I try to keep pretty current on my bookish happenings. I enjoy the book world in general, and really, who doesn’t like knowing stuff? But, there are times when I really haven’t a clue why something is done or what is happening. And these things confuse me, especially when I never quite know the answers. Maybe you know all these things. To that I say “kudos, my fabulous friend!”, for you are bookier than me. “Bookier” should probably be a word, also. I like the sound of it.
What don’t I particularly understand about our lovely world of books? Here’s a few things:
1. Deckle Edges
When I got a copy of The Winner’s Curse from BookOutlet, I figured “huh, these weird ass edges must be why it was only $3.99!” and moved on. Then, The Winner’s Crime came to my house. Two copies- one I’d ordered for a giveaway, and one I won from Macmillan… and they had these strange edges too. I could not even imagine what kind of sorcery this was. Clearly, they weren’t all mistakes, so off to the internet I went searching for “Strange Pages” and “The Winner’s Crime“. Seriously, this embarrassing story happened. Well, I came to learn the truth: it was the Deckle Edge. Yes, I had heard the term before, but it sounded fancy, so I was thinking like, gold and shiny? I don’t know. At any rate… why is this a thing? I don’t dislike it even, I just don’t understand it.
2. Infinite Imprints
Of course, I have known about publishers since I was very young. For instance, I knew that Scholastic sent out book orders, and printed my favorite series. As I got older, I knew of lots of other publishers, which I don’t need to name because you know them all too. But the imprints of each publisher? My goodness, I think you’d need several Excel sheets, a few charts, and an Eidetic memory just to know them- know them. I feel like I should be doing some kind of quizzes to remember them. Perhaps matching games, or a multiple choice? I fear short answer questions would do me in…
3. Changing Book Titles
I am not talking about title changes in different languages, where things can be translated differently. That makes total sense! I am talking all books in English that have different names in the US than they do in other English-speaking places. Take one of my favorites, One Past Midnight by Jessica Shirvington. Only… that isn’t its name, really. It’s called Between the Lives everywhere else. Why not here? No clue. Are Americans not okay with Between the Lives? Because I can’t for the life of me figure out why it would matter. At all.
Another recent example: Vivian Versus the Apocalypse by Katie Coyle becomes… Vivian Apple at the End of the World. Why? Again, I don’t understand! I read the UK version, and it was fine! I wasn’t somehow confused about what the apocalypse is, guys. Don’t worry, the sequels also have completely different titles.
4. Random Cover Changes
Look, I totally get new covers for special editions, movie tie-ins, anniversary books, changing publishers… I mean this is coming from someone who owns four sets of The Hunger Games series. I am talking about seemingly random changes for books that have very recently been released. Sometimes the change is even a good change but still… I don’t get it.
I am thinking of this purely from a business perspective: What happens to all the books with the old covers? Sure, I assume that is how bargain books, BookOutlet, etc., get some of their books but still. Does it actually make fiscal sense to come up with a whole new design? Maybe it does, I have no idea. I have a business degree, but I have used it exactly zero times, so I am not an expert.
5. Are You a Standalone?
There are some books that flat out do not tell you if they are in a series. You think they’re a standalone, only to get to the cliffiest cliffhanger in all the land. What then? Does the ending of that particular book just massively suck? Is there another one coming? You basically form your own forensics team trying to locate the information, but you often fall short, leaving you a failure in the eyes of Gil Grissom and whoever else you were able to recruit (try Spencer Reid, dude is a genius, and also adorable). 
In a lot of cases, even the author isn’t sure yet, because he or she hasn’t gotten the green light on a sequel yet.But… whoever is in charge of this? You may be giving readers some serious health problems, like strokes and heart attacks. Be gentle with our fangirl/boy hearts and just give us some information, please and thank you.
I have more, I am sure, but we’ll save those for another day. You don’t want to be too befuddled at once, of course.
I am completely with you on the mid-series cover changes. I want them to match!!
