The points of issue
First printing has the 'A' together with the Scribner seal on the copyright page. A thin volume (the revised text of Wolfe's Boulder writers'-conference lecture), bound in reddish/orange cloth with titling in gilt on black panels. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price.
Is this the true first?
True US first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club for the true first; later printings drop the 'A.'
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Story of a Novel a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has the 'A' together with the Scribner seal on the copyright page. A thin volume (the revised text of Wolfe's Boulder writers'-conference lecture), bound in reddish/orange cloth with titling in gilt on black panels. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. True US first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club for the true first; later printings drop the 'A.'
I have a first edition of The Story of a Novel — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.