THE Group for Authors! discussion
Publishing and Promoting
>
Print or Ebooks?
message 51:
by
David
(new)
Feb 05, 2015 12:05PM
I do both print and digital and get the same sales figures from each (virtually zilch)- but then I've only just started the marketing game and have already had one good review of The Confession of Becky Sharp from The Historical Novels Association.
reply
|
flag
I have to agree; I don't think print books will ever go away. I think electronic copies of books don't feel as much like a real possession, and if you have a book you want to read more than once, the paper copy is so much easier to find than the electronic version. When I published my first book, I created a print copy but didn't expect to see any sales, so I was surprised when the sales started coming in. I think there might also be a psychological factor--print books are "real," therefore worth paying for, whereas many people feel anything that can be downloaded should be free.Since there are a number of print-on-demand companies, there's no harm in creating a paper copy, but you do need to make sure it's good quality (though that goes for electronic versions as well).
________________
Colleen
Become a Successful Kindle Author--FREE report
I know of no genius but the genius of hard work. - John Ruskin
My preferred method of reading is, has always been, and will always be printed. There is nothing like holding a book in your hands while you are curled up on the couch at night. No, ebooks will never replace the printed word. They have their own place and I do regret that I have never gotten an electronic device to read from while I'm out somewhere. I have almost forgotten my book and actually did forget it at the dentist's office yesterday. Had I had an electronic reader, I could have slipped it in my purse. Oh well.
Books are here to stay. I first submit my finished books as print-on-demand and then they go into ebook.
I love print books too, Sharon. You don't need a specialized e-reader for the dentist's, though: a smart phone and the Kindle app will work anywhere. ;-)
Thank you, but no "Smart" phones for me. Had one, went that way for a while, don't want to do it again. I have a plain old cell phone and it does just fine making calls and receiving them, along with text. I'm on the computer long enough each day without having it follow me around when I'm away from the house too. hee hee hee But thanks for the idea anyway, C.P.
I enjoy your comments and viewpoint on printed materials vs cyber materials. Some things are generational. I am quite willing to give up the paper and pen for computerized writing although I rarely read using a device - for that prefer a solid book. In the end, all things have their place and use. Glad there is a choice out there.
I now have an android phone and a kindle and a tablet, but I still read paper books as well as e-books.
I do not use phones as I find them too small and quite honestly inconvenient. However, though I generally prefer a physical book, I do use tablets including a kindle. The latter are very convenient for when away or traveling. And of course, some books are only available in digital formats (e-books). Also have reading apps on computer but prefer not to use it for such as spend so much time there for other purposes; nice to have a break from it.
I still do print books as they are a useful promotional tool, and there's a small minority of readers who won't use anything else. But almost all my sales are ebook.For what it's worth, I am quite happy reading on a Kindle - but it's a basic one, and is not backlit, which is fine. I wouldn't want to read on a smartphone or a tablet - I'd find that much harder on my eyes. Also, my Kindle needs recharging as seldom as every two or three weeks, even though I read on the subway most days.
Mike wrote: "I still do print books as they are a useful promotional tool, and there's a small minority of readers who won't use anything else. But almost all my sales are ebook.For what it's worth, I am quit..."
Mike, I also have the very old and basic Kindle. The availability to change font size helps. But thought you may also like to know I find reading on some tablets better as some provide for even clearer text. Just thought you like to know someone else's experience.
W. wrote: "...On the other hand, I use IngramSpark in order to place books into retail stores, using their "return and destroy" policy. ..."As Angela said above, it doesn't put them in bookstres, just on the Ingram catalogs that bookstores (and sites like goodreads) use to order/catalog books.
If you pay (last I knew it was $25) for expanded distribution via Createspace, then Createspace books are also listed in the Ingram ordering databases.
Link to the Createspace expanded distribution info is https://www.createspace.com/Products/... "...Bookstores and Online Retailers - make your book available to online and offline retailers such as Barnes & Noble and to distributors such as Ingram and NACSCORP.