I like deckel edges though.
Oh I agree, I think the deckle edges look pretty! You know, as soon as I realized it wasn’t a mistake 😉
Honestly, *who* understands the publishing industry?? They do so many things that to us as readers don’t always entirely seem to make sense. Here’s to hoping that they at least have some what they consider to be good ideas for these things.
1) I actually love these kind of edges! I didn’t know what they were called until now though (thanks!). To me they do work best for historical fiction books/something set in the past, because that’s the kind of vibe they give me.
2) Infinite imprints = maybe publishing houses are just getting to darn big/unspecialized? Otherwise they wouldn’t need so many imprints!
3) This happened to a book I read that was called “Level 2” and changed to “The Memory of After.” At first I didn’t get it, because the new title sounds so much more generic, but considering I had trouble remembering the original title (Level 6? 4?) maybe it’s for the best. You just feel like publishers would’ve worked this out already before the book is printed, ya know?
4) But I really liked the Gone series’ original covers! (*sniff*) I guess they’re just trying to update them for the times or something, and I appreciate them when the redesigns are good, but if they’re not, then they should’t have bothered.
5) This is always such a tease! Plus, I feel like it’s too easy to forget about books like this and not know that a sequel came out. It just doesn’t seem smart.
Great post!
Bwhaah good point! I DO like the edges, especially on books like The Winner’s Curse series, but I just didn’t know they were not an accident 😉
And YES to #3! What is the deal!? As for Gone- I think they may have updated them for a THIRD time now, which is just flat out ridiculous.
I’ve always had books with deckle edges — one of my oldest books are like that, so it never bothered me. I totally agree with the infinite imprints, which is why I have the highest respect for agents. I feel necessary to point out Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone for the changing book titles — that was just sad. And the changing covers don’t really bug me, I guess, because I suppose they decide it’s better for sales and stuff? Besides, I love bargain books 😛
I’ll have to disagree on the last one, though — I read each book as if it’s a standalone. IF I get a cliffhanger, I read the next book, and if there’s no next book, I write it off as too many strings left hanging.
Oh I like them, I was just the weirdo who didn’t know it was an actual thing 😉
I don’t understand the Philosopher/Sorcerer’s Stone thing- that was why I didn’t add it, because I don’t GET IT. Some books have one title, some have the other… which is it!?
See, I am a series girl, so I like to KNOW when a book is going to be a series. I need closure and if I don’t get it well… Requiem. Just Requiem, and how I will never be able to let it go 😉
1. Bahaha! I’m sorry you had to share that story with us, Shannon. xD I love books with deckled edges. The first one I came across was probably Nightshade back in 2011–I honestly thought someone accidentally ripped it apart, that’s why it took ages before I found out that it was meant to be like that and I finally purchased it. xD
2. Girl, I know how you feel! That’s why I have to double, triple, and quadruple check when I request review copies from pubs. I don’t want them to realize that imprints confuse the heck out of me.
3. RIGHT? It makes no sense–you’re just confusing your readers, dammit. Before I thought that Between the Lives and One Past Midnight were two different books, and then I read the synopses and was like… The heck is going on here?
4. I hate cover changes with a burning passion. If you guys are going to do this, PLEASE do it when the series is already complete in the original version. >:(
5. Bahaha I KNOW. Like with The Remedy… When I first started reading it, I thought it was a standalone. Then BAM! cliffhanger. And now it’s finally announced that we have a sequel. :/
Hahha thanks! I really like them too, now that I know they are supposed to be there and not just a random act of book violence 😉 As for #2- YES. THat is so hard, and I am forever confusing the imprints! I like when the pub has like, ALL contacts for children’s books at ONE email, so I don’t have to worry about it!
OOOH The Remedy will have a sequel too? This is GOOD to know, I would not have been happy not knowing this. SO it’s basically a prequel with a sequel? Strange stuff.
