Lighting Source and inconsistent print run color.

*Update 10/30/09*

From Lightning Source:

When you submit a file in RGB, it must be converted to CMYK. Variation can occur during the conversion. Further, our printers, which print in CMYK, operate within a range. Each printing will vary based on these variables. The printed copies you received over 3 months ago are within that variance. We will not be able to replace copies that are printed within variance.

So if you're able to live with the fact that books could vary this much from printing to printing, even after being converted to CMYK (what's up with that!) then Lightning Source certainly has its advantages. I, however, knowing that this type of variance shouldn't happen, am now looking for another way to keep my work out there.

All offers considered. No affiliated Christian publishers please and no POD's or vanity presses. Thank-you for your consideration. Also UK publishers are certainly welcome to toss in their bid should they want to. :)

You can find my e-mail address at www.foreverricard.com at the bottom of the page but you'll need to hurry because of resubmitted a request for TWCP to take me up on my offer.




Other than the fact that I couldn't get the resolution like I wanted it, arrrgh, you can still see the difference in printings. I was sent two boxes of the darker copy and assumed since my file was RGB that I'd just have to settle for this but it looked okay. It never entered my mind that there would be such drastic differences in printing from one run to another. Oddly enough, there doesn't seem to be an inconsistency anymore. The last two stores who ordered the paperback from Lightning Source got the lighter better looking cover. Here's what I was told when I sent one of my darker copies back to Lightning Source:

" . . . Since the file was created with RGB color space instead of the suggested CMYK color space, you will notice a greater variance between printings. We suggest that if you wish to make changes to the file, it would be best to create the cover with CMYK color space for processing. You will see slight variance within each and every printing, especially with those files that have a heavy saturation of cyan/blue."

First of all, no one suggested anything to me. CMYK is always the preference though so why wouldn't I have done it in CMYK if I could have. Secondly, I've printed through other printers with RGB format with NO inconsistencies between runs. None. Nada. Exactly the same from run to run or at least if there were any differences, they weren't drastic. Such variance from print run to print run isn't the fault of the RGB file.

Bottom line, I think Lightning Source owes me a box of books printed the way they're printing now. What do you think?