Tips for printing and circulating your work
Our living guide to getting your self-published work printed
By Rayna Holmes
In the spirit of collaboration we’re committed to sharing knowledge, resources, and opportunities that support creative people across all disciplines.
This resource guide is a (living) list of people, organizations, printers, and distributors that we’ve either worked with or have been recommended to us.
No discount codes are possible for the following services, but if you have a business to add to the list send us a note at hello@metalabel.com.
What are you printing?
When it comes to self-publishing, there are lots of avenues to explore. This guide is broken into four sections:
Digital publishing
Print-on-demand
Working with a printer
Printer Resource Guide (living doc)
Not sure which direction to go in? See what we learned printing The Dark Forest Anthology of the Internet for some first-hand experience and inspiration.
Option 1: Digital publishing
One option for distributing your printed work — whether it's a book, zine, or magazine — is actually to not print at all. We’ve seen friends and strangers on Metalabel have success releasing a zine or essays as a PDF to gauge interest, or build momentum to something in print. This is also a great avenue for a publication that’s already out of print.
Digital releases can be free, pay-what-you-wish, or a price you set (we recommend $10 or less). We’ve used digital releasing in both ways, even offering a PDF version someone could take to a printer themselves if they wanted to. This is a great way to give a digital piece of writing more tangibility and weight.
Option 2: Print-on-demand
Another option is to work with a service that prints as orders are received. This option trades flexibility with ease of printing, sometimes with less of a focus on quality.
A print and publishing on demand service that’s operated by one of the major publishers. Allows you to publish straight into Amazon and other book sellers. We’re planning to use this for softcover editions of our books (while using some of the printing options below for the hardcover, first editions).
Has a print on demand service called Print Link (available in the US and UK). Unfortunately this service does not allow for integrations to feed into it. It does have one-off printing, but you have to input each address manually as a new order. Mixam also has no ShipStation integration — there is also no bulk order uploading that would allow you to put in different shipping addresses as part of the same order.
Has a Shipstation integration but does not print books.
Print on demand (limited to selling through Amazon) that sometimes has misprints. Publishes to Kindle as well. Limited print sizes and not very zine-y, more here.
Connects with Shopify. You can import orders into Shopify for print on demand with Lulu.
More limited conventional book sizes (8x10, 12x12).
Option 3: Work with a printer
The most traditional route is to work with a printer. This, it’s important to note, often requires a nominal fee, shipping costs, and a designer (or someone with some knowhow) who can set up your book for printing.
If you’re choosing to go this route, it’s important to consider a few questions: are you printing hardcover or soft? Black and white or color? How many copies? How much lead and production time are you working with?
These are all questions a printer will look for you to answer to get a first quote from them.
Printer resource guide (living doc)
A list of printers around the world to get you started. We have accepted no payment for this placement and do not officially endorse these services. Just places we know others have used.
NORTH AMERICA
NEW YORK
die Keure printing NY Office
Specializes in printing books and catalogues for museum exhibitions, auction houses, and art galleries. High end, longer lead time but highly specialized. Extensive materials library. Book a visit to see their sample library and discuss potential projects with Lai Xu, NY Materials Librarian.
195 Chrystie Street, #909AB, New York, NY 10002
newyork@diekeure.be, +1 (415) 351-8489
https://www.diekeure.be/printing/en/
Lucky Risograph
Lovely small risograph printing press operating from Dumbo, NY. They work with local and international creators to reinterpret risograph printing through art books, zines, prints, and community projects. Release: Printers for Collaborative Cookbook.
Christopher Lucero, Print & Project Coordinator, Co-Founder, info@luckyrisograph.press
NY Printing and Graphics
Full service print shop for commercial and creative clients, highly recommended by master printer Luther Davis. Everything from digital, offset and letterpress printing to commercial grade binding services. Includes screen printing and embroidering T shirts, hats, totebags. Attention to detail — old school. 22 years in business, located in Red Hook, Brooklyn NY.
