Is Print-On-Demand (POD) publishing as an alternative for the aspiring author?

Print-On-Demand (POD), as the name implies, uses a completely different process. The end result is, the price per copy on a small run is much lower. POD has a definite advantage over self-publishing, in that you don't wind up with a few hundred copies of a book you can't sell in your basement. But neither option will ever bring you the readership that you'll get from a successful book from a traditional print publisher.

Ideally, what you want is for your epublisher to simultaneously release your book in both ebook and POD formats without charging a POD setup fee. That way, you can direct all your promotional efforts at that single URL. Taking advantage of the POD option will also do this for your ebook. Many reviewers just plain won't touch an ebook. If you've done the POD bit, in addition to being able to tell all your friends and family.