As with just about any hobby, there are as many ways to start a book collection as there are collectors. Book collecting is one of the fastest growing hobbies in America, especially in the area of first edition mysteries and signed books. The two biggest considerations must be your budget and the time you have to devote to collecting. Since most people have both limited time and money, this article will keep its focus with that in mind. Here are some suggestions to follow when starting your collection.

Condition is the single most important thing. Whether you're collecting strictly for fun, or in the hope that your books will someday appreciate in value, always buy a book in the best condition possible. A book is not valuable simply because it's old, and even a very old book in poor condition is typically worth little or nothing. For modern editions, the condition of the dust jacket is often as important as the condition of the book itself when determining value.

Always try to collect first printings of first editions. These are usually the only ones that will increase in value over time. This means buying hard cover editions, which costs more, but this can be overcome by shopping in used and second-hand bookstores. These stores often have first edition hard covers in very good condition for a reasonable price. Look for the words "First Edition" at the bottom of the copyright page, as well as a sequence of numbers starting with "1" (i.e., 1 2 3 4 5 6). If the sequence reads like this: 2 3 4 5 6 7, you have the second printing of a first edition. "First Edition" will not always be present, but the numbering sequence will.

Signed copies can be worth more, but be careful how much you spend. Signed copies of books by an author who is hot today may be over-inflated, and could easily drop in value as time goes on. If you want to collect signed editions, the best way is to go to signings by the author where you can have them signed for free. A book that is inscribed to you also has more sentimental value, even if it never goes up in price.

Collect everything by your favorite authors. It can be fun searching for obscure or hard to find titles to get every work by a certain author. However, going this route could make buying only hard cover first editions expensive, especially if your favorite author is someone as prolific as Stephen King. It is fairly easy to find first printings of first editions by authors like Janet Evanovich or Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, mainly because their sales command huge first print runs. This does, however, make it less likely the book will appreciate in value in the short term because of the large quantity available.

Collect only paperbacks. This is a very economical way to start a collection, and may be a must for certain genres. Some books, such as many sci-fi and fantasy titles, are only released in paperback, so hard cover versions are not an option. If you collect paperbacks, remember to stick with the rule about buying a copy in the best condition possible. Paperbacks do have first printings, just like hard covers, but they rarely go up in value over time.
Whatever method of collecting you choose, from signed first editions of novels to books on Southern cooking, the important thing is to have fun. And for book lovers, the best thing about collecting is the chance to spend so much time in bookstores.

Learn more about this author, Bruno Somerset.
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