InSinC The Sisters in Crime Newsletter Volume XX • Number 1 March 2007 Paperback Original vs. Hardcover And The Even Better Hard/Soft By Jerrilyn Farmer Take a look at the following facts. the mystery section when they become a little Hardcover? Paperback? What’s the difference, The good, the bad, and the chains: Like older. Still, if a chain has ordered a large number anyway? Despite what some might imagine, the men, each book format has its good points and of PBOs they often strip (ouch!) the cover off difference between being published in hardcover its bad points. It’s all a matter of focusing on the a quantity of them and return them for credit. vs. mass market paperback is not one of sub- good. Let’s look at each of the formats in depth. It’s a little easier to keep a few on the shelves, genre or perceived quality. It’s about the pub- You gotta admit, a hardcover, with its crisp jacket though. This allows your backlist to have life and lisher. In New York, some traditional publishing and its heavier paper, looks and feels extra-cool. gives you a chance to acquire new readers and houses only publish in the hardcover format, It also has other benefits. A hardcover book fans during the months you don’t have a new while others may only publish in the mass mar- has a better chance of being reviewed by major book on the market. ket paperback size. Why one? Why the other? newspapers than a PBO, is more likely than a The question is, which format is better? In Which is best? How can paperback to have good library sales, and is at- addition to the size and price difference between you get that? tractive to the hypermodern book collectors out paperbacks and hardcovers, and the differences Despite the merging there. Sounds great, right? Well yes, but there are in marketing and sales channels, one needs to of the various major other points to consider. listen to the booksellers about their take on NY publishers over the For the author just starting out, general mys- each format. The best friends any mystery past years, the editors teries in hardcover often have rather small initial writer can have are those great people at the at each imprint acquire print runs — in the neighborhood of 2,000 to independent bookstores. They truly love books books for their own 5,000 books. Of course, if there is greater de- and by handselling, they can help an author find houses, and if the editor mand, it is no trouble for your publisher to go her audience. who falls in love with back to print. And in that case, mazel tov! How- I’ve heard booksellers say there is less re- your book works exclu- ever, hardcovers have a shortish shelf life (about sistance from a reader to try a new author sively in mass market, four to six weeks) in the large chain bookstores, in paperback — the investment is minimal it means your book will most likely come out and once they are deemed unsellable, they get — than in hardcover. But then I’ve also noticed in that format only. On the other hand, if you returned to your publisher who may just remain- that some people tend to take hardcover books get an offer from a hardcover house, there is no der the lot on some Under $5 Table in the near more seriously. Some bookstores seem happier guarantee they will also reprint your book in future. If your book also has a paperback deal, to book a signing for the author of a hardcover. mass market and many new authors are startled you’ll get a second chance to catch readers and Some stores in particular have a great hardcover to learn they won’t have paperbacks, too. find fans. With no paperback deal, there may be customer base and cater to collectors. But it also It would seem that the ideal situation is to less chance of new readers finding your backlist true that some fabulous mystery bookstores have get a hard/soft deal. This is not as x-rated as it and starting your series from book one. a great paperback customer base. You’ll discover first sounds. The idea is the publisher of your Things look a little different for a PBO. Even which store is which and target your efforts to hardcover books will share the rights with their first time PBO authors often get initial prints those that are the biggest fans of your type of (usually) in-house paperback partners. See how runs of 15,000–20,000. In addition, a good book and format. beautiful this is? It allows you to make royalties paperback house will keep the book in print The books in my own series were published twice for the same dang book (first as a