Libraries and Academic Institutions - make your book available through Baker & Taylor to libraries and academic institutions.
CreateSpace Direct - make your book available to certified resellers through our wholesale website.
CreateSpace is always looking for ways to improve the distribution opportunities for our members so, from time to time, we may add or change the channels available through Expanded Distribution..."
D.A. wrote: "W. wrote: "...On the other hand, I use IngramSpark in order to place books into retail stores, using their "return and destroy" policy. ..."As Angela said above, it doesn't put them in bookstres,..."
Expanded distribution is now free. Well it was when I published my last book in July and August last year (2014).
Expanded distribution is still free. It has been for a long time now. My fee was returned a couple of years ago for it.
Thanks to D.A. for the info...Although e-books are slowly taking over and will probably surpass print book sales, many people have suggested to me that both avenues should be used. I guess it is something about the feel of turning actual pages. Those of us who are getting older like the idea of enlarged print from an e-reader.
Randall wrote: "Thanks to D.A. for the info...Although e-books are slowly taking over and will probably surpass print book sales, many people have suggested to me that both avenues should be used. I guess it is ..."
I think, if truth be told, most people like the feel of a physical book in their hands. Nevertheless, as you say the advantage of setting larger font size does have benefits.
I would question whether e-books will overtake physical books anywhere in the near or mid future. All reports and survey results I have seen over the last few months indicate that e-books still only account for approximately a third, perhaps a little more, of all books purchased. There also appears to be a reassurance of interest in physical books. A recent survey found a surprisingly increasing amount of younger people were looking for physical books in preference to digital. This trend is also reflected by more bricks and mortar books shops opening up again.
Inevitably digital reading will gain precedence in the future but I suspect most of us will not be around by then.
Good point...you helped me decide to go for more than just an e-book. I will look into create space.Thanks
Why just limit it to Print and / or E-books ? What about the burgeoning audio book market ?
Of course, it may depend what type of book you are selling, as to whether audio is a good fit or not.
However many 'readers' of print and e-books are also 'listeners' of audio works, along with an entirely new segment of consumers who may not buy print or e-books.
Wider distribution in whatever format must be a plus.
There's my 2 cents worth :-)
Excellent suggestion - just how do you get an audio book recorded. Are there people out there who do that for indie authors?Just one post and you've opened up a world of possibilities--thanks!
Or you record yourself reading your own book. A lot of readers love it when the author is the one reading.
Thank you, Hannah. I'll have to dust off the old drama voice, but it's something to think about.
Audio books are certainly a way forward and one that appears to be slowly becoming far more popular. However, there are some drawbacks for an author from the cost point of view. It is quite expensive to get an audio book made. I know there are royalty share options and if an author can find a voice artist willing to do it this way, then fine. In addition the sale price of an audio book has to be higher than for a paperback or e-book. I have considered this option and, if I am honest, would like to go down this path. But I simply do not have the resources at present.
Well put comments about eBook vs hard copy Randall. I have also heard similar data/comments from various sources, including publishers. Yes, eBooks have taken off, but it doesn't look like they'll ever stamp out hard copies. It seems that people are just buying more books now.There are a lot of medical reasons why people use eReaders too, e.g. eye problems, arthritis in the hands, etc. I love my kindle, but will always buy hard books from my favourite authors and at talks/signings.
TR,You do not have to have a voice artist. There are drama programs at universities whose professors would love to give an assignment like that for credit. Some programs have quite gifted performers, so you may want to look into that. As for recording it, I'll have to do a little more research.
Hope that helps.
I love the person who asked if I had my book in audio form. I went through the journey, unspeakable editing, cover choice, unbelievable research and end up with do you have it in audio? Hardback,soft back and e-book. I thought I covered everything! So my opinion is what do you like? Then do that.
