Allison Symes's Blog - Posts Tagged "buying-books"
Book Buying
Book buying is a habit. It's a very good one!
I like to buy online and, of course from physical bookshops when I can get to them.
I like to buy at book launches (online or otherwise) and I usually ask for books for presents for Christmas and my birthday.
So nothing unusual there then. True but it's getting into the book buying habit to begin with that matters, I think.
I've heard people moan about the price of books but what they forget is the hard work that goes into producing them.
They also forget that you can read a book you own as many times as you like. The same people often think nothing of spending much more on a meal out etc. (So I am puzzled as to why they moan about a book but they do and I've heard them - at a Book Fair too - argh!).
So I guess it is down to what you prioritise. Books are high up on my list and always will be!
I like to buy online and, of course from physical bookshops when I can get to them.
I like to buy at book launches (online or otherwise) and I usually ask for books for presents for Christmas and my birthday.
So nothing unusual there then. True but it's getting into the book buying habit to begin with that matters, I think.
I've heard people moan about the price of books but what they forget is the hard work that goes into producing them.
They also forget that you can read a book you own as many times as you like. The same people often think nothing of spending much more on a meal out etc. (So I am puzzled as to why they moan about a book but they do and I've heard them - at a Book Fair too - argh!).
So I guess it is down to what you prioritise. Books are high up on my list and always will be!
Selling Books, Buying Books
Understandably all writers want to sell their books. But what got us into writing in the first place? Our love of reading books by other authors!
I’ve just come back from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick and had the great joy of selling some of mine. I came back with an interesting selection of titles which have gone on my To Be Read pile.
I have started on a couple of them. Am loving what I have read so far and am looking forward to tackling the rest in due course.
The bonus for writers is we get to do two things we love - write our own stories and read other stories. This probably explains why most authors are not rich! It also helps a lot if you can arrange to have plenty of shelves.
I do know there is nothing else I would rather do - write (and hopefully sell) my own books and buy books from others. The written word (including via audio books and ebooks) is glorious.
It is a great joy to me to have a book shelf dedicated to books written by friends of mine and signed by them. I am adding to my collection here too. Such a pleasure to do that!
Separately I have a section for the two flash fiction collections I’ve written and the anthologies I’ve contributed to over the years as well. It’s always a joy to add to that too.
Conclusion? Can’t have enough book shelves in my life but it is a nice problem to have.
I’ve just come back from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick and had the great joy of selling some of mine. I came back with an interesting selection of titles which have gone on my To Be Read pile.
I have started on a couple of them. Am loving what I have read so far and am looking forward to tackling the rest in due course.
The bonus for writers is we get to do two things we love - write our own stories and read other stories. This probably explains why most authors are not rich! It also helps a lot if you can arrange to have plenty of shelves.
I do know there is nothing else I would rather do - write (and hopefully sell) my own books and buy books from others. The written word (including via audio books and ebooks) is glorious.
It is a great joy to me to have a book shelf dedicated to books written by friends of mine and signed by them. I am adding to my collection here too. Such a pleasure to do that!
Separately I have a section for the two flash fiction collections I’ve written and the anthologies I’ve contributed to over the years as well. It’s always a joy to add to that too.
Conclusion? Can’t have enough book shelves in my life but it is a nice problem to have.
