Like life, it seems that print-on-demand is a moving target. In just the two years I've been jousting with the windmill a.k.a. "print-on-demand publishing," every time I think I'm getting a handle on it -- it changes. When I did my first book, I published it in both paperback and digital format through both Amazon KDP and Barnes & Noble Press. Then I put the e-book on Draft2Digital to reach venues other than Amazon and B&N. I wanted to add a hardcover edition with my second book. B&N was able to do that. Amazon didn't offer it, and Draft2Digital didn't offer it. So Amazon gor the paperback and Kindle editions, B&N gor paperback, Nook, and hardcover, and Draft2Digital got the Epub. And now Amazon KDP is offering hardcover, and Draft2Digital is offering paperback. But there's a little "gotcha" in that. With ebooks, I was able to publish through Draft2Digital and simple NOT select Amazon or B&N for distribution, to avoid cross-pollination. When I wanted to add a print edition to Draft2Digital, to reach the outlets not covered by Amazon and B&N -- I couldn't. For their print editions, Draft2Digital doesn't allow the author to select which outlets to include -- you have to take the whole package, and the package includes Amazon (I don't remember if it also includes B&N, but probably so). I contacted Draft2Digital customer service, and they told me that I would have to UNlist from Amazon and B&N to do print-on-demand. But ... no worries! They distribute to Amazon. Considering that most of my sales have been through Amazon, it would be silly (IMHO) to unlist myself from direct sales and then pay Draft2Digital a commission to sell the same book through Amazon. I now have a new book that's almost ready to go; I'm just waiting to get the LCCN from the Library of Congress. I am debating with myself as to whether I should follow the same path I have with my other books, or if I should take a chance and try doing this one entirely through D2D -- both ebook and POD. The new book is a Spanish language edition of a previous book. According to Amazon, since it's a different title, it can't be shown as another version on the same web page as the English language paperback and Kindle editions, so it will some up as a separate listing on Amazon regardless of whether I upload it directly or if it gets to them through D2D. I am firmly undecided. I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on which way to go.
