Why Do Some People Hate The Idea of Ebooks So Much?

[Stacy-Deanne]

Hi All,

Oh goodness I hope this doesn't start a war, LOL! Some people who are against ebooks have been very hateful towards the idea. Let me say this. Up until December, I didn't read ebooks. I didn't like the idea of them either. But I got a Sony Reader for Christmas and now I LOVE ebooks! I am reading more than I was, faster and I find entire world opened up to more possibilities. What I really like is how I am able to read and enjoy a lot of e-authors who are not published in print. There are A LOT of talented ebook writers out there and it's been a great experience vasting in their talent.

I was never a book snob, but I was close-minded. I wanted to pretend that ebooks didn't have their place. I was wrong. I can admit that. I was also forgetting that a lot of new writers are only writing for e-publishers and if I really wanted to support fellow writers, I should be reading them! LOL!

It amazes me how heated this subject gets. All I know is that I think ebooks are going to stay around. I think that's something we have to accept. I don't think they will replace physical books and lovers of physical books should realize that people can like both. It doesn't have to be "one or the other". It's just a method. Some prefer one method over the other. Some read both.

I know one thing, I've fallen in love with some new e-novelists that I wouldn't have known of if I hadn't given ereading a chance.

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

[TinaNoir]

I just think it is human nature. Change is scary for some people. But you are right, e-books are here to stay. Amazon has said that for the first time this past year, e-book sales have out-performed print sales. And they estimate that ebook sales will reach 9 billion dollars by 2013 up from 323 million last year.

But you know what is worse than readers who hate e-books? The publishers who are trying all they can to make it very hard to get the darned things. First there is DRM. Then you have publishers who say that they will not release e-versions of books until months after the hardcover is out. And then you have publishers who will only contract to release their books in only one format so that people who don't have a specific reader are SOL. All of this is supposedly to combat piracy and protect hardcover sales. I say all it will do is encourage piracy and make consumers mad so they won't buy the book out of spite. It baffles me that they don't seem to get it. Not only are they alienating sales of people who probably wouldn't buy hardcover anyway, they are losing impulse buys.

I just think people shouldn't knock something until they try it. I always thought I'd hate audiobooks, but I don't. I really enjoy them. They offer a type of reading experience that you can't get from a book you have to hold and look at. With the best audio books you get a vocal performance and you can listen while you clean the house or exercise.

And I agree 100% that my e-reader had revitalized my reading incredibly. Part of it has to do with free promotions. I have discovered at least six new authors that I'd never read before and probably would have never paid attention to, but now I actively purchase their stuff. And it all has to do with free "try me out" digital offers that proliferate.

But the other part has to do with the incredible ease of actually receiving the content. If I am reading a book and it is very good and I finish it at 1 am. If I want to start right then and there to read the sequel, I can. And believe me, this has happened to me!

I am not one of those people who "need to hold a paper book in my hand". I am one of those people who want to read a good book.

[Davina]

I don't hate e-books. At the moment, I just prefer physical books. I don't have a portable e-reader so most of my e-books are read on my Mac and that's not always convenient. I've been putting off buying the kindle because I have a physical TBR of over 500 books. This due to a habit of buying at least 2 or 3 books a day (certainly doesn't help that my office is located right across from two competing book stores!) for the last few years, and particularly since I started hanging around sites like Goodreads and Amazon. If I buy an e-reader now, I'll probably impulse buy more than I've ever done. I'd quite likely neglect the physical tbr that I have and or end up buying the e-versions of books I already own just for the convenience/instant gratification. I'm indisciplined and spoilt like that, I'm ashamed to say.

The goal, though, is to get the kindle DX, eventually. In fact, after I've pared down the physical tbr, I want to switch completely to reading books digitally and only having the physical books of those stories I absolutely loved. It'll certainly get rid of a lot of the clutter in my library and my husband can finally breath a sigh of relief once I return his fair share of the shelves. lol

I think people should use whatever medium that's more convenient for their needs or lifestyles. I'm glad e-books are here to stay. If you really love to read having many different access to books can't be a bad thing, and I agree that it's a great promotion tool for new authors to get their names out there.

