Difference between paperback and hardcover edition

The paper used is acid-free, implying a pH value of 7, which is considered neutral. This type of paper is more durable, and not prone to easy wear and tear. As mentioned earlier, reference guides, periodicals, books for libraries, and bestsellers are usually created in hardcover as they are long lasting. Usually, in case of a new book, it is the hardcover edition that comes out first before the paperback edition.

You should remember that publishers follow this principle only if they expect the sales of the book to be really high.

For example, think about Harry Potter books. They exist in hardcovers, and the publishers published them in hardcover first because they knew people will be buying them no matter the price because it is Harry Potter.

When it comes to paperback, the cover is made of a thin paper, and there is glue to stick it to the leaves. Paperbacks are cheaper due to their lower production costs.

Hardcover books have several additions; a slip-on jacket, fancy lettering on the spine, and additional pages in the book. Paperbacks are usually held together by glue, but hardcover books are held together by three things; glue, stitches, and sometimes staples.

Hardcover books have a longer history. Paperbacks came only in the modern period. Cite APA 7 Franscisco,. Difference Between Hardcover and Paperback. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. MLA 8 Franscisco,. Name required. Email required. Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail.

Written by : Celine. Wondering why books exist in both hardback and paperback? Paperbacks can be further classified as either trade paperbacks or mass-market paperbacks. More on this below. On the other hand, a hardcover book is one bound with a rigid and thick paperboard, usually with a thin dustjacket on top. One key difference between paperback and hardcover books is the price.

This is usually the deciding factor for people when choosing between a paperback and a hardcover book. It is possible for publishers to sell the paperback version before the hardcover edition, but it is unusual and a rare practice in publishing. The bookseller rips the cover from the book and returns it to the publisher as proof that they had it stripped. The rest of the book is sent to a recycling plant. Thus, the book warns the reader that the book was supposed to be destroyed and the author did not receive payment for the book.

Trade paperback is a high-quality paperback version of a hardcover book. It uses the same quality of paper as the hardcover, has roughly the same size usually the Royal format or Demy format , and has the same text pages so that people citing references to certain pages in the hardcover edition will also find the same text in the same page.

In terms of price, trade paperbacks are cheaper than the hardcover edition but more expensive than the mass-market paperback versions. This the type of book sent to professors, book critics, and other notable people the publisher wants to give free books to for promotions and reviews. Hardcovers are meant for durability and design for people looking to collect and keep the books for a long time. Paperbacks, on the other hand, are more affordable and meant to reach the mass market looking for a cheaper way to read a story.

Here are more differences that separate the two. Paperback books are cheaper than hardcover books because of production costs and longevity. Thanks to technology, paperback books can be mass-produced and made completely without human hands touching it from the printing to the binding process. Because paperbacks have smaller profit margins than hardbound books, most publishers use lower quality materials to make the book compared to hardcover materials.