Paperback

About this board game

Paperback is a word-building deck-building game for 2–5 players, with play sessions lasting about 45 minutes. You are a paperback author working to finish novels for your editor while building a stronger collection of letter cards.

Each player begins with a deck containing letter cards and wild cards. On your turn, form a word from the cards in your hand, then use its score to purchase more powerful letters. As your deck develops, you can create stronger words and improve your ability to earn rewards.

Many letters have abilities that activate when they are used in a word. These effects can help you draw more cards or increase your letter score, adding tactical choices to the word-building process. Wild cards offer flexibility, while purchased wilds provide victory points.

• Build a deck of letters and wild cards.
• Form words to earn scores and buy stronger letters.
• Use letter abilities such as drawing cards or doubling letter score.
• Purchase wild cards to gain victory points.
• Play with themes including Westerns, science fiction, romance, and the rare best-seller.

Paperback combines familiar word formation with card-driven progression. Your available letters, card abilities, and the quality of each word all contribute to the decisions you make as you try to finish novels and pay the bills.

A cooperative variant is included for players who want to work together. Whether you are aiming for a best-seller or simply trying to complete your next novel, Paperback offers a distinctive blend of word play and deck building.