Deckle Edges, you are not alone! It was only until recently I bought a book from Waterstones, and the woman at the counter was talking about them (I hadn’t looked at the pages before that) and I was like “OH THAT’S WHAT THOSE ARE.” Though, I really don’t get them, they do just look like damaged pages….
ALL THE HACHETTE AND HARPER imprints kill me. I mean, I get why there are all the different imprints, but still.
The changing titles is just weird but doesn’t bother me too much, however THE COVER CHANGES CAN GO AWAY (except for movie tie-ins and special editions, I like) but ugh so annoying, and yeah, sometimes it is for the better, but I hate my series’ not matching. >:(
YOU ARE KILLING ME WITH THE REID GIF. <3 Favourite. Show. Ever.
RIGHT!? Like the pages got cut wrong at the printer or something! I am so glad I am not the only one who thought this!
And I get the need for imprints but… some pubs have like, hundreds of them! ANd I do not know why. if they told me, maybe I could understand better!
ANd YES Reid. I adore him. ADORE.
#5 irritates me so much. If a book is part of a series, I really wish they’d put the name of the series somewhere on the book. Sometimes it is on there, but not always. I don’t want to be standing in a bookstore, looking up books on Goodreads to figure out if they’re part of a series.
YESSS! Or even on Goodreads, sometimes it isn’t listed either! THAT is the worst!
I get somewhat annoyed when there are cover changes, because if I already bought the book I know my cover isn’t going to match the new ones. They do it for Kindle too and it drives me crazy.
I don’t really get the Deckle edges either – I guess it’s supposed to be part of the design, but I don’t really think it’s worth it.
I also can’t stand when books don’t tell us if they’re series or standalones – or whether they’re gonna be 2 books or 3 books or 4+ books. I like to know so I can plan accordingly!
The cover changes are so frustrating- but especially bad when you liked the original cover! And I mean, if the deckle edges take MORE work and such… then yeah, not worth it. Although I kind of like them now that I know they aren’t a mistake, I wouldn’t really miss them if they didn’t exist either!
And YES! I need to plan too! Especially when I am ready to give a book a bad review- or DO give it a negative review because it just ended, only to have someone say 4 months later “oh, just kidding, there’s a sequel!”
Deckle pages? Learn something every day. When I read Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore there was a character named Deckle. Now I know where the name came from!
I hate it when the cover changes and I’ve seen this happening on eBooks. My cover for Outlander was the classic blue background with the gold thistle. I recently was perusing the books in my Nook app and the cover was changed to the show promotional cover!!
YES! Why do they change the book on Kindle or Nook too!? That doesn’t even make sense- maybe I only bought it because I liked the cover! (Which would be ridiculous, but still… 😉 )
I remember the first book I saw with Deckle Edges (I never knew what they were called until JUST NOW), It was Nightshade and I remember thinking ‘what is wrong with this book?’ haha.
Title changes doesn’t really bother me, but I honestly don’t understand WHY publishers choose to change the names. I loathe cover changes though, I’m not a stickler for having matching formats/covers on all of my series, but I wouldn’t mind having the same cover on my faves *looks over at Shatter Me*
OOOH the Shatter Me changes, yes. Even though the change WAS better, it is still pretty infuriating! I didn’t know what Deckle edges were either, until I googled “weird misshapen book edges” when trying to figure out what was wrong with The Winner’s Curse 😉
I’ve never understood the title and cover changing either, it always just confuses me. I think the deckled edge thing is just to make it look more.. not sure of the word, old bookish? I don’t know – it’s a visual thing. I don’t mind it but I don’t fully understand it either.
I think you are right- it supposed to be some kind of old printing days look. And I DO kind of like it, but I assume it is more expensive to produce, so why bother?
I don’t really understand the deckle edges thing either, as you’d think that straight edges would be cheaper and easier to produce. And it drives me nuts when the publishers change covers and/or titles! Are they deliberately trying to confuse us so we’ll buy another copy or something? Very annoying!