[Arch , Mod]

I love printed books. I like to have a book in my hand.

I don't own a e-reader and I don't want to own one, unless something change years from now.

I don't have anything against ebooks. I just rather have my book in my hand. Plus, I buy my books from the library or if I go to a garage sale, but 99.9% I buy my books from the library.

I know that you can read some ebooks on your computer.

I don't read erotic books and to my knowledge a lot of BWWM ebooks are erotic books.

I know that some authors write non-erotic books. Those are the books I would check out, but through the library, if they can get it. My library has it to where we can check out ebooks.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

It's a great question, Stacy-Deanne. I wouldn't say I hate ebooks. I just prefer physical books, because they fit my lifestyle better (as Davina said). I plan to get a Kindle DX probably in the next couple of weeks, but this will not replace my print books, this is just an additional method of reading. I guess I'm too possessive. I like the ability to own a book that I love! It's not the same having an ecopy. It's not tangible like a physical book. So I don't get the same joy out of owning an ebook. I recently splurged and bought Shara Azod's Anchors Aweigh series in print, despite having ecopies. I wanted to be able to pull the book off the shelf and thumb through and reread it. Throw it in my purse and be on the go. Also I do worry about the technical issues associated with ebooks. What if my computer crashes? That's a lot of money down the drain. Yes, I know my house could catch on fire (knock on wood), but I feel more secure with the physical copies.

On the other side, I like the fact that I can read new authors that the publishers won't take a chance on. I like that genres are more fluid in the ebook market. I have distinct tastes, such as books that fit into the weird fiction/neo-classic genres. Those books may not make it to print or the bookstore, so reading them in ebook is a way to get a hold of them. Also, there are more interracial books in the emarket. I do have to agree with Arch that I have gotten burned trying to buy a large variety of IR ebooks, and they are seriously erotic. But I haven't given up on ebooks. I just carefully research which ones are in my taste range.

I like ebooks. I think they're great, but I'm never going to switch completely to ebooks. If they stop printing books, at least I have a large library of print books to fall back on, in addition to ebooks that catch my interest.

[new_user]

I appreciate ebooks. I think both forms have their advantages. :)

[Alicia]

I am absolutely hooked on ebooks. I rapidly run out of room to store novels and ebooks make it easy to keep all of the books I love without a space commitment. If there is a book that I particularly like and feel that it's worth having a printed copy, then I order hardcopy -- generally online. Ebooks also make it easy to read ANYWHERE. I've got Mobipocket for my Blackberry and although the small screen doesn't make for an ideal reading experience, I always have a book at the ready whenever I find myself with a few empty minutes.

I am really looking forward to the first real world useage reports on the B&N Nook. That's my choice for an ebook reader. If the first wave of consumer reports is really bad, then I think I'll go with the Sony ereader. Besides, the first release of new hardware always has bugs that need to be shaken out. I'm waiting until they perfect the Nook and then I'll chance buying one. Reading ebooks in bed will be a lot more comfortable with an ereader.

[Yolonda]

One thing I have noticed is that there seems to be more IR e-books than there are IR print books. This is what got me started on e-books...but I prefer a paperback.

The only real problem I have is that a lot of IR paperbacks tend to be a lot more expensive for less book than mainstream romances. So I may get the $5 e-book on occasion rather than spend $15(depending on the story length and difficulty in locating in paperback).

Plus a lot of e-books are trending to short stories. Sometimes too short and not worth the price. Some are only a couple of bucks, but I've seen some that charge the same price for a 40 page story that another publisher will charge for a 200 page story.

So for me...e-books definitely have their pros & cons.

[Arch , Mod]

Is there a lot of IR ebooks that are short? 40 pages is short.

[Yolonda]

Arch wrote: "Is there a lot of IR ebooks that are short? 40 pages is short."

There seems to be from the ones I've downloaded. I've found way more IR short stories (less than 100 pages) than full length novels....though there are plenty of them out there.

[Arch , Mod]

Loni wrote: "There seems to be from the ones I've downloaded. I've found way more IR short stories (less than 100 pages) than full length novels....though there are plenty of them out there."

I wish that more IR book comes out in print. More pages.

