Which Book Format Should You Choose? A Fun, No-Stress Guide for Indie Authors 📚✨
So, you’ve written a book (yay, go you! 🎉) or maybe you're still planning it (also yay!)—and now you’re wondering: what book formats should I publish in? Hardcover? Paperback? Ebook? Audiobook? All of the above?
Welcome to the book format buffet. 🧁 And don’t worry—this post will help you pick the right formats for your genre, your readers, and your budget—without the stress.
Let’s break it down genre-by-genre, with a big ol’ side of strategy. 👇
📦 What Are the Different Book Formats?
Before you choose your format strategy, here’s a quick refresher on what all these formats actually are:
- Ebook – A digital file (typically EPUB) that can be read on Kindle, iPad, or a phone. Super portable and budget-friendly to produce. Great for wide reach and promotional flexibility.
- Trade Paperback (TPB) – A high-quality softcover book, usually 5"x8" or 6"x9". It’s the standard print format for most indie books—affordable to print, print-on-demand, bookstore-friendly, and easy to sell.
- Hardcover (HC) – A sturdy, professional-looking format with a printed case or dust jacket. Great for gifts, libraries, and BookTok-worthy shelf appeal. More expensive to produce, but adds perceived value. Create fancy sprayed edge hardcovers with printers like Lulu, jacketed hardcovers on demand via Ingram Spark, and case hardcovers (sometimes called a library binding) on Amazon KDP.
- Mass-Market Paperback (MMPB) – A small-format paperback (usually 4.25"x7") often seen in airports and grocery stores. Less common for indie authors due to limited distribution options and far lower margins.
- Audiobook – A narrated version of your book, sold via Audible, Spotify, Apple, and more. Perfect for busy readers and podcast fans. Typically higher upfront production cost, but growing FAST. More publishing platforms are offering AI audiobooks at no additional cost, although readers tend to prefer human narrators.
- Large Print – A paperback with larger font and more spacing, great for accessibility and older readers. Ideal for libraries or genres with older demographics, like mystery/thriller/suspense.
👉 Pro tip: most platforms (like Amazon KDP and IngramSpark) make it easy to publish in multiple formats without reinventing the wheel.
⁉️ Print vs. Ebook vs.Audiobook: Which book formats sell best?
Here’s the current US ranking by revenue (2024), using the latest AAP StatShot Annual and industry reports:
- Hardcover — ≈ $7.9B
- Paperback (trade) — ≈ $7.8B
- Digital audiobooks — ≈ $2.4B (up ~22% YoY; 99% of audio revenue is digital).
- eBooks — ≈ $2.1B (up ~1.5% YoY).
- Mass-market paperback — ≈ $217M in Trade (about ~1% of Trade; format shrinking).
-
Physical audio (CD, etc.) — almost nothing and falling (monthly reads show tiny totals).
Sources: AAP, PublishersWeekly.com
💭 Helpful context
- Print dominates: Print formats (hardback, paperback, mass market, special bindings) were ~50.5% of total publishing revenue in 2024. Within Trade, hardcover + trade paperback together were ~73% of revenue.
- Audiobooks are the fastest grower: Audio revenue hit $2.22B in 2024 (+13% YoY), with digital accounting for 99% of that.
- Mass-market is tiny on units too: MMPB was roughly ~3% of print units in 2024; Readerlink is exiting MMPB distribution at end of 2025, further pressuring the format.
If you want a unit-based view limited to print, the order is typically:
Trade paperback (most units) → Hardcover → All other print (incl. juvenile formats) → Mass-market paperback (low single-digit share)
💘 Romance & Romantasy Book Formats
Primary formats: Ebook + Trade Paperback (TPB)
Secondary: Audiobook (if you’ve got budget), Deluxe Hardcover (for collector/fan hype)
Why?
Romance readers are binge readers. Kindle Unlimited culture thrives here. And romantasy collectors love a luxe hardcover.
Author tip: Lead with ebook (low cost + fast), then add print and audio as budget allows. If BookTok loves you? Go deluxe.
➡️ Need help? Grab our Book Formatting Services to get your print files polished.
🔪 Mystery / Thriller / Suspense Book Formats
Primary formats: Audiobook + Trade Paperback
Secondary: Ebook (for discount promos or backlist bump)
Why?
Thriller fans listen while commuting or cleaning. And they love a juicy TPB on vacation or the beach.
Author tip: Launch with audiobook + TPB. Use ebook promos to hook new readers and drive series sales.
🧙♂️ Fantasy / Science Fiction (Adult)
Primary formats: Hardcover + Trade Paperback
Secondary: Audiobook, Ebook
Why?
BookTok LOVES a pretty hardcover. Fantasy fans are collectors, and they want to display your book on their shelves like a trophy. This crowd loves sprayed edges and special editions.
Author tip: Launch your collector’s edition in hardcover, then drop a more affordable TPB. Add audio for epic series.
📚 Young Adult (YA)
Primary formats: Hardcover (for schools/libraries) + TPB
Secondary: Audiobook, Ebook
Why?
YA readers often discover books via TikTok and bookstores—and they’re more likely to pick up physical copies.
Author tip: Go print-first here. Libraries, schools, and gift-givers prefer hardcovers, but paperbacks are great for online sales, events and fans.
