O is for Oops

Image by Kate Tomlinson via Flickr

I’m looking at a stack of copies of my play, Daddy Issues, that I have on hand and I notice that one is much fatter than the others. A quick investigation reveals a massive print FAIL: There are actually about 5 copies of the play printed in a wild jumble throughout a single binding. I contacted my printer and they replaced the copy right away. But they didn’t want the misprinted copy back and… I’m at a loss of what to do with it. Husband suggested I bill it as “With bonus tear-out copies!” but I’m not sure that’s the best idea.

I often find myself in this situation between my own books and the books my company sells. Printing issues are rare but the law of averages says everyone encounters them eventually. Books arrive with pages missing, another book inserted in the middle of yours, covers are misprinted and put on upside down… these things just happen. If the issue is only cosmetic and the content is still entirely readable, I’d sell them at a deep discount or give them away in a contest. But in the case of this sad mutated copy of Daddy Issues and a disastrous others… I really don’t want anyone to have this very flawed copy.

But… what do I do with it? It feels so wrong to just throw out a book, even a weird misprinted one.

So, what would you do?