A. wrote: "Paper or electronic books? This new report shows a surprising (or not) trend:Don't Judge a Book by its Cover: Tech-Savvy Teens Remain Fans of Print BooksIs this really surprising?"It's not surprising since you need to have access to a credit card as a teenager. This group of readers will shift to electronic media when they take that step in life.
Any self-publishing author –that spends months (or years?) writing a book– is nutts not to publish their works in all formats with the (free) venues that have opened up.
Whether you are in this for the money (I doubt it) or whatever, the point is that we write to be read. That's why we publish. Am I wrong?
This thread has deviated off a bit about audiobooks. I have two of my three books out as audiobooks and I did it through ACX. (Two of three? My forensic manual is heavily supported by photos and isn't going to work as an audiobook, but it's still published in both print and digital formats.) The process is fairly simple to find a good narrator.
I'm fine with those readers that want to pick up my books in print or ebook format or just listen to it on a road trip. Why discriminate?
Tony
T.R. wrote: "Randall wrote: "Thanks to D.A. for the info...Although e-books are slowly taking over and will probably surpass print book sales, many people have suggested to me that both avenues should be used..."
As so many Indies are selling their e-books for nothing or 99 cents, I think a lot of us have Kindles FULL of books we have never read! I hate that Kindles don't allow a back book description of the book and the cover is disconnected from the book. I own a Kindle for planes and travel, but FAR prefer a paper book. I have a Kindle full of books but I don't know what any of them are about! I hate that I can't skim the back to see what book is about so I can pick one that I am in the mood to read. Also, I often read 3 books simultaneously--I keep one in my purse, one next to my bedside, and one next to the Lazy boy. I haven't figured out how to bookmark 3 books on a Kindle simultaneously. I'd be interested to see if people are less likely to FINISH a downloaded Kindle book than a real book... I know I don't. Also, the cheaper the book, the less invested I am in the book. If I got it for free or 99 cents, it better grab my attention early or I don't finish it.
I think with cheap Kindle downloads, more books are being downloaded, but not necessarily read! Less than 50% of the copies of The Goldfinch sold in 2014 were actually completely read. It would be interesting to see if Kindle purchases are less likely to be read than hardback or paperback copies. I do know this: if I fork out over sixteen bucks for a hard-cover novel, I always read and finish it (even if bad!) just to feel like I got my money's worth! If it's free or less than $2 I am quick to abandon it. Is that true for the rest of you?
All those tons of books on the eReader are exactly one reason I started using book sites. Unfinished books I can put on shelves like "still currently readin" "abandoned maybe come back to.". (I have kindle using friends that will duplicate shelf names as collections and it works for them; I personally don't care for the collection features as I already have too much showing on kindle main screen.)Recent firmware updates to my kindle Paperwhite I noticed will show book descriptions even in airplane mode if you hold on a cover/title in yours library. Haven't been on my other kindle devices in a while so not sure if applies to all of them.
Prior ereaders, I had just as much trouble tracking partially read print books except for the partial progress ones I stuck on back of toilet or in luggage in case "stranded.".
I'm not sure, other than volume of availability and discount pricing, that ebook partial reads are any worse or more numerous than print reads. I am sure that authors are unlikely to know (unless a review says so) if a print book was partially read. And that the higher volume of and large TBR piles contribute to readers finding it much easier to abandon ebooks; with print books if you lose interest, aren't in the mood for or don't like it another possibly better option isn't always handy unlike ereaders where a huge selection of other reads are super-handy.
Frankly, I don't even download free books any more without checking out a sample/preview. Bad writing/grammar/editing jar me out of a story so badly that it's been a few years since I found a good new-to-me indie/self-publishing author—no offense to any authors on this thread (yes, I realize even mainstream published authors have books with errors and that it's not true of all indie/self authors but I can forgive an error every 100 pages or so, particulalry if likely a spell check issue; the majority of the self-/indie books I sample unless recommended by friends were absolutely not ready to be published.)
