Timewaster's Guide Archive
Local Authors => Brandon Sanderson => Topic started by: Merzbow on October 24, 2007, 08:14:41 AM
-
Brandon's essay on hardbacks and papers intrigued me. (For those who haven't seen it, link is at bottom of this post). I must say I hate to buy hardbacks solely for the reason of convenience, since I so often read on the go. (And I can usually wait until the paperback comes out no matter how great the author is.) But I'm honestly shocked by how much more authors make off a hardback, in percentage terms. That kind of sucks actually.
Personally I'd have no problem paying today's hardback prices for something the size of a paperback but constructed like a hardback. I don't understand why no publisher does that. But anyways, now that I know about how the industry works, I'm going to make a point of picking up the hardback versions of new novels by my top five or so authors, even if I eventually only read the paperbacks. I suppose I can justify this by classifying them as collectible copies. (I have a copy of Mistborn 2 on the way that I'll hope someday to get Brandon to sign in person).
http://www.brandonsanderson.com/article.php?id=38
-
My problem is that while I want to support the authors I like, I'm also extremely cheap. I have a hard time buying anything new, because I know I can get it at such a better price used. It's a dilemma for me, because I want the authors I like to get something out of me buying their books, but I don't have that much money to throw around.
-
My problem is that while I want to support the authors I like, I'm also extremely cheap. I have a hard time buying anything new, because I know I can get it at such a better price used. It's a dilemma for me, because I want the authors I like to get something out of me buying their books, but I don't have that much money to throw around.
That's why I only do this for my top five or so authors. The same thing for music CDs - I'll buy the cheap used CD on Amazon, but if its for one of the five bands I can't live without, you bet I'll order the new one. Everyone else has to fend for themselves. :)
-
I have three options for justifying the purchase of a book in hard cover:
1) Really cheap buy at DI, love these. Most of my recent purchases have been from DI
2) Can't wait for the paperback book to come out. Need to read the book.
3) I know the author personally. Being an author-hopeful myself, I hope for some reciprocation someday. :)
Of course, there are times when these options will overlap, and at times like that I have a difficult time controlling myself. Additionally, I really like the way a hardback looks on my bookshelf. Just beautiful. My wife would probably argue.
-
As long as you people buy via TWG or Brandon's Amazon accounts, no matter what you buy, you're supporting someone quite important--Me.
-
I think might be the exact opposite of you Merzbow :)
I prefer reading the hardbacks. A tiny paperback is too hard to manage, you always have to move your hands around and 'work harder' to read the same story. Having a hardback come out sooner is just an added bonus.
Even if I discover a book after it's been out for a while, I still puchase the hardback. I've even gone as far as to buy a full 4 part series in hardback before reading the 1st.
I may be in the minority, but to me, even a hardback is cheap. I'm not filthy rich, but when compared to something like a video game I pay $59 for, or a movie for $9, a $20 or $30 book seems like a good deal. That book is going to give me hours of enjoyment reading it, and often much more either thinking about the book after I've read it, lending it to friends to get them hooked, or rereading it. When I buy paperbacks I just feel like I'm stealing.
Supporting the authors is a nice benefit as well. I think to date I have purchased maybe ~20 of Brandon's books (including 9 at his last signing here, many of those were for others who couldn't make it or gifts for young reader cousins). I think right now I own 4 hardback copies of MB1, 2 of MB2, 2 of Alcatraz and 3 of Elantris. Only a few of those are sitting on my book shelf, most are out with other readers. Last I heard, one of the copies of Elantris made it's way up to Minesota and is in the hands of it's 5th reader in the chain. It's not just Brandon's books either. I own between 3-6 copies of each HP book, including a full set of Hardcovers I don't ever plan on reading, but more just 'keeping'.
Brandon, do you think you'll ever do the 'deluxe' or 'special' editions of any of your books? I'm a big sucker for collectors stuff like that as well.
-
Hardbacks of Elantris and Mistborn 1 appear to be sold out at Amazon, which is a good thing I guess (but not sure why the publisher isn't making more if so). Personally I'd love a hardback of Elantris.
-
EUOL actually has some to sell he got somewhere.
Give us a few days and I'll have a store up on a the beta site where you can buy a signed copy.
-
Note that you can still find both, if you know how to look. They ARE on Amazon, you just have to go the paperback first, then click on the hardback link there.
http://www.amazon.com/Elantris-Brandon-Sanderson/dp/0765311771/ref=ed_oe_h/103-4212574-7236658
Takes you to the hardcover Elantris.
I WILL be selling signed copies through my website eventually. These, however, will have remainder marks on them. (Each one has a little black dot on the top.) Plus, we're not sure when we'll begin selling them.
