To print or not to print...that is the question!
posted 2011 Nov by Sarah MorrisAfter launching A Practical Guide to Web App Success by Dan Zambonini, we have had a number of people asking if this title and Designing the Invisible will be available in paperback form as well as in the existing digital formats. So we thought we'd write a quick blog post to share our policy on this.
We have realised over the last 3 years that producing expensive paperback versions of all our books is not always the best solution for the title or the author. There are a few things at play here: the huge costs involved in the print run, the storage of stock and fulfilment costs amongst others, but also the intended audience of the title. Being such a small publisher we have to consider each title on a case by case basis and ensure we make the right choices for both the author and us.
If the eBooks we produce sell enough to cover the cost of the print run then we can go ahead and get it printed. So, if you want to see one of our books in dead tree (paperback) format then please feel free to spread the word ;)
Once a printed version of a book is made available we'll make sure we provide customers who have already bought the digital version with a discount code so nobody ends up paying more that the 'digital and paperwork bundle' price.
Responses
Neil Bradley
December 15, 2011+1 for Print
My bookshelf was a happier place with the series of Five Simple Steps books that were building up.
Johannes
December 11, 2011Print ’em!
Carmen
December 08, 2011I will love you if you print ‘Designing the invisible’ and ‘A Practical Guide to Web App Success’ books!!
tobias
December 08, 2011Please Print!
I like dead trees for reading — ebooks only for reference.
Jacob
December 08, 2011Please print, I hate having to pay VAT on digital books.
Mark
December 07, 2011+1 for print. I prefer reading the print version AND having the e-book for searching and for reference (while I am away from the office).
I bought Designing for the Web as PDF (because the first print run was sold out). The reading experience wasn’t great as it was a double page PDF. However, I enjoyed the book so much I bought the print version when it was reprinted.
Neil
December 07, 2011+1 On the printed option. Love having something tangible in exchange for the mullah.
Christopher Frost
December 07, 2011Please print it, a physical book is so much more enjoyable to read and books like the five simple steps series are all about that.
Steve West
December 07, 2011I want to buy it in print. Hope you get enough requests to go ahead with it.
Easter
November 28, 2011This artlice keeps it real, no doubt.
Hayley
November 23, 2011+1 for print. And not just because they look pretty on my desk. I read fiction on kindle, not work stuff. I like to post-it note it and draw on it and lend it to my coworkers, open at the right page. I usually get bundle deals for ease of reference if I’m working away but other than that, I’m all about the hard copy. Happy to pre-order/commit as suggested by others here.
Nicolas
November 18, 2011+1 for print, physical version
Michael Martin
November 17, 2011It’s good to hear the reasoning behind this now.
I have to agree with the other commenters here though; I’d far rather have a printed book than an ebook. I know a lot of people love reading books on their iPads, but I have so many of them on my iPad now that I rarely get around to reading any of them (Which is why I don’t buy them any more)
It’s also a little disappointing because it doesn’t reflect too well on this particular book if yous do choose to print the next one, but not this one.
I would second Steve’s idea here. Why not try Kickstarter out on this? It should be risk-free then and it forces people to commit to the print purchase (Rather than just comments like this which may never turn into orders).
If printing the books is causing a loss, then fair enough, that can’t go on.
Andre
November 17, 2011Pleas, print!
Adam
November 16, 2011I am really sad about this – clearly judging by the decision I am in the minority, but I won’t get round to reading a digital copy of these books so I’m missing out.
One of the things that set FSS and A Book Apart out from the rest for me is the high production quality of their books. Being a traditionalist on this level, I can’t get that feeling from the screen of my iPad or computer screen.
I also feel that having a digital only version somewhat takes value away from the production, whether this be psychological or not, it feels to some extent “cheap”… not something I ever thought I’d associate with FSS!
However if there is not enough money made from the previous books to fund production of the next then its understood. Just wish I could complete the set on my bookshelf having bought all the previous FFS publications!
Sadly I’d only get the digital copy as an addition to to the paper one, not the other way round. I hope the books are successful enough for this to change and I still love FFS! :)
George
November 16, 2011Small clarification: I meant that Donna Spencer’s book was less visually polished than the rest of the series, not in terms of content. I think it’s one of the most concise, focused and well written books on the subject.
George
November 16, 2011@Dan: My sentiment exactly.
While I understand the reasoning on the economics of book printing, these were as well as well written seriously beautiful books (maybe with the exception of Donna Spencer’s, which was IMHO much less polished than the rest of them) and I was really looking forward to a colourful bookself.
And of course I enjoy reading them in print. I can’t say the same about ebooks :-/
Hope you do eventually get to print the new ones as well.
Steve
November 16, 2011I understand the reasoning, but I really do like a physical thing to sit on the desk to lend to the young uns.
Could you take a queue from kickstarter and have some kind of “[] digital only [] digital and future dead tree” option where you only charge my card the extra if you hit the numbers to make the print run worthwhile?
Perhaps allows an earlier print run with reduced financial exposure?
Dan
November 16, 2011Bookshelf out of sync – OCD kicking in…