Susan Saunders, +1 (718) 858-6777, info@nyprintinggraphics.com
https://www.nyprintinggraphics.com
Color Center
Inkjet and UV photo-centric print shop that also specializes in risograph prints. Best for: Small runs, Art prints, Quality results, Small run print catalogs.
126 13th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215, * by appointment only
info@colorcenter.nyc, +1 (929) 370-1924
Andy in Queens
Our friends at Speciwomen recently shared their best kept secret with us: a friend named Andy who's been printing all their magazines since its inception. Apparently he’s got an exciting list of clientele ranging across small projects to gallery needs. If you reach out, mention Philo Cohen, Director of Speciwomen, sent you.
gpprintservices@gmail.com, +1 (646) 238-1288
Offset Press
Local, friendly, and gets the job done — we love working with Offset and it being close to our office doesn’t hurt. Release: The Anonymous Creative Futures Report.
142 Baxter St, New York, NY 10013
+ 1 (646) 398-8725
CALIFORNIA
die Keure Printing, LA Office
Specializes in printing books and catalogues for museum exhibitions, auction houses, and art galleries. High end, longer lead time but highly specialized.
2404 Wilshire Blvd. #5E, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Jeff Khonsary (print consultant for NY & LA), jeff.khonsary@diekeure.be, +1 (347) 781-4419
https://www.diekeure.be/printing/en/
Paper Chase Press by Hemlock
Carbon-neutral printing facility with a fast array of services: from mailing to display work to offset printing.
3014 Worthen Avenue, Building E, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Lauren Pham, Studio & Marketing Coordinator, +1 (323) 874-2300, info@paperchasepress.com
MAINE
Penmor Digital and offset commercial printers that do everything from publications and fine art to posters, cards, and catalogues. Marcin Wichary used Penmor for his book Shift Happens, and he’s an exacting designer and developer so we trust his eye.
8 Lexington Street, Lewiston, Maine 04240
info@penmor.com, +1 (800) 339-1341
MINNESOTA
Bookmobile
Small press printer used by several NYC indie presses we respect. Can do on-demand or off-set printing.
CANADA
Prolific Group
Mass printers located in Ontario, 5-10 business days turnaround, logistics keyed in for both US and international shipping, dedicated account manager to help with production. Printer for Forever Magazine Relics issue.
Chris Young, Account Manager, chrisy@prolific.ca, +1 (800) 305-6712 Ext. 235
Hemlock Printers
Carbon-neutral printing facility with a fast array of services: from mailing to display work to offset printing. We’re pretty sure Stripe Press used to work with Hemlock.
3139 North San Fernando Road Los Angeles, CA 90065
Cole Maturo, hemlockLA@hemlock.com, +1 (323) 874-2300
EUROPE
BELGIUM
die Keure Printing, Head Office Specializes in printing books and catalogues for museum exhibitions, auction houses, and art galleries. High end, longer lead time but highly specialized. Kleine Pathoekeweg 3, 8000 Bruges, Belgium
printing@diekeure.be, +32 (0)50 47 12 72
https://www.diekeure.be/printing/en/
UNITED KINGDOM
Pureprint Group
Solid printers located in the UK. 7-10 business days turnaround for most projects upon final PDF. Extensive printing capabilities with solid account team. Great experience with production and communication, very efficient. Clients include Gagosian gallery. Printers for PLAY zine.
Crowson House, Uckfield, East Sussex, TN22 1PH
contact@pureprint.com, 01825 768 811
https://www.pureprint.com/outstanding-print/
GERMANY
Druckhaus Sportflieger GmbH
Berlin-based printers and bookbinders. Quality and cost are good, however communication can be challenging. They seem to prioritize larger run projects so give plenty of lead time to meet deadlines. Printers for Dark Forest Anthology of the Internet.
Sebastian Senff, senff@druckhaus-sportflieger.de, +49 30 533274 13
Saskia Weiß, weiss@druckhaus-sportflieger.de, +49 30 533274 70
https://druckhaus-sportflieger.de/en