Short Run Printing

The Benefits of Short Run Printing

Short run printing means printing a book in much lower volumes than was possible with traditional printing. The Choir Press can publish small quantities at reasonable prices – typically between about 20 and 500 copies. The benefits include these:

•   A choice of manufacturing specification that is not available with print on demand
•   Minimal ongoing inventory costs
•   Little or no wastage due to unused books
•   Responsiveness to variations in demand
•   Short run books reduce the traditional risks with printing large quantities
•   Cost-effective printing for low-volume market sectors

Life before cost-effective short run book printing

Before accessible short run printing, anyone publishing a book had to accept that it would be printed in relatively large volumes – with all the up-front set-up costs, materials costs, inventory storage and risks of wastage if books remained unsold. With modern digital printing technology, traditional print-run conventions have been replaced by convenient short run printing.

How Short Run Printing Works

Printing books in short runs involves producing small quantities in response to the rate at which orders are received. With short run production, we can print any quantity from twenty books upwards. It’s sometimes more economical to create smaller batches, especially if yours is a private publication for self-distribution. We use the term ‘short run printing’ as a catch-all phrase to distinguish those projects where print-on-demand does not offer the required project specification but the number of books required is too few for economic long run production. Choosing short runs is convenient and involves much lower minimum print quantities than was previously possible with high quality specifications.

What is the difference between our short run printing and print on demand servcies?

• Print on demand is a digital printing process that enables us to supply one copy at a time to booksellers. In order for this system to operate efficiently in many markets around the world there is a limited set of specifications for paper, image quality and binding.

• Short run printing is a digital printing process that enables us to produce books with specifications for printing, materials, image quality and binding that are not available in the global print on demand system. Short run books will be manufactured in the UK and delivered to you for you to distribute. Short run printing does not provide cost savings when compared with print on demand but it is the most practical route for small quantities of higher specification books.

When Is Short Run Printing Likely to Be Most Beneficial?

•   The print on demand specification for paper, image reproduction quality and binding are unsuitable or do not meet the required quality, or
•   The sale of books will be managed by you with a process that is not dependent on booksellers like Amazon, or
•   Your book is a privately published work and is not for sale commercially.

Talk to us about your short run printing requirements

Could a short print run hold the key to successful publication of your book? Short-run book printers can help you print paperback or hardback books to meet specific order quantities and specifications. For fiction or non-fiction alike, we can advise you and help make short print runs a successful reality. Please contact us now for more information.

What Our Customers Think

"We've been delighted with the service and attention to detail provided by Miles and the team at Choir Press. It is also particularly impressive that if you have any questions during the process Miles is on hand to deal with them as and when. We really couldn't recommend Choir Press more highly."

Tim Kevan. Director, Law Brief Publishing Ltd.