After a few dozen stinker ebooks, it gets easier to never finish or to drop quickly for more interesting stories. The reading hours add up. I'm kinder than some reviewers in that I choose not to rate/review very quickly dropped samples or books (possibly a rating-less comment that book was "not for me but fans of xxxxx genre may enjoy" if the book description was wildly misleading/non-existent but writing itself was good).
As far as original post, "partial reads" I don't think should be a criteria for publishing in which formats if only because there's no way of tracking partial reads for the print books.
Randall wrote: "TR,You do not have to have a voice artist. There are drama programs at universities whose professors would love to give an assignment like that for credit. Some programs have quite gifted perform..."
Randall, that's an interesting avenue. I'd be interested to know more about it, if you have any more info you can share.
Possibly some community theater groups could lead you to some good audiobook narrators as well.
Jess,I taught drama for many years, and whenever I needed someone like a costume designer or a choreographer I just spoke to the head of the dept. He/she then put the word out.
As for an audiobook, a two credit college course can be a potential avenue for students, and you aren't held down to one narrator doing all the parts--there can be a narrator and several actors doing the dialogue. It is fun and exciting to see your book being performed. Like a radio drama. You can even create sound effects if you want.
Hope that helps,
Randall
Sally wrote: "I think with cheap Kindle downloads, more books are being downloaded, but not necessarily read! Less than 50% of the copies of The Goldfinch sold in 2014 were actually completely read. It would be ..."I usually read the sample before buying ebooks. This stops me clogging up the system with rejects.
Randall,Thank you. Good food for thought.
Sandy wrote: "Well put comments about eBook vs hard copy Randall. I have also heard similar data/comments from various sources, including publishers. Yes, eBooks have taken off, but it doesn't look like they'll ..."Warren Adler publisher of many hard copy books seems more pessimistic about the future of trad publishing, which in 7 years he forecasts will be reduced to 'a cottage industry.'
Randall wrote: "TR,You do not have to have a voice artist. There are drama programs at universities whose professors would love to give an assignment like that for credit. Some programs have quite gifted perform..."
Thank you Randall. I have never heard of these university programs before. Will do some research.
I've got to jump in here. I've got two of my books available on Amazon, Audible, and Apple as audiobooks. (Iv'e got samples on my author page BTW.)Any good actor can act. But I don't think just any actor can do a voice narration and make it work. Especially if you've got numerous characters in your story.
The best audiobook narrators have a voice that begs to be listened to. George Guidall fits into this category and so does my first narrator Kevin Pierce.
Both of my works have been audio'd through ACX.com They were done by experienced narrators. The process of finding an narrator willing to take you book is a simple process.
T
But weren't these narrators extremely expensive? I guess if you can afford it, by all means go ahead with the narrator, but I was giving everyone an alternative that, if used correctly, can work into any author's budget. Plus, you have total control of the project. I have listened to several audio books and longed for different people playing part in the action.RS
"But weren't these narrators extremely expensive?"No, they aren't. Not if you go with a royalty cut. Keep in mind, narrating a book takes a lot of work. Every mispronounced word needs to be fixed and edited out. They have to have a very quiet room with good acoustics and damn good mic.
I worked out a small upfront cash agreement plus a royalty deal with my first narrator. I went with a stratight 50% royalty on my second.
Audiobook sales for me are a fracton of my total sales. But once your ACX project is done, it's out on Audible, Amazon, and Apple. That's a bid deal.
Tony
That's a fair way to get the professional to work with you. Johanna Penn also mentions this as a way to collaborate with someone to write your book in another language.Good point, Tony. Thanks for the info.
More on this:What’s the matter with ebooks? In our praise for print, we forget the great virtues of digital formats
Publisher Revenues Down As Ebook Buying Slows
Most of my reading is done on my smartphone, which I see as a small mobile computer rather than a communication device. I don't even have a data account on it. Reader apps allow databasing, bookmarking, page jumps for scanning, and they remember where you were so you can read several books at the same time.As for paper books, I believe they will eventually drop very low or disappear with the costs of physical outlets and handling growing due to lack of advantages of scale, constantly improving e-reading technology like flexible e-paper and cheaper memory.
