Saddle Stitch vs. Perfect Binding

[Brudewollen]

For small publications (i.e. small modules - anything 48 pages and below, for instance) - which do you think is a better choice - saddle stitch or perfect binding. I know most publications of this size usually go with saddle stitch, but when pricing I've found that sometimes perfect binding can be cheaper.

Are there still advantages going with saddle stitch for smaller publications like this? Is it more durable for small publications? Or, given the choice, should I go with perfect binding everytime? It does look nicer, looks more professional and also has the advantage of not limiting one to a page count that is a multiple of 4 (if I'm not mistaken?).

Thanks,

Brudewollen

 

[2WS-Steve]

Can you even do perfect bound with a book under 64 pages in length? If you found a place that could go perfect bound for 48 pages do that because having a spine is magical.

 

[Davelozzi]

As a consumer, I prefer saddle stitch for any adventure modules, as you usually have to leave them open during play, make photocopies of maps, and generally treat them in such a way as to make a "perfect" binding less than perfect.

For rulebooks I'm more indifferent, although generally I feel that anything less than 96 pages might as well be saddle stitched.

I can't help you on the publishing questions.

 

[Fast Learner]

From a practical use standpoint, saddle stitching has the advantage of being able to lay flat without breaking the spine.

From a marketing standpoint, though, if your product ends up on the shelf spine-out instead of face-out (which tends to happen in smaller stores, stores with a ton of stock, and when the product starts to get older), even a thin perfect-binding is king if you can get a readable title on it.

 

[tensen]

Can you even do perfect bound with a book under 64 pages in length? If you found a place that could go perfect bound for 48 pages do that because having a spine is magical.

Especially if you have a really neat spine design...
even if the title isn't very readable.. they might pull your book off the shelf to look at the title.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Can you even do perfect bound with a book under 64 pages in length? If you found a place that could go perfect bound for 48 pages do that because having a spine is magical.

My own printer can do 48 pages, using 60# paper.

On the other hand, they don't offer saddle-stitch at all...


Wulf

 

[2WS-Steve]

Especially if you have a really neat spine design...
even if the title isn't very readable.. they might pull your book off the shelf to look at the title.

If there was just some way to get holographic naked elf chicks to project off the spine we'd never have to worry about backlist sales again...

 

[Brudewollen]

If there was just some way to get holographic naked elf chicks to project off the spine we'd never have to worry about backlist sales again...

!!!I'll set my minions to work on this naked elf technology at once!!!

The having a spine vs. ease of use arguement makes for an interesting debate. Seeing that many longer adventures ("Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil" for instance) already have perfect binding and get good reviews, interest from consumers suggests that ease of use isn't a major problem.

Perhaps we can design pages likely to be photocopied so that they don't run close to the spine. They might not lay flat (yeah, I know that can be nice), but then if they don't buy it in the first place they won't even have this problem to complain about. I think if an adventure is good enough people will forgive you that much and buy future items in your line.

 

[Rhianni]

I prefer neither. For small books I prefer the print style of the Eldritch might books. Just plain simple staples. I can lean on them and fold them and have them stay open. I have destroyed several Mongoose books' glue binding because I have opened them open too far.

 

[HellHound]

Rhianni - that is called "Saddle Stitched"