A mass-market paperback is a small and affordable type of book. It is easy to transport and purchase, often printed in large quantities and sold across many stores. They are usually shorter than hardback books with different cover art.
Mass-market paperbacks are favored by those looking for cheaper alternatives or want to avoid splashing out on an expensive hardcover edition. They’re also handy for frequent travelers as they can easily slide into a bag or pocket.
While associated with trashy fiction, classic novels were first published this way. More recently, some hardbacks have been released straight in it, too. In its truest sense, it’s a popular book that was put out as paperback rather than anything else.
‘Mass market’ means that these particular books tend to produce something that offers them access potentially far beyond other works: the lower price makes them accessible to more people.
The idea of popping lots of copies of the same release onto shelves simultaneously is so people can experience when demand’s high. It means enough copies get made that everyone wanting one should stand a good chance of getting hold without having their name down beforehand.
By being priced relatively low compared against ‘proper’ books – whatever those might look like – they were meant from day one to offer readers greater value from each purchase made versus what one could expect come buying higher-end editions.
What distinguishes mass-market paperbacks is that they have fewer purely pound signs. Having seen both sides publishing over the last decade, most authors want isn’t cash but actual human reading stuff. They spend years sitting alone in rooms, making up and writing down.