[Justine]

I like to turn pages.

[CaliGirlRae, Mod Squad]

Looking at it from the other angle, I'm noticing a lot more IR shorts are selling more than the longer works. Not sure if it's a case of the readers interested in shorter works due to time constraints or maybe they're testing out the waters of new authors but checking out the short works but there it is. I often wonder if readers are still interested in longer works. I love a good long story myself but often it takes longer because I'm so busy. That's why I've been grabbing a lot of anthologies and short stories lately.

I don't mind ebooks or print myself. Depending on the novel and type of story I'm good to go either way. Throw in some audio books so I can listen while working and I'm good! :-D

[Arch , Mod]

I write long stories, but I can't read long, long stories. Unless it's a good story. A catcher. It will take me a while to finish the book.

I don't know how much ebooks cost, but I will use an example. I can't see myself paying $10.00 for a 40 pages book.

I can't even get everything that I want to say about my story in 40 pages.

[Yolonda]

The most I've ever paid for an e-book was $8, but only because it was a 500 page story (in PDF format) and not available in paperback. Not to mention that I loved the story.

Sometimes you can tell what may be really short if the price is only $1.99. At least you will likely not be caught by surprise on the length. I just don't like when a publisher adds paperback novel prices for a short e-book story no longer than a high school essay.

[CaliGirlRae, Mod Squad]

Wow! A 500 page ebook. I can see the justification for 8 bucks then.

I agree with, Arch. Something like 10 bucks for 40 pages is nuts. I usually don't like to pay more than 5 or 6 dollars for an ebook. When it goes into paperback prices that's when it's a bit steep for me.

[A.M.]

I think the reason some people might be adverse to the idea of ebooks, it takes them out of their comfort zone.

I've been an avid readers since my youth and have amassed a very large collection of printed books. But I also enjoy reading e-books. I haven't invested in a e-reader yet, but I plan to. However also continue to keep reading and buying print books as well.

[TinaNoir]

I have a personal little line in the sand when it comes to books and book buying.

I very,very,very rarely buy hardcover. I used to and frankly there are not a lot of books that I can really say were worth the 25 to 30 dollars a hardcover costs. They take up more space, you can;t cart them around in your purse etc. These days it will take an exceptional book to get me to pony up in hardcover.

If the ebook version of one of my autobuy books comes out at the 9.99 price point I will most likely buy it. But for the most part I have never had to spend more than 5.00 on any ebook. I just don't think with the lack of paper, shipping, distribution etc. that the 7.99/8.99 price I see for a mass market paper back book is necessary when you cut out some of those things. Right now most ebooks I have been getting have been more around 3-4.00 and these are major names, mass market books.

I will never buy an ebook for more than they are selling mass market. If I absolutely can't get an ebook for the price point I want and I really want the book I'll buy the paper book for the lower price.

If it is an author I've never read before and the ebook price is $3 or less I'd buy the book to give it a try. If the ebook price is the same or higher than the paperback, I won't spend that much on an untried author. I'd try to get it from the library. It may seem that a 3-4 difference is not a lot, but when you buy and read as much as I do it adds up. I have a couple of boxes of books of authors I've tried but didn't like.

I will never, ever buy graphic novels in e format. There are some types of books you really need the pages, the color and the feel.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

Rae wrote: "Looking at it from the other angle, I'm noticing a lot more IR shorts are selling more than the longer works. Not sure if it's a case of the readers interested in shorter works due to time constrai..."


Rae, I admit I love short story anthologies, especially in the horror/spec fiction/fantasy genre. It's a nice little bite and then I can put the volume down and come back to when I'm ready.

[Yolonda]

Tina wrote: "I have a personal little line in the sand when it comes to books and book buying.

I very,very,very rarely buy hardcover. I used to and frankly there are not a lot of books that I can really say w..."

I agree Tina. I've bought less than 10 hardcover books in 20 years. I usually hold out for the paperback version or hunt down the hardcover from the library.

Eugenia,

I agree that most e-book prices are in line with the size. I've found some publishers are more reasonable than others. But there are a few that overcharge on occasion in relevance to book size. And like Tina says...that can add up if you're a frequent buyer.

