Hi Brigader Buddies!
Don't mind me, I'm just in a conversational mood right not. I'm doing my first guest gig over at author Stephanie Burkhart's blog, Romance Under the Moonlight, and talking Kindle. (Stop by if you have a chance.) While putting the article together, it got me wondering about the full impact of the eReader on not only reading in general but on our genre in particular.
It seems to me that both science fiction and romance (with emphasis of course on the merged child SFR) were born for the ereader. We have the wonder and curiosity of change from the science fiction parent and the passion and emotional connect of the romance parent. Then, of course, both have given SFR the bones of risk and grit to evolve in changing times.
I know the impact it has had on me. Besides given me the ability for instant reading fixes, one of the main things that I've benefit from has been the "dawn of the independent publishers". These folks have thrived in this new eReader submodel of the industry and allowed them to focus on books that the larger publishers would risk on.
What do you all think? What benefits have the eReader explosion had for you both as a reader and an author that traditional print has not?
I received a Kindle for Christmas and it is great. Mu husband has confiscated it though! He found a bunch of free books to load on it, too. He likes classics so we have the entire Dicken's collection.
ReplyDeleteNormally I carry a Palm tungsten e pda around. I got it from ebay quite cheap--one of my teens owns one too. It has a sd card slot to hold music and books and I have mobipocket ereader loaded. I read from it daily and particularly like it in bed because it has a scroll function and backlight.
I've had my Kobo since June. I have read so many more books that I never would have read if I had to pay for shipping of a print book or if the author had to pay to ship it to me for review.
ReplyDeleteI like it's portability vs. my laptop and the ability to read around kids; not possible on my laptop and harder with print book. They like to rip pages and tear off keys.
I do not yet own an e-reader, but I have been seriously considering one for a while now. The main benefit to electronic books is their price; most e-books seem to run about half the price of their paperback counterparts.
ReplyDeleteAs an author, I love the world that has opened up due to the accessibility of e-books. Although almost all of my books are also available in paperback, their e-books sell much better. Again, there is the difference in price--but also, I think people are more inclined to read my genres on an e-reader due to the racy covers (which no one sees when one reads them on, say, a Kindle).
I agree that the ereader was made for many of the smaller publishers who primarily publish ebooks. And it's the reason ebooks are doing better than print right now. My publisher, The Wild Rose Press, doen't have a lot of SFR books yet, but they are searching for good ones to publish. And they also publish a lot of stories in all genres of romance that the big publishers won't touch.
ReplyDeleteI bought myself a Nook and love the freedom to buy books instantly, as well as the low cost of the books. Also, I don't have to worry over shelving books after I read them. Less clutter.
@ Melissa. Happy Xmas present! Me too and it was the best ever, well, since my 7th Xmas present of a constellation kit and telescope. Fortunately my Hubby's not a big reader (unless you count fishing and hunting magazines) so he won't be stealing --er--borrowing mine anytime soon.
ReplyDelete@ Jessica, I know what you mean. I've been downloading like crazy now that I don't have to consider S&H. And 'm taking more risks on purchases now that most are less than print.
@ Lisa - Definitely consider it. Well worth the price. I've heard the e-sales are higher than print for most authors. I'm hoping that stays true for me too when mine comes out. I can see your point about the covers and why it's opened up the potential of your readership. Congrats!
Haha! Look at that Susan, we posted almost the same time!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you. (By the way, been interested in Wild Rose Press...they've got some interesting stuff coming out.)
Ah ha! Less clutter! That will be the excuse for my monthly book bill. "I can spend more because we don't have to worry about space and look...no clutter!"
When I got my kindle last fall, I went from someone who'd never even purchased an indie book to someone who has more of them on my kindle than I do books by traditional authors (probably 5 to 1).
ReplyDeleteThe fact that so many indies offer their novels for under $5 makes them appealing pricewise, and the ease with which you can download samples lets you get a good idea of the quality before purchasing. Yay, e-readers. :)
This is a timely discussion for me, because I'm just about to buy my first ereader. I ride a commuter van to work and back, and in the summer I can really put away the books, but not in the winter, when it's too dark to read. An ereader with backlighting would let me read year round. Those eight extra hours of reading time a week translate into a LOT of novels!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking at Kindle, but also the Nook Color, but I'm totally open to suggestions. Availability of SFR titles and ease of reading are my top priorities. Thoughts?
I've been e-reading since my first digital release in 1998. I started with a rocket eBook, then went to ebookwise, got an original Sony eReader as a gift and bought a kindle a couple of years ago (second gen). Obviously, I'm a dedicated digital reader. lol
ReplyDeleteOne of the main benefits is as the hubby and I spiral toward retirement, it has saved me from adding to my physical book shelves, but it has also helped me always have something on hand to read. And digital reading has gotten me through some tough times.
If you are any lists with dedicated e-reading readers, you'll also find that many of them report reading MORE with their devices. They love free/cheap books and often discover new authors from special sales and freebies.
And they HATE the publishers that overprice and participate in price fixing. I mean seriously hate them. There are sites out there where you can report "lost sales" because of pricing, and of course, the Amazon tagging is used to tag expensive books.
I read somewhere that major publishers don't consider readers their customer. Well, readers don't feel that way! It's rather wild and woolly out there, but there are lots of opportunities for authors in the wild and the woolly. It is truly a brave new reading world!