Hardback Versus Paperback

[gary compton]

I was wondering what everbody thinks of whether launching a new book is better done with a hardback or a good quality paperback - what do you prefer?

[John Jarrold]

FYI, publishers consider each book separately on this question. There were times I thought 'Paperback original, get it to the largest possible audience as quickly as possible', but others where I had no doubt that either a hardback or large-format paperback, followed by a pocket-size (mass-market) paperback, was the way to go. It's something you get a feeling for. Many publishers I know say that a new novelist has to earn a hardback - by which they mean they'll start off in paperback, then when paperback sales have grown over a number of titles, the book trade will take a hardback - which often they won't straight away with a new writer. But with Ken MacLeod, for instance, we sold his first hardback in the thousands, which gave us a very good platform for the paperback edition a year later.

[BookStop]

As paperback is more affordable initially, I would think most new authors would definitely go for paperback first. Trade size paperbacks are a good compromise that seems to have gotten very popular lately. It is also the book type I usually prefer. I enjoy the large size with the smaller price.

The only time I buy hardback, ever, is if it is only available in hardback and it is a book I've been anticipating for a while and it's on sale.

[ctg]

Can author say that he only wants to produce (mass-market) paperbacks? Like Bookstop, for years I have only bought paperbacks and rarely consider acquiring hardbacks ... well that's not entirely true as I buy hardbacks for the other people.

[John Jarrold]

The publisher will decide what formats the books they acquire are published in, not the author - particularly not a new author. This is one of the matters an agent will discuss with the editor when an offer is made, and then explain to the author.

Publishers have years, or even decades, of experience in the market and bring that to bear on each separate project. And of course if they decide on two separate publications, not just a paperback original, that means the advance will be higher, because each project is costed out for every intended edition before an offer is made. Remember, we're dealing with what we can sell to the bookselling chains, to general readers, not to the specialist readers like those who come to this forum.

So if a paperback original is costed out, the offer might be £5,000, whereas if you add a hardback or trade paperback into the deal, that might be £7,000 or more. Depends on the expected first print-runs.

[gary compton]

Originally Posted by John Jarrold

FYI, publishers consider each book separately on this question. There were times I thought 'Paperback original, get it to the largest possible audience as quickly as possible', but others where I had no doubt that either a hardback or large-format paperback, followed by a pocket-size (mass-market) paperback, was the way to go.

What is the actual size of an original, large format paperback and a pocket size mass market paperback?

Be interested to know in inches or millimetres

[John Jarrold]

In UK terms, roughly 234 x 156mm for the large format pbk, and 178 x 110mm for the mass-market pbk.