Wednesday, October 5, 2011

eBooks aren't going anywhere

There's no doubt eBooks are on the rise. It's similar to when people decided to ditch in their VCRs for a new, sleek DVD player. I have a feeling that this holiday season will push things along when, after receiving electronic devices and gift cards for Amazon, itunes, etc, people will be on the search for titles in the e-department. And once they're in, they'll stay.

There is another reason eBooks will grow in popularity: privacy. Funny to say, but there's a growing market for erotic literature. I have nothing against this genre, it's just too steamy for me to read, but many readers will suddenly have the freedom to own books they were too shy to purchase at stores. Overall, I think people are shy about any of the titles they buy, erotic or mainstream, and will enjoy the ease of purchasing titles at home. When I worked at the library, a lot of older women would check out several of romances at a time, always with an embarrassed expression on their face. Then there were the sci-fi and fantasy junkies--I'm just guessing this sector of readers will be (if not already) on the ebook bandwagon. They were more into the story, and not just the format--moving on to audio and early forms of the ebook before anyone else had the nerve to try. I think lovers of classic literature will be slower to jump in, but eventually too will enjoy how easy it is to search and download a book.

Then there is the price. Let's face it, eBooks are currently cheaper than hardcover. And as you know hardcovers have typically been released before paperbacks, so if you really wanted that new title you were looking at a cost of ten to twenty dollars, if not more. Ebooks are as cheap as a paperback release, sometimes cheaper. That's going to be a great initiative for buyers.

I asked this a few months ago, but have you gotten an e-reader device yet? Do you like it? Does it have other features such as the ability to go online, apps, etc.? Have you purchased hard copies of books, or have you been sticking with the downloads process?

Take care today!

7 comments:

  1. haven't got one yet but I can feel the tingle..it won't be too long.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't have one either Amy. I quite like to have a book I can take with me and read whenever I have the opportunity.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have an Kindle and I really do love it. But not as much as I love my paperbacks. I read an equal amount of both as I alternate between them to keep the score even :o)

    ReplyDelete
  4. They're being really smart with these new designs. I noticed one had a woodgrain finish, and I can see that appealing to those who like the look and feel of books. Anything that sort of fulfills that textile sensory issue will win in the end.

    Thanks for the replies everyone!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've read a few books on the Kindle. But it hasn't replaced print for me. Now that the weather is cooling off, I'm craving a nice fat book to hold and lovingly turn the pages while I get lost in the story.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I can't see myself buying a 'Kindle'. I read very few novels, preferring strange reference, or arty, books. Chacun son goût.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love love LOVE my Kindle. I read and buy way more books now than I did before - because I can afford the cheaper prices! Also, it's so easy to buy a new book once you're finished the old one. And because I live in a small flat, it's ideal for storage.

    ReplyDelete

A Millennial romp through Jane Austen

  A few years back I wrote this story about a fifteen-year-old girl named Frankie drudging through a very complicated life in a fictional sm...