I am very curious about the many ways that the book world is changing. We've seen massive changes with publishers--many have combined their imprints and cut back on staff, some are being more selective in the genres they print and some have even announced a temporary stall in accepting new submissions.
I'm most interested in how readers are changing to adapt to the economic crunch and the varying formats available for reading.
So here are my questions:
1. Do you read e-books, Kindle books or text novels? If so, how do you most often read them--on your computer, cell phone or portable reader like Kindle or Sony Reader?
2. What do you most like about reading e-books? Is it the portability, price, novelty or some other reason? What do you like least?
3. Which do you prefer, print or e-book format? And why?
For those of you looking for something to read on your cell phone, I recommend you sign up to read free samples and complete stories at Textnovel.com. I also must direct you to my own stories there, including the prologue of Finding Bliss, the novel I'm writing ON my iPhone 3G.
So here are my questions:
1. Do you read e-books, Kindle books or text novels? If so, how do you most often read them--on your computer, cell phone or portable reader like Kindle or Sony Reader?
2. What do you most like about reading e-books? Is it the portability, price, novelty or some other reason? What do you like least?
3. Which do you prefer, print or e-book format? And why?
For those of you looking for something to read on your cell phone, I recommend you sign up to read free samples and complete stories at Textnovel.com. I also must direct you to my own stories there, including the prologue of Finding Bliss, the novel I'm writing ON my iPhone 3G.
- Finding Bliss on Textnovel.com
- Remote Control on Textnovel.com
- Sweet Dreams on Textnovel.com
- OUIJA on Textnovel.com
Happy reading!
I am very interested in your answers to the above questions, so please leave them in the comments section.
~Cheryl Kaye Tardif
7 comments:
1. Do you read e-books, Kindle books or text novels? If so, how do you most often read them--on your computer, cell phone or portable reader like Kindle or Sony Reader?
I read e-books almost exclusively now. On Amazon's Kindle. I have 3,700 hundred titles in the palm of my hand and will be buried face down in my Kindle so I can continue reading in the afterlife.
2. What do you most like about reading e-books? Is it the portability, price, novelty or some other reason? What do you like least?
Portability, price, an Indie-author favorite (I have all 10 of my published books on the Kindle), reading ease (I'm blind in one eye and have cateracts in the other - having large print at my convenience for any book is essential). The thing I like least is that some authors and their publishing meisters are not on the Kindle, and I am forced to lug-a-book - but now it must be a really good book for me to want to buy it.
3. Which do you prefer, print or e-book format? And why?
I am a romantic and there will always be a nostalgic yearning for a hot cup of cocoa and an old-fashioned book. They're so cuddly, and although they're not as inconvenient as a rotary dial phone, look at all the space we can save when Library's close their doors. Of course, there's always room for incanubula in some basement.
Edward C. Patterson
author of The Jade Owl, and many others (both in Kindle and Rotary Dial-Phone editions)
Hi Cheryl, I enjoy snuggling with a good book in bed. However, I love audio books as I can lay back on my pillow and listen with the lights out. It is convenient to download e-books from the net and one day audio books will be available online as well. if theyre not already? Too busy producingso I havent done a search yet. Heres one I read myself for Shane Joseph: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkoJJZFDsjg and one silly short true story I wrote: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj_b7GEKWOk
Good luck with your work!
Take care and God Bless,
Jessie
I have bought a few ebooks lately, mostly for price reasons. I don't own a reader at this time, but I'd love to get a Kindle if they ever make the download work in Canada and bring the price to a reasonable level.
My eyesight is too bad to read much of anything on my PDA, no way I'd try a novel on it. So right now I like books but I can see a day soon when all books will come out in ebook format and as much as I like holding a book, they are prohibitively expensive and will only get more so.
P.A.Brown whose 2 books L.A.Heat and L.A.Mischief are both out on Kindle and Mobibook.
I have no doubt that the e-book platform will soon become the defacto standard for reading - similar to the IPod/ITunes distribution model in music. E-book reading devices will however have to create a superior customer experience than traditional paper books to make the wholesale shift occur. Or else, publishers will have to "push" readers over by producing more titles in e-book form and less in paper - similar to how the VHS-to-DVD shift occured. This is not happening - yet, but could in the next 2-3 years. The devices also have to come down in price from their current lofty "skim the market" heights.
The issue for me is what role will publisher's play in this new model - as content sorters and aggregators?
And given the lower cost of distribution of digital media, will that mean a revenue drop for the authors as well (which it shouldn't given the intellectual and artistic effort to produce a book in whatever form is the same)? Or could that drop in revenue be supplemented by advertizing revenue as e-books get loaded with commercials ( even video commercials), just as Google is promising to do as part of its class action suit resolution announced in the Globe & Mail today?
I haven't answered your questions directly, but this is my long term view on where the publishing world is heading.
Regards!
Shane
Thank you, all, for your comments. I think this is an exciting time we're in. Now we just have to wait and see what changes are brought in and hopefully learn to adapt to them.
For me, half the experience of reading is in holding a paper book, turning its pages, dog-earing the corners (a sin, I know), placing it face down, tucking in one of my bookmarks--
Wait! What would people use my promotional bookmarks for if everything went to e-book? lol
Guess I'll have to start giving out promotional batteries or maybe a Whale Song cover for your iPhone. hehe
Cheryl Kaye Tardif
http://www.cherylktardif.com
. Do you read e-books, Kindle books or text novels? If so, how do you most often read them--on your computer, cell phone or portable reader like Kindle or Sony Reader?
I read real books--never, ever online.
2. What do you most like about reading e-books? Is it the portability, price, novelty or some other reason? What do you like least? I don't like reading books on computers, period. Too hard on the eyes and I can read faster via book.
3. Which do you prefer, print or e-book format? And why?
I like Print, because it's faster and easier on the eyes. It's a pain in the neck on the computer, but fine for people who take days to read a single novel. You can take your book everywhere. Light. no cost, really. Computers are not as easy as writing (and I write--not print, and printing is slow, slow, slow.) Even filling out this darn form is a pain in the neck. I've tried to send the darn thing twice, but it won't go.
I am about to change the way I buy,read, and write books.
I am thinking about getting a kindle and my first e-book will be available on my website by later today.After I have tried this I will be able to compare.
Phyllis
www.thecookingladies.com
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