🐣 Children’s Books
Primary formats: Hardcover + Special Print Formats
Secondary: Paperback (for affordability), Audiobook (middle grade and up only), Ebook
Why?
Kids' books are visual, tactile, and often read aloud. Ebooks typically just don’t cut it.
Author tip: Invest in beautiful print editions. Consider a gloss/matte finish or spiral binding for activity books.
💼 Business, Self-Help, Personal Development Book Formats
Primary formats: Audiobook + Hardcover or TPB
Secondary: Ebook (for search traffic, keywords, and accessibility)
Why?
These are learn-while-you-drive readers. Audio rules. But gifting and shelf presence matter too.
Author tip: Launch with audio + hardcover or TPB. Use ebooks for extra discoverability (and cross-promote with your course or coaching).
➡️ Writing a self-help book? Start here: Write a How-To Book
👩🏻💻 Want a more hands-on experience? Check out our Bestseller Academy Course -- How to Write a Self-Help Book in 30 Days.
🎨 Cookbooks, Art Books, Photography
Primary format: Print Hardcover or Oversize Paperback
Secondary: Ebook
Why?
These are showpiece books—they belong on coffee tables and kitchen counters.
Author tip: Invest in premium print. Go full-bleed, high-res images, and splashy layouts.
🎧 What About Audiobooks?
Audiobooks are booming—$2.2B market in 2024 and climbing. Genres that thrive in audio:
- Romance 💘
- Thriller 🔪
- Fantasy/Sci-Fi 🧙♀️
- Memoir 🎤
- Self-help 💼
Author tip: Audio can be expensive up front. Start with your highest-performing title, or bundle multiple books for better ROI. Most audiobook narrators charge per finished hour.
➡️ Not sure where to start? Try our Book Coaching or ask about Done-For-You Audiobook Publishing Consulting.
🤔 Should You Do Mass-Market Paperback?
Probably not. Unless you’re distributing into airport stores or Walmart, trade paperback is the safer bet.
Author tip: MMPB works in high-volume genre series with retail placement—but for most indie authors, it’s more trouble than it’s worth and the royalty margins are slim.
📖 Where Readers Skew by Genre (quick take)
| Genre / subgenre | Primary formats readers favor | Secondary formats | Why this happens | Indie takeaway |
| Romance (incl. romantasy, sports, dark, contemporary) | Ebook; Audiobook rising | Trade paperback (TPB) for gift/collectible | High-volume readership, Kindle Unlimited culture; audio keeps growing; print still moves when BookTok hits | Lead with ebook; add audio if budget allows; print TPB for signings/gifts. BookTok can spike deluxe HC for romantasy. |
| Mystery / Thriller / Suspense | Audiobook; strong TPB | Ebook | Commute / multitask listening; steady frontlist/backlist churn | Consider audio early (series do well). Keep TPB as the workhorse; ebook discounts move backlist. |
| Science Fiction & Fantasy (adult) | Hardcover (collector/BKTok); TPB | Ebook; Audio growing | Fantasy led 2024 print growth; BookTok drives print splurges | For frontlist launches, HC first + TPB later works. Add audio if series/epic. |
| Young Adult (YA) | Print (HC→TPB) | Audio growing | YA print market has stayed strong relative to pre-pandemic; social discovery pushes shelf appeal | Prioritize print (school/library, gift). Audio is a nice add; ebook is supplementary. |
| Children’s (picture books, early readers) | Print (HC, special bindings); Paperback largest revenue slice in C/YA fiction | Audio (for middle grade/YA); ebook limited | Parents and schools buy physical; illustrated interiors don’t translate as well to ebook | Focus print; consider audio only for read-aloud/middle grade. |
| Graphic novels / Manga | Print (book channel dominates for GN) | Digital growing but secondary in North America retail | GN/manga are huge in the book channel and school libraries; collectors prefer physical | Publish TPB with good paper/trim. Digital is a nice add but won’t replace print sales in bookshops. |
| Literary & Book-club fiction | TPB (book-club friendly) | HC for awards/collectors; Audio solid | Discussion-driven discovery; libraries/book clubs | Default to TPB; do HC for prestige; audio extends reach. (Marketwide audio growth supports the add.) |
| Memoir / Biography / History | Audio + HC | TPB | Nonfiction audio is one of the fastest growers; giftable HC | If platform exists, invest in audio + HC launch; TPB later. |
| Business / Self-help / Personal development | Audio + HC/TPB | Ebook for searchability | “Learn while you do” listening; corporate/gift buys | Prioritize audio; offer HC for gifting and ebook for search/notes. |
| Cookbooks / Art / Photography | Print HC / large-format | Ebook niche | Visuals & gifting dominate | Go physical premium; ebooks rarely move the needle here. (Overall print outperformance + gift categories skew print.) |
| Poetry | TPB | HC (deluxe); Ebook minor | Bookstore/indie scene; gifting | Keep it affordable TPB; consider HC for special editions. (Marketwide: print stable, audio rising but niche here.) |
💬 Final Thoughts from Your Book Coach
Choosing your book formats isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about strategy. Where do your readers shop? What formats do they read? Where are your best profit margins?
Whether you’re trying to sell 500 copies or build a 7-figure book-based business, format matters.
👉 Need help deciding? Check out:
Build your fanbase by giving them books they love in the format they prefer. 💖
http://author.coach