I like the site allromanceebooks.com. I've found some really good e-books and new authors to read. Plus they're always offering freebie e-books from known authors when you make a purchase.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

I agree with you about graphic novels in ebook format. I don't see how that's worth it, IMHO. You lose part of the artistic appeal.

I am a huge fan of used books. Most of the books I buy are actually used. I often will wait for a recently release to hit the used bookstore. I admit I will spend a little more for my small print classic horror/weird fiction/speculative fiction books and a lot of IR novels that I want in print form that I buy on Amazon, and that's because that's the best way to get them. But I also check the used bookstore for them to come there. I admit I get frustrated about the high price of IR. I will need to go back and buy all of Marie Rochelle and Rae and some of the other IR authors in paperback at some point.

I am definitely a book huntress when it comes to buying books. I always try to get the best price, whether it's a used book, B&N membership card, coupons in the email from Barnes and Noble/Borders, Amazon buy 3, get one free, you name it.

[Yolonda]

Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "I agree with you about graphic novels in ebook format. I don't see how that's worth it, IMHO. You lose part of the artistic appeal.

I am a huge fan of used books. Most of the books I buy are act..."

I like Amazon. It's my research arm for new books. Plus I can usually find books that I cannot locate in the big stores like Borders or B&N.

[Chaeya]

Since I'm older, my eyes have gotten bad, so I find it hard to read a paperback without glasses. I like ebooks because I can blow up the print and read it on my computer.

The problem people have with ebooks is (this is from discussions I've seen) that they come from smaller epublishers. You have the readers who think that the smaller epubs put out poor work product as far as bad writing, bad grammar. Then you have the authors who believe that epubbed writers aren't that good whereas they've been accepted into print. All this came to a head last year at the romance writers convention when they didn't want to accept e-pubbed writers into the Golden Heart / RITA or something like that. It made a bunch of epubbed writers angry because they felt the RWA were being snobby. So yes, a lot of people get bent out of shape about it.

I'm like this, I still read print when I can find my glasses. If I really like a story, I really don't get into being a grammar nazi as long as it isn't blatant or annoying. I'm pretty careful about what I buy and I have bought a few e-pubbed stories that I wanted to stab a pen through my computer screen they were so awful. But there are some I really love and I've read more from the same author. I love e-books. I can also read them at work when I have downtime and people think I'm working. Ha ha.

I don't have any print e-pubbed books because most of the smaller e-pubs get their books from LuLu and Lightening Source, which is the reason for the high price. That's the only way they and the author can make any kind of money. My friend had a book published from winning a contest but the epub only released it in print and the book was like $18. I was annoyed because it was outrageous. The book wasn't that many page either. I don't understand why they didn't release in e-book format. This is one of the complaints I have about a lot of smaller e-presses is they are author mills where they will pretty much accept any author although they claim they have criteria for accepting an author. But they don't and I have a few ebooks of theirs to prove the poor writing and grammer. This is what gives e-book authors a bad name, even if they're a good writer. That's another reason why I'm choosing to self-publish.

[Arch , Mod]

I am not even a published writer and don't care to be one. I wouldn't come down hard on another writer for errors in their books. Writing is my talent, but it doesn't exempt me from having errors. I'm sure if a lot of people read my story Courage or any of my other stories, they would think I am a horrible writer. Oh well!

A lot of authors can't help it that they only way they can get their story published is by going the ebook route.

Writing is not easy. Writing takes guts and not just for writing, but for sharing as well.

[Elise-Pinterest+Goodreads=The Perfect Book Boyfriend]

I must say that I am a convert. I used to be a stout devotee of what ebook readers call "dead tree books". I did not want an ereader and I couldn't imaging not turning a page or putting a book marker in a book. However, because I am, and have always been an avid reader, I am running out of space to store these books. Now that I have my ereader (Kindle) I must say I do read faster and it is wonderful to not have to read posters about psoriasis when I am in the doctors office because I have forgotten my book. Also, I am more likely to read since I don't have to go anywhere to get the book. I understand the aversion to ebooks, because I have been there, however, ebooks ARE the future, it's coming. Kinda like fighting the coming of CD's because you like cassette players. Now, you are hard pressed for even find a cassette.

