Should Writers Make Paperback Versions for Their Books?

ebook vs paperback

When I started my online journey, this was an easy question for me to answer. Seeing all the income reports back then, it made clear that for me focusing on ebooks will be enough. But after so many years and seeing the other side of the coin, I realize that I was wrong.

Why?

Let’s see something before we answer this.

If you have been on a self-publishing journey, the first thing you must have done is to make an account on KDP. If you are new and want to know more about this, then there is an article I wrote about self-publishing on KDP in detail. Here is the beautiful link for that.

Most probably you must have made an ebook.

Why do most writers choose ebooks first?

1. Easy to make. Most of us just upload our google docs page or you must have used some software like Caliber for it.
2. If you cannot hire anyone, then you can do it yourself.
3. Distribution is easy.
4. The price can be set low. And so it brings in more sales.
5. Selling ebooks is easy.

And so on. I can go on and on but you got what I am trying to say here.

So is having a paperback version of the book necessary?

Should you have a paperback version of your book?

Definitely, Yes.

Why the Paperback version?

Extra promotion for your books.

I won’t say to jump in with both feet but have a plan before getting into this.

1. Make sure your book is complete and well-edited. Changing anything will just cost you more.
2. First, always choose ebooks. Publish the ebook first.
3. Publish the paperback version on Amazon alone for a certain period of time.
4. Then try to self-publish the book through IngramSpark. There are many services out there but most

But does it apply to fiction and non-fiction both?

Nope. Certainly not.

Let’s see from a fiction writer’s point of view first. If you write fiction then your genre should be taken into consideration as well. Fiction books like mystery, thriller, spiritual, children’s books, and sometimes fantasy books are read in both forms — digital and print. So if you are into these niches then, if possible, you should get your book into a paperback version as well.

Now if you consider romance fiction then I don’t think this will be useful. If you are printing through Amazon then it’s okay. You don’t have to pay anything upfront. Romance/Fiction readers read a lot, so buying a paperback version will be more costly for them.

For nonfiction, yes definitely. Like me, many readers prefer to read paperback versions of books.

I have a small library and mostly it contains non-fiction books. I am listing some of the great books here -

1. The Leader Who Has No Title — Robin Sharma
2. Psychology of Money — Morgan Housel
3. Leading an Inspired Life — Jim Rohn (My Family’s Favorite)

When it comes to reading non-fiction, readers will buy the paperback version from their favorite author. I do the same. I don’t do that for fiction books but for non-fiction, it’s definitely yes. It helps me to grasp more when I read print versions which is not possible when it comes to digital books. I buy a few books a year and make sure I read them till the end, which sadly is not possible in the digital version.

If you have a subscription to Netflix, chances are that you will keep on jumping from one movie to another without completing any.

So if you think it’s a waste to have a paperback version then you should think again.

Now, where should you get the print version of the book?

The options vary, depending on your budget.

1. Option 1 — If you want to start this for free then I would say to stick with the Amazon KDP print version only. And make sure you tick the option which says — “extended distribution”. If you are just starting then this is the best option.
2. Option 2 — IngramSpark — This is not a free option. You have to pay $45 for a title. I recommend this only when you have an income above $500 per month. Use your money from ebooks for making paperback versions.

Tip — If you are going the IngramSpark route then make sure you untick the “Extended Distribution” Option.

Hope this will help you to add one more income stream to your portfolio!

Happy writing journey!

If you want to know more about making money on Fiverr, then you can check out my book “Small Ebooks, Big Money”. Happy Writing Journey!