types of books

Books can be made in four formats: hardback, soft-cover, e-book, and audio (for an additional fee). We also acquire an ISBN for each version of the book, register the book with the Library of Congress and U.S. Copyrights Office, notify book sellers and buyers worldwide about the book via a press release, create 1-minute YouTube video promoting the book, and send the author five soft cover copies of the book.

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Hardback and Soft-Cover Books

All books published by Byblio Press result in a printed version of the book. A hardback book has the same content as a soft-cover (paperback) book but costs more to print. As long as a book is printed by a company that has the capability of printing a hardback book, it can be printed (hardback books can have different kinds of cover and may include a “dust cover”). The price for hardback and soft-cover (paperback) books and their size are determined by the author after consulting with Byblio Press. There’s nothing quite like holding your new book in your hands! More information about book sizes and formats and printing options is found in the Resources section.

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E-Books

An e-book (electronic book) is a digital form of a printed book. It makes a traditional book readable through various electronic devices (computers, portable readers, mobile gadgets, phones) with the help of e-book reading software. E-books save consumers space and money (there are no printing and shipping costs), which makes them attractive to many buyers. Access to an e-book doesn’t require a password, so they are easily accessed. An author’s digital work is still protected by the same laws that protect printed books.

Byblio Press recognizes that having a book in an electronic format is important to sell books, so we automatically convert all our books into this format at no extra cost and provide it with a unique ISBN. Since we distribute the e-book version to different retailers, the format must meet the unique requirements of each retailer to ensure they are compatible with their technology. E-books are supported by, and are compatible with, most e-book readers across all platforms. This includes iPad, Amazon Kindle, and Barnes & Noble Nook. More information about e-books is found in the Resources section.

E-books can be published in a variety of formats (e.g., epub, mobi, and pdf) and Byblio Press transforms books into these three most commonly used e-book formats. All e-books have a default price of $3.99, but the price can be adjusted upward based on what the author wants as the sale price (many book sellers do not list books with a price below $3.99). After an e-book is submitted to the distribution network and the book goes live, the price can only be modified once. If a book needs to be updated or corrected after it has been published, we will update both the print and e-book versions of the book one time. The royalty for e-books is 100% of the net payments received by Byblio Press from the book seller.

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Audio Books

Books have been available in an audio format since the early 1930s, but they became a common book format in the last 30 years. In 1995, Audible made it possible to download books onto desktop computers. In 2023, about 25% of US adults had listened to an audio book during the past year across dozens of applications and devices. Audiobooks appeal to busy and active people who are multitasking (e.g., driving, exercising, working in the yard), those who have difficulty reading, and those who don’t have space for physical books. Audiobooks are also appealing because they are cheaper than books in print. Thus, making a book into an audio format is an important part of a book’s sales strategy.

Making an audiobook in English and other languages through Byblio Press is optional and requires an additional fee. It involves a number of steps after we produced the book in a printed form:

Authors choose the kind of person who they want to read the book. This means making decisions about the reader’s gender, age, tone of voice, pitch, and accent while keeping the main audiences in mind.

Authors receive a short audio clip of a reading by three different readers who meet the desired criteria. Authors then select the person they want to be the reader, and we will create a brief audition script performed by the chosen narrator for your final approval.

After the reader is confirmed, the reader will read and record the book to make a draft audiobook. This process takes time to ensure the reader has read the book correctly.

After transcription, the author reviews and verifies the content for accuracy. Corrections or revisions can be made by contacting us promptly. This ensures any discrepancies are addressed and the final audio file reflects the author's feedback.

Once the audiobook is approved and completed, it is uploaded to our national and international distribution outlets (Amazon, Audible, Apple). It is paired with the image from your print or e-book cover for a finished retail appearance. The audiobook also is given a distinct ISBN.

Royalties are based on rates set by Amazon, Audible.com, and Apple, who collectively account for most audiobook sales. Byblio Press authors' books are sold on these platforms, which offer a 40% royalty rate. Smaller sellers typically offer lower rates (around 15%), prompting Byblio Press to focus on these top three platforms. Authors receive the remaining 60% of the sale price.

The time and cost to make an audio version of a book varies widely and depends on the language, the book’s length, and the availability of professional readers who can make a recording of the book. Byblio Press gives clients a quote for the cost and timeline to make an audio book based on all these factors.