Among the creative decisions you’ll need to take as an author when you self-publish, whether to print your book in black and white or color, is an important one. 

So, color vs. black and white, what is the difference and how does it impact your project? Beyond the simple graphic choice, there are several aspects to consider. As you will see in this article, the content of your book, your target group and your budget will weigh in the balance. To consider these will help you see clearer and make your decision hopefully a little lighter 😉

The first answer is in your book itself

Yes, already by looking at the nature, the genre and the audience of your book, you can tell when it is best to choose black and white over color.

Print in black and white:

If you write a novel, also called a fiction book,
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If you write a nonfiction book, provided that it doesn’t contain graphic elements – or only very simple ones – and follows a simple content hierarchy.

Print in color:

If you write a children’s book or a book for teenagers,
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If illustrations and photographs are an important component of your book. This goes for recipe books, design or photography books,
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If it makes sense from a design and conceptual perspective to use color to differentiate the chapters or to help navigate through the content of your book. In other words, if it adds value
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If you want your book to be lively, to make it more attractive to your potential readers. Colors can be a great attention catcher and could help differentiate your book from similar titles in its genre – well, if most authors in your genre publish in black and white,
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And finally, if you write a novel! Wait, but we just wrote… yes, we did 😉 Novels are great in black and white, almost all of the time. But there are exceptions. For instance if you have some graphics elements such as illustrations or dividers that would deserve to be shown in color, you could totally discuss this option with your graphic designer. He or she will be able to advise you and decide whether these visual elements need to be printed in color or if they would be fine in black and white. At this stage, it really depends on you, on your book and on a third thing…

Which brings us to the other – crucial – element to consider when pondering the publishing in color vs. balck and white dilema. Yep, you guessed right, let’s talk about money!

The second answer is in your budget

We give it to you, not all choices on your book project will be linked to your budget, yet printing is one of them. Who says color printing, says higher prices, either for you or for your reader, or for both. So, how much more expensive is it to publish a book in color?

If you get your title printed On Demand, the price difference may land by the reader. This can represent a few euros more to almost double the retail price for a book in color vs. black and white. For example, the same book sold at 10,90 in black and white would sell at 17.90 in color. That said, Print On Demand services will differ so make sure you inquire ahead of time about the printing options and contracts available and their impact on pricing.

If you work directly with a printer, the production costs will of course be higher for you. Then it is up to you to adjust your sales price and margins accordingly. Since you are pretty free here, you can always play with other variables such as the choice of paper, the number of copies, finishing options (lamination, embossing, etc.) and still be able to choose color printing while staying within your budget. 

So, with these elements, we hope you have a clearer picture – color or black and white, you choose 🙂 –  of the printing options which will be best for your book, your audience and your budget. And remember, you are not alone in this decision since you can count on the expertise of your printer, Print On Demand services and, of course, your book designer. The sooner you involve them in the design and production process the better equipped you will be, to find the most suited solution for your book project.  

If you’re wondering how working with a designer can help you with your book project, we suggest you have a look at the article 6 Tips for Working with your book designer the right way, right from the beginning.

Or even easier, get in touch with us for a free 30 min consultancy call to get to know each other, learn about your project, and, if we are a fit, get a 20% discount on your book design project in 2023!