If you are using Epigraph’s standard POD printing, rest assured that the physical quality of the book is top notch. POD printing technology has actually been around for more than two decades and has been steadily improving. Today, the POD books produced by Epigraph are physically indistinguishable from those made by conventional means by the larger traditional publishers.

Paperback black & white POD books are printed on either 50 or 55lb archival quality (acid free) paper. Four color covers are printed on 90lb paper. Covers are laminated in either a gloss or matte laminate.

Hardback book blocks are bound in 50lb crème-white end leaves that match the color of the bookblock and glued into hardback cases. Books are dressed with headbands and footbands and bound into either printed four-color laminated cover or a 100% cotton fabric with acrylic-filled coating cover with a gold foil stamped spine (optional) in an 18pt. Cheltenham Bold font. Covers are laminated in either a gloss or matte laminate.

Color books are printed on 70# uncoated offset opaque stock. Covers are printed on 80# cover stock.

Beyond the norm

Epigraph’s standard POD printing is available in over 30 of the most popular formats. (link to designers showroom). Epigraph also offers the following print options: 

1)   Dual editions: Many authors opt for this option which creates both hardcover and paperback editions.

2)   Offset and web printing: For large orders and substantial reductions in per-unit print costs.

3)   Specialized printing: Some books require a higher level of print reproduction and/or more specialized choices in papers, formats and sizes. We draw on our decade of established printer relationships to match your needs to the right printer.

Epigraph's competitive advantage

Did you know that print costs are the single greatest expense an author/publisher has, even in the POD model? Unlike editorial and design which are one- time costs, your printing cost recurs every time your book is printed, for the lifetime of the book. Many authors make the mistake of thinking that DIY publishing, such as Lulu or Blurb, is free because authors make their own book design and otherwise do all the work, but all of the ‘savings’ are gone the first time they print books. Because most authors are not professional book designers, they end up with a nonprofessional looking book that costs more to print and buy than one designed by a bona fide book designer. Likewise, or worse, some authors sign on with a large supported self publishing company only to discover too late in the process that their printing costs are such that they have to overprice their book or take a loss on sales.

Epigraph’s print and royalty formulas combined with its free consultation process are designed to insure against these common pitfalls. This process means that from the start, your book will enjoy a competitive advantage over the vast majority of self published books. It also means that you will enjoy larger royalty rates and lower printing costs throughout the lifetime of your book. It is not an exaggeration to say that being with Epigraph could make the difference between success and failure and profit and loss.

Formulas for success!

Your book is designated a BUC ‘base unit cost’ based on Epigraph’s financial formulas found in its agreement (link) and as displayed on its onsite calculator. This is your cost to print a single copy. For example, according to the formula a 200 page paperback in a 6 x 9 trim size will cost $6.30.

Your publishing advisor will discuss with you (before the design process) optimal retail prices for your particular genre, book size and format. Authors are also advised to do their own research. For example, the 200 page discussed above is nonfiction and fairly specialized so the retail price is set at $16.95

Your publisher advisor will discuss with you best wholesale discount to offer resellers. A minimum discount of 20% is necessary to have your book available for sale on Barnes and Noble and Amazon. If you want the broadest possible distribution including to resellers like IndieBound (the website collaborative of indie bookstores), you will want to give a 50-55% discount. At 20% off a $16.95 retail price, your book wholesales for $13.56. Subtracting your BUC of $6.30 means your royalty on that sale will come to a $7.26. If you give a wholesale discount of 50%, your wholesale price will come to $8.47. Subtracting your BUC of $6.30 means a royalty rate of $2.17 per sale. Only Epigraph offers authors expert consultation on pricing and wholesaling and provides a malleable wholesale discounting policy: Authors may set wholesale discount anywhere between 20% and 55% as long as the resulting sale exceeds their BUC.


Epigraph’s Volume Printing Discount Schedule applies to single printing orders for a single title shipped to a single address. (This discount schedule does not apply to distributed sales, eg on Amazon.) Volume discounts are a great way to reduce your cost per copy and increase your profit/royalty on direct sales. For example, your 200 page paperback with a BUC of $6.30 goes down to $5.04 per copy with a print order of 250 copies. At this unit cost, direct sales at retail price generate $11.91 in profit per book. Epigraph’s printing prices are among the very best value in the self-publishing industry and are unmatched by any major competitor. Your second major advantage over the majority of self published books will be a consistently higher royalties dollars.

Compare Epigraph's per-copy print costs on a 200 page paperback with these major self-publishing companies.

I-Universe:  $11.02AuthorHouse: $10.72
Xlibris: $12.99
Lulu: $8.50
Blurb: $7.95 or $8.95 if 201+ page
Epigraph: $6.30

Compare Self publishing Royalties with Epigraph: 

200 page book, paperback priced at 16.95, sold on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com 

I-Universe royalty based on 20% of net sale: $2.17 (per sale)
AuthorHouse royalty 10% of list price: $1.70
Xlibris: royalty 10% of list price: $1.70
Epigraph Royalty: from $2.17 to $7.36

In addition to POD distribution, Epigraph can also provide traditional bookstore distribution for qualified projects.

For more information call or email.