That is my thought exactly! You must need some kind of special device to make those edges! And seriously, they must think (and probably a lot of times, rightly so!) that we will just buy another copy of the book. But it is seriously annoying, especially when you have several books in the series already!
I think I once had a Deckle Edge book as well and I couldn’t figure out why the pages looked so weird. I thought it looked ugly and even considered sending it back, but it was still readable, it just looked like something went wrong with slicing the pages. I alreayd forgot again what the reasonw as for them.
I hear you on the imprints, sometimes it’s so confusing to remember which imprint is from which publisher and sometiems they have different logo’s and branding and it just makes it seem like a completely different publishers. With some imprints at least you know it’s the same publishers.
And cover and title changes annoy me as well. Especially when you buy the book in hardcopies it’s horrible if they don’t match. And those title changes are just confusing, at least keep the same title. When it’s a different language I can sort of understand why they change the title, but in the same language? That’s just weird and confusing.
And I also like to know beforehand if it’s a standalone or first book in a series, it matters.
Great post!
That was how I was too- I thought it was some weird BookOutlet “irregular” copy hahaha. And yes- that’s the thing with imprints- they are so unique from each other than you often can’t associate them with any one publisher. I like how a lot of Harper’s have Harper IN the imprint title- BUT they don’t all.
And I am with you- in a different language, I totally get it because translations can be awkward sometimes. But in the SAME language!? I do not understand! And thanks so much 😀
Big History Geek here! Deckle edges are historical, because books used to be sold with the pages folded together. They words were printed on very long paper that was then folded back and forth and sewn together with other little packets. to make a book. You purchased your book and then used a knife to cut through the folds and have pages you could turn. There are collectible books out there that have never been cut and are worth millions. Sometimes you will even see deckle edges that are painted because the fold would be dipped into a marble-ized paint mixture or even just a solid color.
Today deckle edges are just considered fancy and yes, they cost more to make.
I know, I’m a dork for knowing this!
Great post!
Didn’t know any of that! It makes a great trivia question. Thank you for sharing that.
This is AWESOME! Thank you for the info! You are more informative than my googling! Wow, I kind of want one of those million-dollar, uncut books. That is so amazing! How long ago did they used to do this? When did it end? I now need to know all the things! I am so glad you know this stuff! 😀
Here’s an interesting link w/ images.
http://www.mywingsbooks.com/coll-terms/edg02_.shtml
OOOH thank you so much!
I hate deckled edges! (Just now learning their name.) But I think they make books look like they’ve had a bad print job. So I completely understand why you thought that was the reason it was so cheap.
Hahha they do! I mean, knowing more about them, I don’t mind them but I still don’t really understand either! I feel like maybe there are other ways to achieve a “special” look?
Oh man I HATE IT WHEN THE COVER CHANGES. Especially when I’m in the middle of collecting a series hahah. BECAUSE IT SUCKS. I don’t mind the edges of pages, but I do have to agree they are kind of weird 😛
GOOD POST SHANNON. LET ALL YOUR ANGER OUT. Or confusion. Or whatever.
Yep, drives me nuts! Especially if it is a long series, and I’ve bought like, 7 books! BWHAHA thanks. Mostly confusion. Maybe a little anger 😉
This is a very fanrastic post! I agree with you about random cover changes and titles, it can get every annoying sometimes. It also bothers me when there is a cliffhanger in what you would expect a standalone book.. Grr, couldn’t have said it better myself!
Aw thanks! And yes, WHY cliffhanger us when we don’t know any better? It’s just rude! 😉
Yes, yes, yes. These things confuse me so much! I mean, deckle edges are awesome, but I didn’t even know they were a thing until recently and do they serve a point??? Imprints are just confusing and so are changing book titles, just WHY? I hate random cover changes and not knowing if something is a standalone or not it’s just FRUSTRATING.
