In our discussion on the “Venti” sized paperbacks now adorning the shelves of a bookstore near you, many of y’all had some strong feelings about the new format. From how it fits on the shelf to how it fits in your bag, and how much bigger is the typeface, anyway, we’re picking the Venti apart. Some hate it outright, but there are some for whom the new size is an attempt to differentiate new publications from older rereleases. Others have big honking huge hardbacks that fit much easier in to the Venti paperback printing format.
In a recent comment, a relatively new author, whose books might not be familiar to some of you, asked for help from the Bitchery.
Nora Roberts wrote:
“So, is there anything anyone likes (or doesn’t absolutely hate) about this new size paperback style? Or is the consensus here it’s just annoying, crappy and inconvenient?
I can’t—or don’t want to—go into a lengthy explanation of why a cover ‘look’ won’t really work to distinguish (if it’s really necessary anyway) my original paperbacks from the reprints. Frankly, I don’t push my brain into this sort of direction often, or deeply. I’d rather be writing the book, and leaving those problems or concepts to people who think about that stuff all the time, and know more about it than I do. But when I’m asked to consider something like this, it’s helpful to get input from the people who buy the books.”
So, help a writer out – is there anything good about the Venti style? What can make a book stand out from its peers in the first place size-wise, and what recommendations would you as a reader have about a potential new format? What would be the best possible scenario – perhaps taking the best parts of a paperback and the best parts of the trade size? Bring it on, Bitchery!
part of the problem is that, with the higher price on Venti and no MMpaperback available on specific titles, more people are being forced to look to the UBS for them.
I think it might behoove publishers to look more closely at the used book buying patterns of readers, especially since I think the majority of readers buy a mix of used and new. Obviously cost is a big reaason, but wouldn’t it be interesting to know, for example, if it’s really the large quantity readers who are buying more used books, and if so, whether or not they’re still buying more new books than the average reader; or whether some readers prefer the books that come from some presses more than others; or how/if the size/format of a book affects the new/used decision; or whether there are things publishers could do to entice readers to buy more books new? At least I think it would be interesting. I remember the flak that occured when Amazon started advertising used books on the same page as new books, and while I understand why authors would be less than thrilled about this, if it were my job to sell new books, I think I’d start by taking a closer look at the overall used/new buying habits of readers.
I am one of those people who has a fixed budget for books. Yes all prices are going up and it is something we all have to deal with. The thing about books is they are way down on the list of items that are necessary. Books are my guilty pleasure.
Being a parent I will always spend my money on extras for the kids such as movies, sports and swimming pool fees. As the mom, my needs are the very last on the list. If something has to be cut out of the budget, it my books. I would much rather have new books, but with the new pricing of 9.99 for a paperback I can guarantee I won’t be purchasing too many new ones. I am now forced to buy used, trade or worse do without. My auto-buy list of authors/books is going to take a serious hit. If I am used to buying 4 books a month new, now I am looking at 3 for the same cost.
If a writer can state that she is not concerned about the readers who are unhappy about the price, I guess those of us who now cannot afford those new books, should not be concerned about the loss to the writer by buying used.
It’s prolly way too late for comment on this, BUT since Nora wrote earlier:
>20-something readers prefer, or seem to gravitate to this format
I’ll respond as a 20-something datapoint:
I hate them, too. I can’t carry them in my purse, and they don’t hold themselves open like trades. The only young people whom I could imagine liking them better are those who A) don’t read much and so have no real book budget and B) are snobby about not appearing to read anything as crass as a paperback.
I never said, and never would, that I’m not concerned about the cost of the Venti. I think I said, pretty clearly, that in the case of THIS specific question asked, the weightier complaints were awkward, not delivering on promise, and so on. If a reader buys primarily at ubs—and I’ve got no problem at all with that—then the complaint about cost in THIS case isn’t as big a factor for me as the other dissatisfactions. That’s all.
Just as it’s true that everything costs more, it’s true that we buy—and are free to buy—used. Cars, clothes, furniture, name it. I’ve got no beef.
Nora
Nora, you have nothing to apologize for. I’d buy your books even if they were the size of phone books and printed on brown wrapping paper.
So would just about everyone else.
The pubs always want to try out something new to market books and like any trend that doesn’t seem to hit it off with the readers, it will eventually die out.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the trend went the other direction in a couple of years with smaller, thicker books, LOL.
It looks like most of the discussion has ended but I still feel the need to add my two cents (mostly because there was some discussion about what gets you to buy a new book). I don’t really like the venti size although beyond the bookshelf issue & price, it is probably because the lack of choice irritates me. Most of the authors I have seen published in venti size don’t have the same book in MM size. I haven’t bought any yet for what ever reason. In terms of what gets me to buy a book, it is usually in this order:
-Author I enjoy
-Friends’ recommendations
-Cover art (Romances -I do tend to buy the more subdued ones, although I don’t mind the more flamboyant inner cover)
-Back/Inside cover blurb
-1st few pages
I have to say beyond the venti issue which have been covered pretty well by everyone else, I know that the one thing that will quickly turn me away from a book is only having quotes from reviewers or other authors (it has to be an author I know and like to get beyond this). I like to have at least some quick way of knowing what a book is about. I don’t care if it is on the back or inside the front cover. I know there are authors who have lost the chance to get new readers because they couldn’t determine what the book was about. I belong to a bookclub and our picks from month to month often start out based on cover art and book description blurb (unless someone has read it). I appreciate the information about writing a publisher, at least now maybe I can do something more than just bitching with my friends about it.
>I wouldn’t be surprised if the trend went the other direction in a couple of years with smaller, thicker books, LOL.
I LOVE tiny hardbacks! That’s something I’ll splurge on. *g* They have the handiness of a paperback, they hold themselves open better, and they are usually higher quality and can be read many more times.
Am I just weird?
You may be weird but not alone in that, Lydia. Small paperbacks hold up really well—I have some that are older than you and have survived quite a bit of abuse.
Hey, *I* have paperbacks older than me! *g* I inherited many of my grandparents’ books, plus I stole all the literary canonical works my parents had to buy for high school and college. (If you don’t use it, I steal it. So there. 😉 )
The cost is a *major* factor with me, and would keep me from even picking up the book to look at it. I spend too much on books already, so an increase in cost for the same product, because the format has been changed, will make me spend elsewhere. It’s a matter of product usefulness. If I have X amount of money, and the choice is between a romance novel, which I’ll read once, and a non-fiction book, which I’ll use for years in course work, or for research, and/or just personal interest, then the cash goes to the book I’ll be rereading for years.
I like them about the same as hard covers but prefer the old style. The books that are that size used to be inspiration religious stuff which i have learned to ignore.
Just found out Joanna lindsey has one of these out for her new book. Only reason i will buy it is because it is a character i want to read about.
otherwise i would not even look at it.
In other words the book would have to be worth it. Known author and acceptable story from known author.
I would recommend only established authors doing this.