[Michelle, Mod with the Bod]

I guess I'm just resistant to change in this area. For me there's just something about going to the bookstore. Or, I can throw a book in bag, drop it or whatever, and not worry about it breaking/ cracking. Not to mention all the places people may read, like while in the bathtub for example. However, I have noticed that there a lot of books/ authors that I'd like to read that are only available in an ebook format right now. My question is for those of you that are using Kindles and such, how long does it take for your book to download to the kindle or other ebook reader?

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

I still buy CDs, but I often burn the songs I like onto the computer and make mix cds to listen to in my car and at work. I take cds to work to listen to, as well.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

Michelle wrote: "I guess I'm just resistant to change in this area. For me there's just something about going to the bookstore. Or, I can throw a book in bag, drop it or whatever, and not worry about it breaking/ ..."

Michelle, I'm with you about books. They are much more portable and durable, IMHO.

[Elise-Pinterest+Goodreads=The Perfect Book Boyfriend]

Yes they are more portable are durable, however, there is nothing like finishing a book while you are on a cruise, or plane or pretty much anywhere and immediately download another to continue reading-especially if you are reading a really good series. And, I can have my ebook in multiple places at the same time, iphone (and it syncs automatically to the last page you were reading on you Kindle--way cool), on the computer and on the Kindle. So if I forget to bring my Kindle, no problem, just pull it up on the iphone and keep reading-can't do that with a regular book.If you forget it, too bad. I have never really been an in the tub reader because I am a tad bit clumsy and I have had more than one book soaked so not reading my Kindle in the tub is ok.

@Eugenia-I am moving my CD tower to the basement. I used to be a member of a CD club (you know buy 13 for a penny) so I have a ton. However, you are right, since my iPod, I haven't purchased another CD. I can just get the one or two songs off of the CD that I like and not have to buy the whole thing.

Another consideration ladies, and I guess I think about this because I have kids and I am in healthcare. One of the new concerns for kids is back problems. The books they carry (especially High School and College) in their backpacks are starting to give them problems. They are actually testing ereaders in college with text books to see how they can make it more textbook friendly. I would love to see my high schooler not have to haul all of those books because they can no longer have the bags that roll.

Sorry about the length, just took my Adderall (smile).

[TinaNoir]

@ Michelle - I have a Kindle and if I buy the book from Amazon, it takes only about a minute or less for the book to download.

If I buy the book elsewhere then I download it to my computer and then transfer it via USB cable to my Kindle.

Ebooks are relatively small files. They range from 200 - 500k. So the time it takes for a download or a transfer is ridiculously quick.

I don't think the issue of ebook v. paper has to be an either or thing. Ebooks are, imo, an added value. I haven't abandoned paper books because there are still some books I simply can't get in eformat. And there are some books that I love to read in paper still.

I am one of those psychos who really gets very nervous if I don't have reading material on hand at all times. In the past that meant carrying a book and a spare (just in case...). Now I have about 150 spares. To me this value is incalculable.

[Chaeya]

I have a number of ebooks on my stick drive.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

Tina wrote: "@ Michelle - I have a Kindle and if I buy the book from Amazon, it takes only about a minute or less for the book to download.

If I buy the book elsewhere then I download it to my computer and t..."


--I'm the same way, Tina. I go into freakout mode if I don't have a book to read. That's why I usually throw two-three books in my bag on the way out.

[Yolonda]

Chaeya wrote: "I have a number of ebooks on my stick drive."

That's a good idea. I need to do that just in case of my laptop crashing or something.

[Yolonda]

I want an ebook reader. I'm just trying to figure out which will be the best one for me. I wish there was a store that had them all side by side for a physical touch comparison shopping.

[Michelle, Mod with the Bod]

Eugenia wrote: "About a second, that's it. It's fast, I don't worry about anything breaking or cracking because I have a cover on it. I like carrying around books but it's hard to carry a lot. Right now I have abo..."

Tina wrote: "@ Michelle - I have a Kindle and if I buy the book from Amazon, it takes only about a minute or less for the book to download.

If I buy the book elsewhere then I download it to my computer and t..."

