And, to end with a short one:
Two words: Hardcover books. Why? (Okay, technically that’s three words.)
Hummm. I’m going to assume you did your homework VERY well, and are referring to an essay I wrote on this topic on my website . I believe I mentioned it above.
A little more background for the rest of you. In a short period of time, I got a lot of emails asking me why hardback books were so expensive. So, I decided to try and tackle this concept in an essay on my website. I tried very hard to explain that I don’t mind if people buy my books in paperback, or check them out from the library. That’s great! However you read them is fine with me. I feel honored that you’re even doing so.
However, my HOPE is that in reading them, you end up hooked, and therefore buy the hardback of my next book. (Once again, I’m not offended if you don’t! I had a LOT of trouble getting this concept across in the essay, judging by forum responses. It’s very easy to misinterpret me on this fact, particularly since I wrote the essay very early in the morning, and I’m not sure how coherent it was.)
However, since you asked—as others have—hardbacks are very important to my genre. We don’t sell in supermarkets very often, and even less often do we get into places like Sam’s or Costco. That means we depend on the main bookstores, and the science fiction section sells a LOT less than other sections. (The romance section is 60% or so of the fiction market. Sf is around 6 or 7%.)
So, we depend on smaller sales of more expensive books to provide our income. That’s our business model. (At least, or the big thick fantasy books like mine. There are people who do sf/f paperbacks with larger print runs and are very successful.) For me, though, hardbacks are essentially the only way I make money.
So, why we publish hardbacks is simple. Now, as to why you should buy hardbacks—or not—that’s completely up to you. Some people simply prefer paperbacks because they are lighter and easier to read. That’s fine! Don’t feel guilty at all.
And, I’ll leave it at that.
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