-
also you can follow the links on brandon's site to get to the hardbacks, I try not to use the paperback ISBNs because I don't like their covers as much as the hardbacks--and we pull cover images down from amazon through out the new site.
www.brandonsanderson.com/book/ for an easy list
-
Note that you can still find both, if you know how to look. They ARE on Amazon, you just have to go the paperback first, then click on the hardback link there.
http://www.amazon.com/Elantris-Brandon-Sanderson/dp/0765311771/ref=ed_oe_h/103-4212574-7236658
Takes you to the hardcover Elantris.
I WILL be selling signed copies through my website eventually. These, however, will have remainder marks on them. (Each one has a little black dot on the top.) Plus, we're not sure when we'll begin selling them.
Ahh thanks... I now see that there is an "other editions" link at the bottom of all Amazon search results.
-
I also strongly prefer hardbacks—nice to know that this supports the author more (I already knew this, but didn't think about it).
-
I love hardbacks because they are so pretty, but I'm often chasing around two little boys which makes a paperback easier to carry around with me (I can carry it in one hand). Also, I don't like reading my new hardbacks because I may dent them or break the spine. This is why even when I buy a book in hardback, I usually get a library copy to read to keep my own pristine. There was a guy I don't remember the name (a great book collector that I read about in one of the Basbane books) who would buy three copies of every book he wanted: one to display, one for himself to read, and one to lend out. I wish I had that kind of money.
-
I like reading paperbacks best. Sorry Brandon. The fact that I can keep it in my pocket is the ultimate in convenience and reading pleasure. (On a related note...Until e-book readers can be kept in my back pocket and the floor of my car absolutely undamaged, I don't think I'll be using them.)
I buy hardback versions of books I love for the durability.
-
i prefer reading paperbacks, but will buy hardbacks for durability..mainly for series/authors i really like. I'm not sure the paperbacks will be in a condition to re-read when i retire (in 30 years), but I am hoping the hardcovers will be. I guess thats a pretty long-term reason to buy HC, but thats how i approach it :)
-
I will buy a hardback over a paperback 9 out of 10 times. I guess I consider books an investment (well, that's the excuse I give myself at least). Paperbacks don't seem to last through my wear and tear. I reread books often, I take them with me everywhere that I think I might get a moment to read, and I expect to have them around for my children to enjoy, when they get older.
BUT I am also not above buying a book for cheap. I love library book sales! Most of my Nicholas Sparks books have come from them, poor guy I like his books but haven't spent more than $20 on nearly the entire collection. If I really like an author though, I won't wait for them to get to these types of sales and I'll go out and buy brand new.
And in truth, I'm just vain, paperback books won't look nice in that personal library I'm going to have someday.
-
I love books. I love the look of hardback books. But I have been married 24 yrs and I just counted up the many times I have moved since I've been married and it is 18+ times in those 24 yrs!! We just got rid of 10 book sized U-haul boxes of books because we are getting so tired of hauling them in and out of all the houses we live in! My husband likes being more portable and is trying to encourage our book reading family to enjoy the library more! So this makes paperback books more acceptable to our household. I have 9 kids at home and we still think those scholastic book orders are like christmas wish list catalogs! My teens like to get them from their little brothers & sisters before the little guys can get their papers to me after school! It is nice we all like to read, but unless a book is totally a family sharing type book - hardbound books aren't generally acquired for our household. I got a hold of Mistborn at the library and liked it and just had to have my own copy. I got one from Amazon, but it was a used copy or something that made it cheap enough for me to buy. Sorry to find out it doesn't help authors to buy books the way I do.
-
You got rid of 10 boxes of books! Golly I wish I'd been around! ;)
-
I hate paperbacks. I like to keep my books very pristine, and while this is possible with paperbacks: I'm prone to mishaps.
I have all of Wolverton's Runelords books except for Worldbinder in hard cover. I was introduced to this from Brandon, by the way. I was going to wait for the paperback to come out because I like them all to be uniform. I managed to last about two weeks.
I managed to get my Elantris hard cover copy severely water damaged (At least I think so) and I lost my Final Empire at school. I tend to lose things when I'm overwhelmed, no matter how much I check back.
I also have only one Dragonlance book in hardcover, which really irritates me. I don't have any Sanderson books in paperback, which is good.
I prefer Hard Covers. All of my paperbacks I try very hard not to bend the cover or crease the spine, and I've gotten my friends to get obsessed with it, too ^^
On a completely different note: I wanted to join the Scholastic arts and writing contest with writing this time because my Art teacher submitted my work last time but I can't because I don't have a creative writing teacher because the evil witch left so I got stuck with Photography which I'm terrible at.