You're right, I have no idea why I've been limiting myself, and waiting for certain books to be released in a pb version. I'm going to really take some time this week to look into getting an some kind of electronic reader.

[Michelle, Mod with the Bod]

Thank you guys for answering my questions. I can only imagination the satisfaction of getting newly purchased books in a minute or less!

[Elise-Pinterest+Goodreads=The Perfect Book Boyfriend]

@Michelle-just be careful. I have found that I have purchased so many books because of the convenience of downloading. I just go from one book to the next without thought sometimes. Also, with the Kindle you can get a free sample of a book and I have found more new authors. Oh,oh, oh, I also forgot that sometimes authors will offer free books, especially if it's a series. That's how I got hooked on the Midnight series. The first one was free---now here I am several paid for books later LOL!!

[Elise-Pinterest+Goodreads=The Perfect Book Boyfriend]

@Eugenia-don't give up on the sample. I have had that happen before. All you get is the publisher's information. However, most samples will give you at least half of the first chaper if not the whole first chapter.

We won't even mention my "fake" book. Many of the classics are free so when people want to see my Kindle, and they ALWAYS want to see my Kindle, I have "Alice in Wonderland" for them to see, instead of "Mistress and the Beast" or some other vampire or erotica trashiness I may be on (hehehehe).

[TinaNoir]

saninbham wrote: "@Michelle-just be careful. I have found that I have purchased so many books because of the convenience of downloading. I just go from one book to the next without thought sometimes. Also, with th..."

Yeah, the free content is so seductive. On the one hand, I have discovered so many new authors. and yes, Cythia Eden's Midnight series is one where the first book was free, I read it and bought the other two lickety split. On the other hand... my pocketbook. *sob*.

@Loni. All the e-readers have pros and cons. I love my Kindle, but the biggest con with the Kindle is that you can't read secured Adobe eformat on it which is what you need to read Library electronic books. And my library has a kick butt digital catalog. Sigh.

The Nook looks really nice and can read adobe. But I would not adopt any first version of any technology. The Nook right now is kinda buggy, (so I've heard) so I'd wait until they either fixed up their firmware or went to a Nook 2.0. I am a technophile and waited until 3rd Generation to get mu first IPOD. But if B&N gets it's act together I might just get a Nook as my second e-reader.

[Michelle, Mod with the Bod]

saninbham wrote: "@Michelle-just be careful. I have found that I have purchased so many books because of the convenience of downloading. I just go from one book to the next without thought sometimes. Also, with th..."

I know what you mean. I love buying, selling, reading, trading, and talking about books. I know getting a Kindle would definitely feed my addiction. Especially with the occasional free book offers. After looking at the number of books that I'd like to read that are only available in ebook format, purchasing a Kindle is looking better and better.

[Michelle, Mod with the Bod]

Eugenia wrote: "saninbham wrote: "@Michelle-just be careful. I have found that I have purchased so many books because of the convenience of downloading. I just go from one book to the next without thought sometim..."

Getting the classics for free is amazing! I'd load up too, lol!

[Davina]

That's exactly why I haven't gotten the Kindle. My son, who got me iPhone so I could read my ebooks on the fly, almost got me a Kindle for Christmas, but thankfully he mentioned his intentions to me and I stopped him in the nick of time. I can NOT touch an ereader now with the physical book pile that I have. When it comes to books I really have no discipline. I'm like a kid in a candy shop. Or more like a crackhead. Sigh.

When I heard Midnight series I immediately thought of the Lisa Marie Rice series of the same name. I LOVED that series. If anyone hasn't tried it, you should! I'll have to look into the Cynthia Eden series. What is it all about? IR?

[Yolonda]

I don't know if I would want to read a book from a phone or ipod. I need a bigger screen.

[Alicia]

Loni wrote: "I don't know if I would want to read a book from a phone or ipod. I need a bigger screen."

You know, I initially had reservations about the screen size and reading ebooks on my Blackberry, but I find that it is not hard on my eyes at all. The small screen, with its short text lines, don't tire my eyes out. I also seem to read faster with an ebook, but particularly with ebooks on my Blackerry.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

You can also download a lot of books from Project Gutenberg. It's a website. I've found quite a few rather obscure classic horror books on there.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

Loni, the Kindle DX is about the size of a 8.5 x 11 page. That's one of the reasons I'm buying one. Also it has a native PDF reader. That's a big selling point to me since I have a tremendous backlog of ebooks on my computer right now.

