Tips for printing and circulating your work

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.

When self-publishing writing, there are lots of avenues to explore. This guide is broken into 6 sections based on routes you can take:

• Lean into digital

• Print-on-demand

• Working with a printer

• Print in bulk & bulk print shipping labels

• Print in bulk & use a fulfillment service

• 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: Lean into digital

One option for distributing your printed work—whether it's a book, zine, or magazine—is actually to not print it en masse 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’ve used digital releasing in both ways, even offering a PDF version someone could take to a printer themselves if they wanted to.

Option 2: Print-on-demand

Another option is to work with a service that prints as orders are received. The bag is a bit mixed here, with lots of different limitations.

Mixam: 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. Very expensive per piece price.

Printful: Has a ship station integration but does not print books.

Amazon KDP: Print on demand (limited to selling through Amazon), sometimes has misprints. Publishes to Kindle as well. Limited print sizes and not very zine-y, more here.

Lulu Direct: Connects with Shopify. You can import orders into Shopify for print on demand with Lulu.

Blurb: More limited conventional book sizes (8x10, 12x12), not our first choice.

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 often 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: do you want to print locally or abroad? How much lead and production time are you working with? What kind of style and how formal do you want your printing to be?

Not sure? Look here for our recommendations on the do’s and don’ts of physical printing, based on our own experience. Otherwise, jump down to our (living) list of Printers we like or have been recommended to us.

Option 4: Print in bulk and bulk print shipping labels

Let’s say you’ve settled for print-on-demand or printing with an option the resource guide below; what next?

We’ve had positive experiences using both Shippo and Pirate Ship for bulk mail orders. They take imported csv files and generate shipping labels you can print at home rather than waiting in line at the post office. (how to generate an order csv on Metalabel)

More often than not, these kinds of services also will have discounted rates for postage. While USPS’s media mail option is often the cheapest, Shippo and Pirate Ship provide discounted rates for tracked shipping with return service which comes in handy if your package can’t make it to its destination or if you have limited inventory and can’t replace orders that may get lost (ex. Your edition is totally sold out, or your customer provided an incomplete mailing address). 

If you have the funds, get a label maker and print your label on stickers to save time on package prep at home. We used Shippo and a label maker for our Anonymous Creative Futures Report and prepped over 100 orders in under an hour. Game changer.

Option 5: Print in bulk and use a fulfillment service

Working with a fulfillment partner can be useful when you have resources to put towards your distribution but don’t have the time or people-power to fulfill orders on your own. They charge a fee to receive all your books, and you’re just tasked with uploading the orders you receive to their system. They will handle mailing and postage; you’ll still have to manage correspondence with your collectors.

Amplifier: Fulfillment based in Austin, TX.

Breezer Printing: Fulfillment based in Brooklyn.

Resource Guide

PRINTING RESOURCE GUIDE

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 https://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 https://www.colorcenter.nyc/

Andy in Queens

Our friends at Speciwomen recently shared their best kept secret with us: a friend named Andy whose 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

MAINE

Penmor

Digital and offset commercial printers that do everything from publications and fine art to posters, cards, and catalogues. Our friend Marcin Wichary used Penmor for his book Shift Happens, and he’s definitely an exacting designer and developer so we trust his eye.

8 Lexington Street, Lewiston, Maine 04240

info@penmor.com, +1 (800) 339-1341

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

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 https://www.prolific.ca/

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