To E or not to E?
Had a great weekend working in the dirt, ripping out one very overgrown bush and moving three from another part of the property into its place. It was doubly satisfying because the three we moved were crowed and going to have to come out anyway, and now they're in the ground, not the dumpster.
Working too hard on the weekend is part of my master plan to get things done during the week. If I'm too achy and sore to do anything but sit for three days, then I'm more likely to ah . . . sit for three days. Grace is moving forward.
I've got a bit more from that unused interview for you today concerning my thoughts on the pros and cons of electronic books. Enjoy!
What do you feel are the benefits of the new electronic readers such as Kindle, Kobo & Nook to the environment?
This is a hard question to answer as the benefits in avoiding chopping down trees, the enormous impact on the environment turning said trees into books, and then trucking them across the country only to then relocate unsold books into the waste stream can't be dismissed. However . . . there's a largely untalked about problem in the toxic waste generated in simply making electronic readers, compounded by the problem that many are made to last only a few years before needing to be replaced, either because of designed decrepitude or that sparkles of the next model are irresistible. These toxic compounds are likely going to end up in a landfill where, when compounded with others in huge techno dumps, can damage the environment from cradle to grave.
I've not investigated the pros and cons with enough depth to give a solid yes or no to the benefits of e-readers, but it seems to me that the consumer should purchase what form of book works best for him or her. Me, I like my tactile paper books, but the benefits of having your library at your fingertips is hard to dismiss. It's a personal choice and I don't see a problem in having both. Perhaps some effort should be spent in redesigning a new production and marketing system for paper books that doesn't involve quite so much waste.
What impact do electronic readers create on the bottom line for authors in the end? Do you feel they have a negative impact or positive, or no impact at all that you can see?
It has been my personal experience that electronic books have had a positive impact on my sales, not just from established readers tired of agonizing over where to put their new book shelf, but for garnering new readers as well. That a lot of my readership stems from romance and science fiction, both of who are computer and Internet savvy, doesn't hurt.
It's far easier for many people to take a chance on a new-to-them author if the format is electronic. It's not always about the price, but the space that an unwanted book takes up and the decision on what to do with a book you don't like. Most people who read love books, and the thought of throwing a paper book away, even one they didn't like, is akin to nails on a blackboard. Giving your friend a book you didn't enjoy isn't likely to happen, either. Tossing electrons back into the ether is a lot easier on the soul.