[Stacy-Deanne]

I agree with those who believe that short stories released as free ebooks can help a new author gain an audience. Since I've began reading ebooks, I have been opened up to MANY ebook authors who've I've already grown to love. I'd love them if they were in print too, but they happen to be with epublishers. I got hooked on them because of the free downloads of their novels. Many had either short stories or complete novels you could sample and most of them I enjoyed so much, I got hooked and ended up reading more books from them.

I think this is something publishers have realized works. I used to scoff at some authors who put free samples or free previews on their sites. But now I see why! It really helps gain an audience and it expands an audience for authors already out there. I used to think, "Well if they read it free, they won't check out your other book." But I was wrong. I know I'm not the only one to get hooked on reading an author's free sample and then end up having that person because one of your new favorite authors, LOL.

I love how you can explore different genres too. For example, I even read a paranormal book the other day! I don't usually read that genre and if I hadn't my ereader, I wouldn't have tried it. Ebooks have helped me to "test the waters" and be more daring about things I wouldn't normally read. It has forced me to give new authors a chance, authors who might be good but don't have the luxury of being on a bookstore shelf. I'm not a person who reads a lot of best selling books. I know some folks shop by the NY Times list. That's not me. I don't care how much a book has sold. I only care about how it's written and if it interests me. Plus, all the best selling books I've read, most of them I didn't like half as much as books from newer authors or some of the authors coming up in the ebook world now.

This might sound weird, but I feel like reading ebooks has made me a better person. I used to be so prejudiced and shallow about what I would read and wouldn't read. Then ebooks showed me a whole new world. I became more inclined to try books from folks I never would have touched if I was browsing in the bookstore. In the bookstores, I knew what I wanted and knew what I liked. I only went to my favorite sections and got books from my favorite authors and that was it. I didn't travel out of my little "mind frame" enough to try other people. Reading ebooks showed me how short sighted I was being.

I used to shun all self-published books because of the stigma. We know there are a lot of them are terrible and not edited. But we shouldn't judge them all by the reputation. I'm reading a self-published book now that is pretty decent. The editing is fine and the author has a great voice. I wouldn't have ever known about this guy if I wasn't into ebooks. I no longer automatically close my eyes on SP books. The best thing about ebooks is you can sample a book before downloading and buying it. So you can read a few pages to see if you like the style.

I still love print books and I respect those who do. But for me, ebooks have been very liberating. I can now support all authors no matter how they are published. I also felt bad for being so snooty in the past. I used to turn my nose up at ebooks and SP books and I shouldn't have done that. I'm an author myself and should support them all. But I am big enough to admit, I was wrong. In some of those cases, I shouldn't have been so quick to judge the book by its cover. LOL.

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

[Arch , Mod]

My manager asked me about an ereader today. She said she's going to get one.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

It's less of a gamble to buy an ebook for $1-5, than paying for a paperback or trade paperback. And you can always buy the book in paperback later.

[Elise-Pinterest+Goodreads=The Perfect Book Boyfriend]

@Tina-ok, I may go to jail for this admission, however, I have a question. My supervisor has a Sony e-reader and before I got my Kindle she sent me some books via email to read on my computer via Microsoft reader (or something like that). I didn't read them at the time, however, once I got my Kindle, I wanted to read them. Needless to say, the format was different. However, in the Kindle forum I found out about a free software called Calibre. Once I downloaded it, I was able to send the books there, it changed the format for me in about 2 minutes and then I hooked my Kindle up to the computer and was able to send it to my Kindle. Needless to say, I am not limited to books only from Amazon, although that is where I get the majority of my books, since they "archive" them for you. Finally, the question: Can you send e-books from the library to your computer? If so you may be able to change the format to match an e-reader. Unfortunately my library's digital content is pathetic, therefore, I have not tried to do this personally. Anyway, maybe that's a possible option for the digital's from the library.