The Tuesday Twaddle with Leigh.

It’s Tuesday, so that means it’s time for The Tuesday Twaddle. Hooray!  For those uninitiated this is where I basically talk complete and utter nonsense on all things random, well random in the Land of Leigh.

And what’s going on in the Land of Leigh? Amazing things I tell you, amazing things.   I’m sure you’re well sick of hearing about the Land of Leigh so I won’t harp on about it.  But what I will harp on about is something a little close to my heart.  The hardback, trade paperback, and Ereader Download debate.

I've mulled over this very question myself, and have been doing some researching on the internet to find out what the to-do' is all about.

Hardback is the 'old fashioned' publishers bread and butter.  The publisher and the writer make more per book sold in hardback addition.  But, and there is always a but, hardback is falling out of favor, and quite rapidly.

 Many see the Hardback as too expensive.  A hardback comes out at approx.  18.99, whereas the humble paperback comes out at approx. 8.99 - same book, same story but $10 cheaper.  The truth of the matter is that most people (myself included) hold off for the paper back to buy the book, as hardback is too expensive, clunky, and heavy.

 As far as I can see it it's a snobbery thing.  Authors like to see their book in hardback, but things are changing.  In the UK and Australia, paperback is becoming more and more the norm for first editions and this has some major positives.  Firstly, you are going to sell a hell of a lot more books.  You are going to reach a far wider audience and be sold in major chains other than bookstores that specialize in high-end lit.  I was recently asked what format I would want my first book going out in. Firstly, let me say, I don’t get a choice.  The publisher decides, but if I had to answer my brain would say ‘first edition trade paperback’ and my heart would say ‘are you crazy, hardback, hardback, hardback’.  I think every author would like the kudos of hardback, but sometimes that’s just not a realistic goal.  However, with Trade paperback you get the kudos of the trade (with some of the perks) but the exposure and mass market appeal of the paperback price.  Yes, I know as an author you're going to make less on the sales, but really who cares?  At this stage it's all about establishing yourself as an author, getting a loyal following and most importantly keeping your reading public happy with recession proof pricing.

 There's also the big deal about ereaders! These make the hardback practically obsolete!  You're only going to pay a set price for a book on ipad, nook, or kindle regardless of what format the paper edition was published in, and that's key - and the future!

There is definitely a market for the Hardback, there are books that I Iove so much I demand to have them in hardback, but to me, it makes more sense to have the hardback come out as a second edition, after the book has sold well in ‘trade’, reached its full market potential, and found an army of followers who will want to spend the extra to get a hardback copy.

These are just my personal opinions, and I know the publishers are ultimately the ones that make the decisions on what format each book is published in, but it is certainly food for thought.

I’d love to know your thoughts on this issue, as it is something very close to my heart at the moment.

So tell me, what do you think is the perfect printing format and why?