One more potential sign of the downturn of literary fiction: according to a recent article in The New York Times, more and more American publishers are opting to release more and more literary fiction titles straight to paperback. Although the phenomenon is relatively common in Canada, where close to half of new literary fiction books are published as paperback originals, publishers listed in the article include those with Canadian subsidiaries like Random House and HarperCollins, the latter of which plans “to publish 22 paperback originals this year, up from 10 last year,” according to Edward Wyatt of The New York Times.

With return rates on literary fiction as high as 50 to 75%, Wyatt reports that many publishers simply aren’t bothering to release books twice. And while many American and British writers and agents have pushed for hardcover release in the past — the format commands a greater amount of profit per book and, of course, is a sign of prestige, with hardcover books traditionally more likely to be reviewed in American media outlets — some promising young writers, like British author Nick Laird (who is married to Zadie Smith) have backed down, in hopes that lower cover prices on first novels will make fans out of reluctant readers. And, Wyatt notes, some writers, like Pretty Little Dirty author Amanda Boyden, are just better suited to paperback release. “In an interview, Ms. Boyden said she had a more lucrative offer from another publisher to print the novel in hardcover,” he writes. “But, she said, ‘my husband [Three Day Road author Joseph Boyden] and I were starving graduate students for so long that a good chunk of our bookshelves are taken up by Vintage paperbacks.’ She continued: ‘So it was my decision to go with Vintage. And with what I think is the potential audience for this book, it made more sense to come out in paperback right away.'”

Related links:
Click here for Wyatt’s piece in The New York Times