The format of your book used to be a decision between paperback or hardcover. However, with the creation of the internet, several new options now exist that did not before. So which format should you publish in?

In this blog post, I outline the pros and cons of publishing in each format:

Paperback and Hardcover

Pros

• The most traditional medium that you can and should get your book published in
• Everybody knows and recognises it as the industry standard
• People automatically views it as professional; even if the cover is lacking
• Paper books have more customisation options than eBooks or audiobooks, including:
  • the colour of the interior paper
  • the size of the book (a children's book might be very rectangular, for instance, while a normal book would be closer to 6x9. Fantasy novels tend to be very big)
  • the feel of the book (matte, glossy, or even add embossing)
  • the version (economical paperback or a collector's edition hardcover version) 

Cons

• It takes up space
• You can only sell what you can carry
• If ordered online, there is a
  • delay before the customer can receive it
  • shipping charge
• Once it’s written you can’t make changes to the version they purchased

eBook

Pros

• It's convenient to carry around a Stephen King tome in your pocket
• You can make free updates to the book without forcing readers to buy a second edition. Readers will always have the best version of your book

Cons

• Some readers believe that ebooks are a lot less immersive and more damaging to the eyes than having a book you can tangibly feel
• eBooks are also viewed as less valuable than print books, simply because readers think that anybody can write them

Audiobook

Pros

• Great for readers who don't have much idle time to flip through a book
• Makes your book more accessible to blind or partially blind readers
• Audiobooks are not very common, especially among the self-published, so it is a nice bonus option for readers to have

Cons

• Not a format that just anybody can get their book published in easily
• It's a lot of work, and it can take a number of weeks for somebody to finish voicing your book

Join us next time when I discuss which format you should publish in.