Video: Why Publishers Love Hardcover Books

by | Jan 5, 2012

Novelist Tess Collins entrusted me with the design of her new book, Helen of Troy. It’s a “quirky and lively retelling of the Greek legend” but set in small-town America.

Copies of the book recently arrived at my office, and looking at them I thought they provided the perfect way to illustrate something about how books are produced, and why publishers love hardcover books so much.

In the video, I talk about:

  • “Book blocks” and what they are
  • What hardcover and trade paper books have in common
  • The financial incentives in favor of publishing hardcovers
  • Why it is that publishers have delayed paperback publication for so long, and what might be driving the desire to hold e-book versions as well.

The video runs 6:47, so it’s a pretty quick look, but I think you’ll get something from it. Video instruction has some major benefits when compared to text, and here I get to show you directly parts of the book that might take a lot more explaining.

Here’s the video.

(If the video doesn’t appear below, please refresh your screen.)

Have you thought about doing a hardcover printing of your book? Why or why not? I’d love to hear about it.

tbd advanced publishing starter kit