Here is an example of a collection dedicated to paperback, books, short stories, and pulps by Philip Jose Farmer Website . You will find that by setting some basic guidelines for yourself to start with, you will control your collection and, over a period, fine tune your guidelines more accurately to your taste. Never buy a bad copy of a good book. It is something to consider when your browsing the bookshelves. It is one of the reasons why they are now becoming a new recognized collector item.
Paperbacks lead a tough life and are usually brought to a sorry end.
Keep your eyes open however, you will eventually run across one that is in Fine or near mint condition. Such finds make the hunt all the more worthwhile. You will find yourself giving additional judgment to the books in your collect on their overall condition as your collection grows. Right now a good rule to start with is look for a book that is sound in body.