Paperback pricing

josephperin

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So I'm setting up my 335 page book (including all front and back matter), and the lowest price I can set seems to be in the 12+ range.

I was looking up traditionally published PBs which are significantly longer--the CRA book for ex--and they go for a lower price. How do they manage it? Is it just that with volume comes printing/shipping discount?
 

M. H. Lee

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They do print runs of X copies which drives down costs. Some also use different paper, etc. than is available with POD.

Printing on demand will always cost more than that. But good news is you won't end up with a garage full of copies you can't sell and you'll be able to fix any errors you discover later immediately.
 

josephperin

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Thanks. Figured it had to be something like that. The absolute lowest I can set seems to be 12.99. I don't know that I'd pay as much for a beach read. Oh, well. The ebook is 3.99.
 

CathleenT

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We all care so much about the physical books, probably because we have an emotional attachment to them. But if you're like most SP authors, you won't sell enough paperbacks for price to matter. $3.99 is a good, competitive ebook price. : )
 

Laer Carroll

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...if you're like most SP authors, you won't sell enough paperbacks for price to matter. $3.99 is a good, competitive ebook price. : )

Cathleen is right. I sold exactly three of the first Orphan book and one of the second - out of not quite 3000 ebooks for $3.99 for the first and 1000 of the second (just beginning to edge into the second month of sales).

I'll also repeat that I actually make about 10% more from my Amazon subscription reads than ebook sales. This was a pleasant surprise when I went exclusively Amazon.
 

sandree

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My paperback is at $12.99 and I’ve sold quite a few to my small mailing list. I think it’s because the people I know are a bit “over the hill.” We still like to hold a book in our hands and turn pages.☺️ No one has balked at the paperback price.
 

josephperin

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Thanks Cathleen, Laer, Sandree.

I have a few older folks (family and such). I'm probably going to end up sending them copies.

P.S. I know I'm terrible at treating this as a career;) Anytime someone says something nice about my writing, I'm tempted to hand them a copy and say "Take it."
 

Richard White

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Have you also tried adjusting font size to cut down on your page count? If it doesn't interfere with readability*, you can save quite a few pages (and hence have lower printing costs) with even a one-point reduction in font size.

*remember, people can make it larger on their e-reader if required.
 
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josephperin

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Have you also tried adjusting font size to cut down on your page count? If it doesn't interfere with readability*, you can save quite a few pages (and hence have lower printing costs) with even a one-point reduction in font size.

*remember, people can make it larger on their e-reader if required.

Definitely gonna try.
 

Al X.

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What is your word count? I typically have around 80,000 words, which translates to roughly 120 pages at an eleven point font and a 5.25 x 8 inch paper size. My minimum price is around eight something, and I set my price at $9.99. I'm willing to take a hit on my profit just to offer them to readers as a service. I sell far more ebooks than I do paperbacks, but they do sell.
 

josephperin

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What is your word count? I typically have around 80,000 words, which translates to roughly 120 pages at an eleven point font and a 5.25 x 8 inch paper size. My minimum price is around eight something, and I set my price at $9.99. I'm willing to take a hit on my profit just to offer them to readers as a service. I sell far more ebooks than I do paperbacks, but they do sell.

:O how do you manage to get it down to 120 pages? I'm using 6×9 paper size and 10.5 font. 99,000 words still come to 325 pages (WC including front and back matter)
 

Al X.

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:O how do you manage to get it down to 120 pages? I'm using 6×9 paper size and 10.5 font. 99,000 words still come to 325 pages (WC including front and back matter)

Oops, sorry, I'm off by quite a bit. Try 270 pages. Still, you should be lower. Maybe play with your margins and gutters and set them at minimum?
 

sandree

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I think you still want your paperback to have a pleasing interior. I wouldn’t cut margins or type size down too much - these details add to the aesthetic appeal... Reading a paperback is a sensory experience. I think a skinny paperback looks like it is worth less...