A 50-Year Perspective From a Family-Owned Book Printer
For more than 50 years, Gorham Printing has helped independent authors, family historians, small publishers, artists, and storytellers bring their books to life. When we first started printing books in the early 1970s, desktop publishing didn’t exist, “POD” wasn’t a term anyone used, and self-publishing certainly wasn’t a global industry.
But one thing hasn’t changed: Authors want their books to be treated with care
Every week, we hear from writers who have printed through Amazon KDP, Barnes & Noble Press, or BookBaby and are looking for something more personal, more consistent, or simply higher in quality. Those platforms have their place, especially for mass distribution, but printing your book with a dedicated book manufacturer like Gorham Printing offers a completely different experience.
Here’s what a half-century in the book printing world has taught us about what authors really need and why choosing a small, family-owned printer can make all the difference.
1. True Print Quality That You Can Feel
Large online platforms prioritize automation and volume. At Gorham Printing, we prioritize craftsmanship. Because we operate on a smaller, dedicated scale, every book receives individual attention:
- Crisp, balanced interior printing
- Rich, durable cover inks
- Strong, clean bindings
- Professional trim and finishing
- A wide selection of premium papers and materials
You’re not choosing from a limited set of mass-produced options; you’re choosing a book that’s physically built to last. Your book shouldn’t feel like a commodity. It should feel like your book.
2. Real People Who Actually Know Your Name
When you print with Amazon KDP or Barnes & Noble, you’re interacting with a support system designed to process thousands of tickets a day.
At Gorham Printing, you get:
- A real team working on your book in the USA in one location
- Real communication with humans
- Answers that come from experience, not a template
- Guidance from people who print books all day, every day
Many authors tell us that this is the first time they’ve felt genuinely supported in the printing process. We take the mystery out of file setup, paper choices, cover options, shipping, and timelines because you shouldn’t have to figure it out alone.
3. Short-Run Printing Without the Surprise Compromises
Print-on-demand is great for distribution, but POD quality varies widely. You often don’t see your book until a customer receives it.
With Gorham Printing:
- You control exactly how your books look
- You can order short runs of books (as few as 25–5000 copies)
- You see proofs before printing that is printed on the exact printer and paper
- You get consistent results with every reorder
Authors use us for high-quality book launches, special editions, Kickstarter rewards, family history books, gift copies, and small business publications where craftsmanship isn’t optional… it’s essential.
4. No Hidden Royalties, No Locked Distribution
When you print with big platforms, you’re often tied to their ecosystem, including binding your files, your pricing, and your royalties to their marketplace.
Gorham Printing is different:
- You keep 100% of your profits
- You can sell your book anywhere you want
- You retain full control over your files and your pricing
- We never take royalties or commissions
We’re a printer, not a publisher, so our job is to manufacture your books beautifully and give you full freedom to distribute them however you choose.
5. Family-Owned Means Author-Focused
Big, automated platforms are built for scale. Amazon KDP, Barnes & Noble, Bookbaby and the other big names do not care what your name is or who we are. Gorham Printing is different. We’re built for relationships.
As a family-owned business, we believe:
- Every author deserves personal care
- Quality should never be sacrificed for convenience
- Books are more than products, they’re legacies
- Trust is earned through decades of consistency
- You deserve to be known by your name, not a number
Many of our clients have been printing with us for 10, 20, even 30 years. Some printed with us in the 1980s and are now returning with new editions or fresh stories to tell. That kind of loyalty comes only from doing things the right way, day after day, for a long time.
6. Experience That Newer Platforms Simply Don’t Have
When you’ve been printing books for half a century, you learn a few things:
- How to avoid common design pitfalls
- How to recommend the right materials for each book
- How to help first-time authors feel confident
- How to solve problems before they become problems
We’ve printed thousands of memoirs, novels, cookbooks, children’s books, photography books, poetry collections, and historical works. Chances are, we’ve printed something very much like the book you’re creating, and we can guide you through exactly what works best.
7. Because Your Book Deserves More Than “Good Enough”
The big names can offer convenience but convenience shouldn’t be the end of your publishing story. Unless you can make it all the way through their systems by yourself, you need a real person who knows what it means to publish your book. When you call us, it isn’t a call center. It is our office that is steps from our production floor who knows you, knows your book, and knows what is happening. But most of all you and your book deserves a complete team who will:
- Celebrates your work
- Honors your vision
- Crafts your book with intention
- Helps you make something you’re proud to hold in your hands
For 50 years, that has been our promise at Gorham Printing.
Thinking About Your Next Book? Let’s Make It Together.
If you’re ready to print your book with the care, quality, and personal service that only a long-standing family-owned printer can offer, we’d love to help you get started.
- Request our free guidebook or samples
- Get a custom printing quote instantly
- Talk to a real book expert today
Your story deserves to be printed with intention. And at Gorham Printing, that’s exactly what we’ve been doing, one book at a time, for half a century.
