An Overview of the Formats Available for Your Book
After the months-long, or maybe years-long, publishing process, it is time for your book to hit the shelves. You know everything about your book, from the cover art to the very last page. It has all been meticulously crafted to be the book of your dreams. The only thing left is to actually get your book on the market.
When everything is finalized and ready for publication, your book could be available in several formats. Each format has its purpose for your book’s future. The basic formats most books are available in are paperback, hardcover, digital, and audiobook. This article will briefly discuss these formats and how each can help your book reach its full potential.
Trade Paperback
The most popular type of book format is paperback. Paperback books, also known as softcover, are books that have covers that are not rigid. As opposed to hardcovers, which are discussed later, paperback books are relatively inexpensive to produce. Therefore, your book can sell for a lower, more accessible cost to your audience.
In particular, trade paperbacks are the most common type of paperback. These are what you will likely see on any bookseller’s bestseller or new release sections. They measure approximately 5.5” x 8.5” or 6” x 9”. Because of their soft cover, these books can be brought anywhere.
Nearly every book is published in trade paperback either immediately or shortly after it is released. When you publish your book with Cloverly Publishing, your book will always be available in trade paperback.
Mass Market Paperback
The other type of paperback book is a mass market paperback. While they share many traits with traditional trade paperbacks, mass market paperbacks have some differences. Most notably, mass market paperback books are smaller than other paperbacks, usually about 4” x 7”. This results in the book having a smaller typeset that squeezes the words on each page. The words do not have the same physical space to breathe as other formats.
Mass market paperbacks are released because they are even more affordable than trade paperbacks. The focus is on economy over style, so the book is often barebones. Getting audiences the text at an affordable price is the focus of these books more than anything else.
Some genres are more likely to be released in mass market paperback than others. These genres include romance, fantasy, science fiction, and mystery. These books are cheap to print, the most financially accessible, and easy to bring around everywhere. Readers do not have to worry about books showing their wear and tear when it costs only a few dollars.
Hardcover
Hardcover books are identifiable by their rigid binding. While less transportable than paperback books, hardcovers are generally more durable. They can also be more visually appealing because they will last longer. Many hardcover books come with a dust jacket, which is a sleeve that goes around the front and back covers. This keeps the books itself protected from damage.
Some books are only available as hardcover when they are first released. Due to the higher production costs and subsequent higher retail cost, this can be inaccessible to some readers. Readers might opt to wait for a paperback release, borrow from a library, or buy them used.
At Cloverly Publishing, you can request to have the opportunity to sell your book in hardcover. While most readers prefer paperback for affordability and accessibility, others prefer the aesthetics of hardcover binding. These are significantly more expensive to produce, so the price will reflect the higher production cost.
Digital
Another option to release your book is by releasing a digital eBook. This will be a digital version of your text, the same as your physical book. Readers can purchase these through any major retailers, just as they can with any other book. These are often read on eReader devices, such as Nooks, Kindles, or iPads.
These are the cheapest books to produce, as no actual printing or binding is needed. Therefore, your direct-to-pocket profit from digital sales is the greatest. Readers will be able to get the same content at a much lower cost. Cloverly Publishing will always make your eBook available for digital purchase.
Audiobook
The final format your book could be available in is as an audiobook. These are completely narrated recordings of your book released for your audience to listen to. Audiobooks are an increasingly popular format, and releasing your audiobook will introduce you to a whole new audience.
Creating an audiobook does carry some costs. To create a high-quality audiobook, you will need to hire a professional narrator to record every line in your book. Then, your audiobook has to be technically produced by professional audio engineers. The end result is something truly special. The price that listeners will pay for your audiobook reflects the work put into it.
Cloverly offers the opportunity to turn your book into an audiobook. Our seasoned professionals will guide you through the entire audiobook production process.
