Some writers care more about artistic control than they do about money. How much control do you want over your work? If you want complete control of layout and cover design, you could use a service like Lulu, which lets you handle everything. But if you want all that work done for you, you might fare better with a publisher like iuniverse. Do you want to be able to cease publication of your book, revise it in the future, or continue to seek a mainstream publisher while it is being sold on demand? Be sure to check the contract terms to see what rights, if any, you are granting the publisher. Some PODs will want exclusive rights to your work for a period of years, and terminating a contract may be difficult if you find another publisher.
5. Distribution
The reality is that most POD books will never see the inside of a bricks and mortar store. But if you maintain that hope, you have to be certain that your POD will offer a reasonable discount to stores and accept returns.
Even if you aren’t interested in breaking into the bricks and mortar stores, at the very least, you will probably want your book to be available on online retail sites. Make sure your publisher plans to get your book listed on the Amazon and Barnes and Noble websites and that your book will not simply be available for sale from the publisher’s own website.
6. Author’s Discounts
Most PODs offer a discount on copies ordered by the author, and some offer volume discounts. If you’re planning to purchase copies of your books for a local book signing, to use as promotional copies, to donate to libraries, or simply to give away to family and friends, you’ll want to consider this discount.
If you are planning to re-sell your own books, the author’s discount should be more than the royalty you would receive if the book were sold through your publisher’s website, otherwise, selling your own books probably won’t be worth your effort.