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If you’re interested in the difference between paperbacks and mass market paperbacks, this post tells you exactly that. I often wondered what the difference was when buying books on amazon and was confused about which option to buy.
You are reading: Mass market paperback books
In short, paperback books are larger, higher quality, and most expensive, whereas mass market paperback books are smaller, with less durability but a lower price. The biggest difference to me is legibility: traditional paperback books are both larger and spaced greater between the lines, so they are much easier on your eyes.
Get everything you need to know about the difference between the paperback and the mass market paperback below.
what is the pocket book?
A paperback (or trade paperback) has a soft cover with a thick cover of paper or cardboard. paperbacks are glued together rather than stapled or sewn, like a hardcover book. the pages inside a paperback are usually made from high-quality, acid-free paper.
Publishers publish paperbacks when they want to offer a lower-cost format of a particular title than a hardcover, which is more durable in the long run but also more expensive. the markup is therefore lower for paperbacks than for hardcovers.
Paperbacks can be published because the author is less popular and therefore readers are less likely to buy a more expensive hardcover. Or, paperbacks can be published to offer fans of a popular book a less expensive option. For example, paperback editions of best-selling Harry Potter and Jane Austen books are available.
If the publication of a paperback edition of a title follows the publication of a hardcover edition by the same publisher, the printed pages are usually identical to those of the hardcover edition and the paperback usually has almost the same size as the hardcover edition. however, paperbacks may lack additional content such as forewords and illustrations.
The cover of a paperback book may or may not differ from the hardcover book.
standard paperback size is approximately five or six inches wide by eight or nine inches tall.
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some paperbacks have a “french flap”. this means that the front and back covers have a folded section behind the cover, like the dust jacket of a hardcover book. the purpose is just to make the paperback more like a hardcover book, but at a lower cost. however, sometimes I like to use it as a bookmark!
Also, paperbacks are popular in the non-fiction genre.
The most advanced review copies (arches) of books sent to book reviewers for review prior to a book’s publication are also printed in paperback format, as it is less expensive than printing a hardcover book , but it is still of higher quality than the lower quality. quality mass-market paperbacks (discussed in detail below).
While a paperback may be more prone to damage than a hardcover, a paperback is easier to transport than a hardcover, and can be protected with a book sleeve, which is a handmade foam and fabric book pocket that can be found in a variety of styles on etsy.
trade paperbacks are larger and more durable, and mass market paperbacks, discussed in more detail below, are smaller and less durable.
mass market paperback definition
Mass-market paperbacks can be defined as smaller, less durable paperbacks with a thick paper or cardboard cover. the inside pages are made of lower quality paper and are usually not illustrated.
mass-market paperbacks are often published after the hardcover edition is published, and are often sold in non-traditional venues such as airports, pharmacies, newsstands, and supermarkets.
(however, a book may have hardcover, paperback, and/or mass market publications).
Popular genres for mass market paperbacks are classics, romance, mystery, suspense, and thrillers. they are intended to be bought on impulse and/or to be more widely available to the general public.
Because they are published “in mass”, mass-market book publishing can be reserved for the most popular titles and authors.
Some mass market paperbacks have “peel-off” covers whereby the seller or distributor can remove the cover from the book and return it to the publisher for a refund or credit if it doesn’t sell. this costs less in return postage, and the rest of the book is then recycled.
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Please note that the seller or distributor can only return non-disassembled books to the publisher if the book cover is completely intact.
Self-publishers often publish their books in paperback or mass-market paperback format to save costs.
However, the growing popularity of e-books that can be purchased cheaply or borrowed for free from the library has threatened the mass-market paperback market.
mass market paperback size
The standard mass-market paperback size is four inches wide by six or seven inches tall. they are lighter and thinner than standard trade paperbacks. the inner font can also be smaller to keep the overall size of the book very small.
mass-market paperbacks are made smaller to fit on revolving shelves in non-traditional locations, like airports.
the difference between paperback and mass market paperback
The difference between paperbacks and mass market paperbacks is described in more detail below in a table that makes it easy for you to see what is similar and what is different.
It’s also worth noting that in the UK, paperbacks come in three sizes: “a”, which measures approximately 4.33″ by 7.01″ and is similar to mass market paperbacks; “b”, which measures 5.12″ x 7.8″ and is similar to a small trade paperback; and “c”, which measures 5.32″ x 8.51″ and is similar to a standard trade paperback.
If you’re still not sure whether to buy a paperback or a mass market paperback, I can offer you some practical advice:
- If price is your primary concern and/or the book is very short and easy to read quickly, I recommend buying a mass market paperback.
- and if price is not your main concern and/or the book is longer, I recommend you buy a paperback. the larger size makes it much more pleasing to the eye, and it will last longer and be worth more at any resale you want.
now you know the difference between paperbacks and mass market paperbacks.
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