V.W. wrote: "Most of my reading is done on my smartphone, which I see as a small mobile computer rather than a communication device. I don't even have a data account on it. Reader apps allow databasing, bookmar..."Couple of questions:
1. Do you find reading on a smartphone for any length of times tires your eyes?
2. Many readers, even those who read digitally, often mention how they enjoy the feel of a physical book. Do you prefer the feel of a smartphone to them?
Just as an aside: I think it unlikely physical books will disappear in any foreseeable future. Approximately two thirds of readers still read these. Statistics I have seen indicate e-book purchases still only account for just over a third of all books sold.
T.R. wrote: "V.W. wrote: "Most of my reading is done on my smartphone, which I see as a small mobile computer rather than a communication device. I don't even have a data account on it. Reader apps allow databa..."No, I don't find reading from my cell phone to be uncomfortable even after hours and I don't understand why people complain about this. And I have rotten eyesight too.
I prefer the phone. It is easier to hold in one hand for long periods, I can turn pages with a touch of my thumb, and poor lighting isn't a problem. Also with a 64 Gb card I can put my entire library on the phone.
I always hate when I was going out and nearly finishing one book, which meant I had to bring two books with me.
I suspect that the cost and availability of paper books will eventually rise so much in comparison to ebooks that this will force the shift, in addition as I said to flexible e-paper books which will be very much like holding one sheet of paper in your hands.
V.W. wrote: "T.R. wrote: "V.W. wrote: "Most of my reading is done on my smartphone, which I see as a small mobile computer rather than a communication device. I don't even have a data account on it. Reader apps..."Thank you for replying. Your answers help me comprehend a little more the increasing trend to read on phones. And of course I concur with the point about just finishing one book and about to commence another. Physical books do have the disadvantage of weight when traveling or just out and about.
I prefer ebooks but cannot stand reading them on my smartphone because of all the added page turns needed. Takes way too long to get through the text from just a single page of a book on the smartphone screen. Regular-sized, one-handed smartphones that is. I know there are some "giant" smartphones almost tablet-sized out there. (I have iPhone 6 and an older HTC EVO.)
That could be reading speed related — I don't care for audiobooks (even speeded up) because they just d-r-a-g so much slower than the reading voice in my head.
(I don't care to read on smartphones even in the exact same ereader apps I have on tablets and PCs.)
Eye strain reading on backlit (versus print or eInk) is greater. Not necessarily related to whether or not you have good vision. All reading comes with eye strain (except audiobooks of course). It will vary by how healthy you and your eyes are, how much time you spend on any backlit devices (phone or not) and will effect everyone differently. Usually the eye strain from backlit and how long you can read that way is proportional to eye-strain limits with regular print books.
It's awesome and amazing that poster doesn't get eye strain.
Your mileage may vary but personally:
After eight plus hours on a computer for work, my limit for reading on backlit devices (larger than cell phones) with no break seems to be four to six hours straight; I can go a little longer if I stay off backlit for at least 20 minutes.
It takes me on average two to five hours to read a fiction book ("book" meaning a 200-500 pages when in print work). Nonfiction will vary according to how long it takes to sink in or how much additional info I need to pause to verify or look up.
Of course, at home, I also have hands-free setup for ereaders/tablets except for page turn tap/click/swipe/press where I get less tired than holding a smartphone in one hand to tap/click/press with the other.
I don't like reading on smartphones. If I get stuck in line, waiting rooms, long winded conference calls, etc, with no other devices or books along, I will.
Good article there (original post). I must admit, I was a bit surprised by that. But that's because I've always felt I was an 'old soul' and liked having a print book in my hands. Just can't convince myself to break out my iPad and read a book. Not yet, at least....
