our publishing formats
Rationale for format selection. We approached format selection strictly as a business decision: which formats would make it easier for us to remain financially viable in the publishing business? Research within the marketplace determined that a majority of readers like having a choice between digital and print. At the same time, relatively few readers are willing to pay hardback prices. This led us to decide to (1) utilize both digital and trade-paperack formats and (2) avoid hardback formats. We did not preclude possibly publishing some future title as a hardback, but for the time being, we would not publish in hardback format. As for trade-paperback format, it would be produced strictly as Print on Demand. That is, buyers would order the book from the printer we had used for the particular title and it would be printed and shipped by the printer directly to the buyer within days. We are currently researching the viability of issuing titles as audiobooks.
Advantages of this decision for us as publishers. This decision kept down our startup costs and enabled us to proceed without getting outside financing, which would have delayed our entry into publishing. This decision also meant that we could publish very quickly in digital format, going through the process from beginning to end in much less time than would otherwise have been required. Publication of the print format, while longer due to the need for reprinting between proofings, takes no longer than a traditional publishing approach, making the production of print output a wash in terms of time. Employing Print-On-Demand technology also means that we are not forced to guess how much is needed of print format, which not only keeps down upfront costs but also simplifies storage issues. We can focus more on the ideas and less on the inventory of physical product.
Advantages of this decision for readers. Readers get a high-quality product faster and at less cost than would otherwise be possible for us to produce. They also get the choice of (1) a faster-delivery format that must be read on a device or PC or (2) a traditional print product that requires no hardware to read. Also, they have the option of purchasing titles that might otherwise not be published. Because there is less cost associated with production of individual titles, it is possible for us to issue titles that we like but know up front are likely to have a limited market.
Advantages of this decision for writers. Writers enjoy a faster, more-efficient process. They can see their work in digital format much faster than would normally be possible for a print output. They also enjoy faster reporting and payment of royalties because the vendors we use report monthly and pay within two months of the reporting, at which time we remit royalties owed the writer for that reporting period.