So, no you are not the only one my friend. Great post! =)
Right!? Maybe if I had known what they were, it would have been a fun surprise, but I just thought my book was broken 😉 And thanks so much- good to know I am not alone!
Ughhhh I hate deckled edges. It’s just lucky that I love the Winner’s Curse series so much – otherwise it might have been a deal breaker 😉
Dude. A quiz for all the imprints would be FUN. I’ve got a good portion of them down now, thank god, but yeah WHY SO MANY.
Ohh see, I don’t hate them, I mean… I am still confused by them. Like, you know how the pretty UK version of My True Love Gave to Me had pink edges on the pages? Why not do THAT!? The Winner’s Trilogy with gold colored edges? YES PLEASE. Someone call Macmillan, we have a genius idea! Though, that may constitute the dreaded cover change, so on second thought….
Also, I want to encourage you to teach us all the imprints, so you know, spend some time this weekend making that quiz 😉
Well now you’ve tempted me 😉 Stay tuned…
YAYYYYY! I am excited for this!
I HATE THAT THE SAME BOOK CAN HAVE DIFFERENT TITLES. It kills me no end. Once I decide dto read up on all the Cath Crowely books, so I got out, like 4 at once and settled down to read. One down, I picked up the second with a strange sense of deja vu….SAME BOOK. DIFFERENT TITLE. IN THE SAME LIBRARY. NEXT TO EACH OTHER. The world is cruel to Cait.
I hate uneven raggedy pages.
But worse, I bought this edition of Scarlet that the front cover is like 1 cm too short…it’s so this strip of red can show through from the inside page but THE COVER IS TOO SHORT. I AM NOT OKAY. At the very least, that kind of thing should be warned about before purchase.
In the same library!??! WHAT!? That is not okay. NOPE. I mean, at least the ones I was talking about are on different continents… in the same building!? Unacceptable!
OMG Cait- I have one of those too! Not Scarlet, but Siege and Storm! And WHAT KIND OF SORCERY IS THAT!? Is this a new thing!? Because I do NOT approve.
I don’t like deckle edges. It’s harder to turn the pages, and some of the sticky-out bits get bent more than they should. I would imagine it’s probably more difficult (and therefore more expensive) to do this, so I don’t know why it’s done.
Title changes are stupid, IMO. It’s usually not for any readily apparent reason. (I can think of another example that didn’t make much sense to me. There’s a historical fiction book out there by a Canadian author called The Book of Negroes. In the US, Australia, and New Zealand, they titled it Someone Knows My Name. The original title makes sense in the context of the story and the late-1700s/early-1800s time period… but I guess somebody found it “offensive”.) Changing the text so that people in other countries will understand it is also unnecessary and confusing. Take the Harry Potter series, for example. To me, that’s just dumbing things down. Heaven forbid a child reads a foreign word they don’t understand…
Confession: I am afraid I will get some kind of weird deckle splinter. Because I am sorry, those pages just do not look sturdy!
I totally agree with you on the dumbing things down, and I don’t like it! Especially that historical fiction book- I mean, that HAPPENED in history! It isn’t being offensive! Uggghh, you are so, so right on all your points!
I am very with you on the title changes, seriously, why would you bother and confuse people, it makes no sense. Allen Zadoff’s Boy Nobody series changed to Unknown Assassin and the first book changed from Boy Nobody, I Am The Weapon, and then The Hit, like seriously, WHAT?!
Cover changes, I thiiiiiiiink I’m okay with them now, it makes me pretty happy to see good changes and different creative opinions, you know? It also means cheaper books, so woo!
Such a good topic Shannon, you should share more of these in the future, really!<3
Well, I do agree with you on the cheaper books bit. AND the prettiness, SOMETIMES. But then sometimes it hurts my heart, especially if I was excited about seeing the next book’s cover in accordance with the current theme, you know? Like, if suddenly in The Winner’s Kiss, there is no girl with a dress and sword? I am going to be MAD.
