Is it worth self-publishing a print book when it’s so easy to quickly publish an ebook?
Ebooks also have the advantage of earning royalties from ebook sales and, if enrolled in KDP Select, from subscription reading services such as Kindle Unlimited.
While readers still buy paperback and hardcover books, for most self-publishing authors, the revenue is often much less than from ebooks.
But it’s still income. You might not be sure if it’s worth the extra effort. However, publishing a paperback has advantages that you may not have realized.
Yes, self-publishing a print book means more work
All you need to self-publish an ebook is your interior file and book cover image. That’s why ebook publishing is so popular; it’s easy.
But for print book publishing, it’s not.
Your book interior needs to be formatted precisely to fit the book’s trim size, with page numbers, headers, and a table of contents.
You then have to export your manuscript in PDF as a print-ready file for your book interior.
For your book cover, you need your front book cover image, but also to design the book spine and back cover.
Luckily, this is easier than it was in the past, as most self-publishing services provide you with templates to make the task of preparing your book cover a little less complicated.
When you have everything ready, the next step involves some waiting time. Before your book can go on sale, you need to approve a proof copy.
You might have the option to approve your proof online, but this is not a good move. The only way to be sure your book is properly printed and ready to sell is to approve a physical copy.
It might take days or even weeks for your physical proof copy to arrive, depending on where you live. You may also incur additional charges beyond the cost of your proof copy.
It’s a lot of extra work and time, so is it worthwhile?
The benefits of publishing a print book
If there were no upsides to publishing a print book, no self-publishing author would bother.
I’ve always published ebook and paperback versions of my books, and more recently, audiobook versions. The advantages are not always obvious, or necessarily about making more sales and extra income.
Here’s a short list of benefits that you might not have considered for a self-published paperback.
1. You can hold it
Regardless of anything else, every author feels the pride and excitement of holding a new book in their hands. It’s the very best part of being an author.
I’m rather pleased when I see one of my books available as an ebook or an audiobook.
But it’s nothing like the thrill of holding a real, physical copy of a new book, even if it’s only a proof copy.
If for no other reason, self-publishing a print book is always worth the effort because it’s real and an absolute joy to have in your hands.
2. Real books travel
A paperback or hardcover version of your book may have more lives than you think.
Because it’s readily transportable, it could end up in the hands of many other readers.
Maybe the original book buyer shared it with a friend or family member, or perhaps bundled it up with other books to pass on to a secondhand bookstore.
People rarely throw a book in the trash. There’s a donation box close to where I live to donate books to our local hospital.
You never know where your book could end up. Some years ago, a social media contact told me they saw someone reading one of my books on a bus in India.
You only sell a book once, but that sale can spread your writing far and wide.
3. Gaining essential book reviews
It’s always a battle to gain book reviews, especially on Amazon.
But have you noticed that some Kindle ebooks have reviews as soon as they are published, or even while on pre-order?
Readers can’t normally post a customer review before a book goes on sale.
So how can some ebooks gain reviews before being available? The answer lies in the paperback version.
When you self-publish multiple versions of a book, the reviews that show on your sales page are shared across all versions. It might take a few days for them to appear, provided Amazon links the editions and shares the reviews.
It’s one of the very good reasons to publish your print book version first. You’ll probably sell far fewer copies of your print book than your ebook.
But by encouraging readers in your wider circle to add an honest review to your paperback version, you can build up a collection of reviews that may also appear when you publish your ebook.
Bear in mind that Amazon may reject reviews from family members and close contacts, so you’ll need to extend your reach a little to find willing reviewers.
An ebook with no reviews is hard to sell. But an ebook with a handful of reviews stands a much better chance of success.
4. More categories and search keywords
When you self-publish on any platform, you usually need to choose your genre categories and search keyword phrases.
With Amazon KDP, you can choose three categories and seven search keywords.
Your selections help readers find your book when they search for a new title to read.
When you publish a paperback and ebook version of your book, you can increase your chances of discovery by selecting relevant keyword variations for each version.
Some categories may also differ between ebook and print editions, so you can select the most appropriate options for each format.
That’s one of the little hidden advantages of publishing two versions of your book.
When you self-publish, you become a published author.
However, publishing an ebook doesn’t always carry quite the same weight in people’s minds.
It’s human nature that some people only recognize someone as an author if they have published a physical book.
It might seem like a small difference, but ebooks are almost as easy to publish as a webpage.
That’s why self-publishing a print book will enhance your reputation as an author.
Summary
Yes, self-publishing a print book is a lot of extra work compared to an ebook.
Instead of taking a couple of hours, it might take you a week or more to prepare a paperback version.
But the benefits are worth it. I noticed a few days ago that I sold three paperbacks of titles I published more than ten years ago. That’s one little long-term benefit of a week’s work, even after all these years.
I dare say that for most self-publishing authors, a high proportion of royalties are earned from ebook sales and subscription reads.
Selling a few paperback copies is a small bonus.
However, the benefits of publishing a print book can be far greater than the additional royalties.
Some are personal, some are practical, and some may continue long after you’ve forgotten the work involved in publishing it.
Related Reading: How To Master Kindle Keywords And Categories For Free
English teacher, writer, and author. Passionate about grammar, creative writing, and self-publishing. Always exploring new tools and tech to help writers succeed.
