When you self-publish in paperback, it has genuine benefits.
Self-publishing does not only mean ebooks.
When it comes time to publish, I always publish paperback and ebook versions.
But Why?
Yes, ebooks are a must
Kindle ebooks are by far my best income source.
So why do I go to the extra effort to publish in paperback when the potential return from all the work is so little?
There are a few reasons. Firstly it’s because it adds credibility to the title.
When a book is listed on Amazon, for example, having multiple versions of a title looks much better and carries more weight with potential readers.
Another reason is that two versions allow for much more metadata, so a book is more discoverable.
Self-publish in paperback and get extra promotion
Using the possibilities offered by Amazon Author Central, there are many ways to add much more than the basic information to a book.
And with two versions, it is possible to expand these possibilities even further.
One example is the ability to add editorial reviews, which can be different in Kindle and paperback versions.
These additions made to your books on Author Central appear on your book page on Amazon, so they offer the fantastic potential to increase your book’s appeal and discoverability.
Pre-orders
One other reason to publish in paperback is if you plan to release your new title as a Kindle ebook pre-order.
Because Amazon does not activate the ‘Look Inside‘ feature on ebook titles under pre-order, readers don’t have access to a preview read.
But if you publish a paperback version a couple of weeks ahead of your ebook version, this WILL have ‘Look Inside‘ activated.
Book reviews
The last reason is book reviews. Readers can’t add a review to a Kindle pre-order.
But they can add a review to the paperback version while your Kindle ebook is on pre-order.
The Kindle ebook version is on the same sales page, so readers can see these reviews.
So in a round-a-bout way, I publish a paperback version with the thought in mind of preparing for the release of my Kindle ebook version.
As I said at the beginning, this is where I plan to make the most sales.
So to answer my original question – should I self-publish in paperback?
Yes, always, because in so many ways, it will help you sell more ebooks.
Related Reading: How To Make A Book You Can Offer As A Gift Or Keepsake
Hi. What a great site. Wish I’d found it sooner, as I’m preparing to publish. I was aiming to do this in a few weeks, but I think I’ll hold back and work through your ‘common mistakes’ advice first!
But I’d like some help/advice on a specific issue.
It’s my autobiography I’m looking to publish as an ebook. There are a lot of photos I would like to include, but with Amazon (and probably other platforms) this would seriously impact the earnings. So I was thinking maybe (again with regard to Amazon) I could have two different versions: one for the ebook (no photos) and one for the hard copy (with photos),
But then (maybe?) in the ebook page I would put a ‘click and buy the hard copy if you want pictures.’ Comment. Possibly this might be a good marketing strategy, as ebook buyers would wonder what they all looked like and go on to buy the hard copy to find out.
Is this possible, or even a good idea?
Many thanks.
Yes, it’s certainly possible, James.
Whether it’s a good idea or not is up to you. You can try and see what happens. If you don’t sell many hard copies, you can always add some photos to your ebook and republish it.
I have uploaded my paperback and have my ebook ready. Should I go ahead and make my kindle ebook available now or set it up as a pre-order? If I do a pre-order, how far out should I make it? Thanks so much!
Pre-order is always a good idea. 30 days is usually enough.
Is Solstice Empire a legit company?
Absolutely, publishing in print–paperback or hardcover–is still considered more prestigious than an ebook. While self-publishing in general is publishing without the “gatekeepers” traditional publishers are supposed to have for separating the wheat from the chaff, self-publishing an ebook is almost always a free proposition for the author-publisher. Often that means no independent, professional editing. A print book requires some monetary investment–the cost of print, right off the top–but, if one has any sense that their book is worthwhile, professional editing, as well as design and layout, rather than templated “bookmill”-looking books are wise investments. The idea, after all, is to self-publish books that do not suffer in quality compared to traditionally publihed books.
Thanks for answering.
Sad reality. For me at least! Is a 230 pages book.
I´m going to try to contact and editorial and maybe do the translation, on my trip to VA. maybe it works. Who knows…
The editorial has rights only in my country and in spanish version.
Thanks for the advice, mostly for novel writers like me.
Mónica.
What to do when you have a book that is on the process with the editorial and it´s going to be publish on Amazon and two other websites. But they don´t what to go on for paperback. Does it mean they dont trust my book? I was even thinking of looking for and editorial to translate and do both english version on ebook and paperback. Will you recommend that?
Hi Monica,
Without knowing all the details it’s difficult to advise you. All I can say is that publishing in ebook format is very easy and can be done by anyone. Normally, a reputable publisher would publish a book in trade quality paperback or/and hardcover and manage the distribution to retailers, plus book marketing. If a publisher is only offering to produce in ebook, I would be concerned, as this can be done easily, without the services of a publisher.