And thanks so much! I am going to be thinking of more bookish things that confuse me, so hopefully I will do another! 😀
You came up with lots of things that I’ve been confused about too. Except the deckle edges – I knew they were supposed to be that way, but I didn’t realize they had a fancy name! The changing titles is especially perplexing!
The changing titles is so awkward hahha. And well, even though you knew they existed, at least I helped with a name, and likely a story to make you chuckle at my ridiculousness 😉
The imprints one. The cover change one (I am still upset that I can’t find Anna and Lola old covers I NEED THEM SHANNON). Also, oh hey look it’s the standalone one. 😀 An Ember in the Ashes is like the first that comes to mind. But also with contemporaries! I’ve read quite a few (or wanted to) before finding out there’s a cliffy or that the couple’s story isn’t done by the end. GRRRRRR.
Dude, Rites of Passage. And I haven’t even READ Ember yet and I want a sequel, so yeah. I bet we could find you the old Anna and Lola covers! I am on the case!
I forgot what I wanted to comment right after you mentioned Spencer Reid. /squeaks in excitement/
Ahem. Alright, I feel you on the deckle edges! My first encounter with it was with Neil Gaiman’s Ocean at the End of the Lane. I was pretty excited and confused when I first held it… I ended up googling for “weird book edges” to know why. Ha! But really, it’s kind of nice (in an odd, unexplained way) to run my fingers over the uneven edges. I also have issues with imprints but that’s because I already have problems remembering publishers so… 🙁 [I’m just really bad with pubs’ names!)
Hahha right? I love him! And I love that you googled it too- it is so weird! And I hear you on the pub/imprint names. I don’t even usually keep pubs straight, unless it is a HUGE book, and often, not even then! Sometimes I will remember if it is a series. But the struggle is real!
AMEN TO ALL OF THESE! I have never heard the term “deckle edges” before but that’s what my copy of Anna and the French Kiss has, and I too bought it secondhand, for £1, and thought “that’s why it’s so cheap” … but obviously not! Bizarre!
The title-changing thing is also v weird. My favourite title change of all time is, of course, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”, apparently because the publishers didn’t think American kids could handle the word ‘philosopher’ … patronising or what?? It makes me laugh …
Hahha I love that we both did the same thing! And YESSS! It is so patronizing, what’s wrong with philosopher?! I was so confused at first because I didn’t understand why they had different titles. So weird!
I cannot STAND deckle edges — I don’t understand why they’re such a popular thing! It makes it SO HARD to fan through the pages to find the page you wanted. (Plus I have a weird thing where I like to just absently fan through the pages I have left with my thumb as I’m reading.) Deckled edges are so obnoxious, and for some reason publishers act like they’re ~fancy and higher quality. BLEH!
Oh, that is a very good point! You definitely cannot do that with deckle edges. I don’t get why anyone would spend more money making a book look weird- it just does not work in my brain 😉
I totally agree with how confusing it gets with switching title between US and UK editions. I literally cannot comprehend the point of it. There are some books that have about four different titles and I don’t understand how it could possibly benefit anyone. Oh, and when Americans change the spelling of title for no reason? Like Anthony Horowitz’s book is called “Point Blanc” but Americans changed it to “Point Blank”. Why!?!
Fantastic post by the way. 🙂
The book title change thing confuses me too. It’s like they think Americans are stupid or something. I was looking for Rivers of London only to find out in the US it’s Midnight Riot. I mean, why??
I’m convinced they only change the covers to get us to try to collect them all. Or to make things difficult for those of us with OCD.
I think the first in a series should always have an ending, then no confusion and people are satisfied. I’d be more likely to want a sequel if I got a good first whole book.
Nice topic!
Hi Shannon,
I am writing a post inspired by your question about deckle edges and I’d like to quote you, as well as link to this post. Please let me know if it’s OK to copy what you wrote about the deckle edge.