hard- throughout the years, reprinting according to as PBOs, starting with the first, Sympathy for cover release and then, usually a year later, as a demand. For a mystery series, it is vital to have the Devil (Avon, 1998). And by my fifth book, paperback!) and gives you access to readers of the backlist available as many readers are com- with a growing readership, Morrow began pub- each format. Hooray. pulsive about reading a series in order and, with lishing the Madeline Bean series in hardcover, But what if you get an offer from one of the any luck, folks will continue to learn about you while Avon continues to publish them (now paperback houses to bring out your book as a and your books many years after the first one as reprints a year later) as paperbacks, and it paperback original (PBO): What does this mean is published. has worked out very well. I did not blaze this to the brilliant, thoughtful, business-savvy writer Also, the mass market sized paperback is mar- trail. Some of the great authors who started in who is just thrilled to learn her neatly typed, keted in a vast array of non-bookstore venues, paperback and moved to hard/soft deals include: lovingly worked over manuscript is wanted for such as airports, supermarkets, and lots of other Laura Lippman, Harlan Coben, Anne George, publication and is, despite the natterings of an places you rarely think about. Imagine selling Robert Crais, Carolyn Hart, Sharyn McCrumb, obviously jealous critique group, not a piece of 13,000 paperbacks vs. 1,500 hardcovers and you Gregory McDonald, Rick Riordan, Lisa Scot- dreck after all? Should you take the PBO? Should can see how much more quickly one would be toline, and Dana Stabenow, to mention only a you hold out, hoping some other brilliant editor able to build up a following by coming out in few. But to make this exciting transition, authors out there with a hard/soft kind of offer will come paperback. As far as shelf life, new paperbacks have to show their publishers there is a good along? Which format is best for you and your spend the same short time in the front of the hot, hot, hot new mystery series? chains but they are more likely to be shelved in Continued on page 13 Get a Clue Sisters in Crime Newsletter Purpose: The purpose of Sisters in Crime shall be to: combat dis- crimination against women in the mystery field, educate publishers and the general public as to the inequities in the treatment of female Paperback Original authors, raise the level of awareness of their contributions to the vs. Hardcover . 1 field, and promote the professional advancement of women who write mysteries. President’s Message . 3 Rochelle Krich, President S.J. Rozan, At Large Roberta Isleib, Vice President Donna Andrews, Chapter Liaison SinC Book Club Database . 3 Marcia Talley, Secretary Judy Clemens, Review Monitoring Project Kathryn R. Wall, Treasurer Victoria K. Huston, Publicity Doris Ann Norris, Library Liaison Jim Huang, Bookstore Liaison Breakfast at Malice . 3 Vicki Cameron, Books in Print Editor Bonnie J. Cardone, InSinC Editor Peggy Moody, Web Maven Gavin Faulkner, Newsletter Graphic Designer Get Your Newsletter via E-mail . 3 Beth Wasson, Executive Secretary; P.O. Box 442124; Lawrence KS 66044-8933; Phone: (785) 842-1325; Fax: (785) 856-6314; E-mail: <[email protected]> Crossword Puzzle . 4 Presidents of Sisters in Crime 1987–88 Sara Paretsky; 1988 –89 Nancy Pickard; 1989–90 Margaret Maron; 1990–91 Kate Stine and Brian Skupin . 5 Susan Dunlap; 1991–92 Carolyn G. Hart; 1992–93 P.M. Carlson; 1993–94 Linda Grant; 1994–95 Barbara D’Amato; 1995–96 Elaine Raco Chase; 1996–97 Annette Meyers; 1997–98 Sue Henry; 1998–99 Medora Sale; 1999–2000 Barbara Burnett Smith; SinC Goes to the Movies . 6 2000–2001 Claire Carmichael McNab; 2001–2002 Eve K. Sandstrom; 2002–2003 Kate Flora; 2003–2004 Kate Grilley; 2004–2005 Patricia Sprinkle; 2005–2006 Libby Hellmann; Authors of Color . 6 2006–2007 Rochelle Krich. BIP . 7 DEADLINES AND GUIDELINES The next InSinC Newsletter will be out in June Please send mailing address, phone number, and Chapter News . 7 . The deadline for all submissions is April 15. e-mail with submissions. If you have an idea for a Members’ publications since the last edition of story, please query the editor: Review Monitoring Project . 8 the newsletter will be listed in The Docket. Please include publication dates when submitting. Docket Bonnie J. Cardone material will be due April 10 and should be sent 3116 S. Trisha Court The Perils of Self-Publishing .