Hardcover

Hardcover refers to books bound and printed with a hard cover. Hardcover books are generally better-produced and command a higher price from consumers. Authors who are published in hardcover receive a higher royalty rate. There is considerably more cachet associated with hardcover releases, so despite the increased cost to consumers, authors often anticipate the move to hardcover.

In the traditional distribution model, books move from hardcover to paperback. In today's publishing world, there are two main types of paperback: Mass Market Paperback and Trade Paperback.