I’d like to believe books are here to stay. I love the feel and smell of a paperbound novel. And, like some of you mentioned yesterday, my eyes are tired after spending so much time on the computer. Why would I want to relax in the same way?
As some of you pointed out, the new generation is very much into techno-gadgets, so maybe they won’t enjoy a book that requires turning paper pages. However, audio books have been out forever and they haven’t taken over the world.
I’m not saying e-books won’t stick around. I believe they will, but there may be room for both versions of a book, kind of like paperback and hardcover. At least with paper books, you can keep your copy for a lifetime. I would think with e-books, at some point, you’ll have to delete the novel for lack of storage space. That doesn’t work for me. I love to collect books, both read and unread. I like to surround myself with their physical being, which is one of the reasons I enjoy book stores and libraries. And I know I’m not the only one who feels this way.
But let’s say I’m wrong and e-books replace paperbound books. I don’t think that’ll mean the end of agents and large publishing houses. I could see those publishers taking control of the market and releasing e-books instead of the old paper format. There’s no doubt this would be a lot cheaper for them. In fact, a small press, who might have otherwise closed its doors, might turn to this option as a last resort.
What do you think?
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I love my ebooks! I'd hate to think of losing my Kindle though...
ReplyDeleteI would like to get an eReader someday, but I don't know that I could ever give up hard copies. I might have to live with both.
ReplyDeleteI don't think self-publishing will ever replace traditional publishing. There's too much variable in self-publishing--to ensure quality, there *must* be some form of filter, a role currently filled by traditional publishers.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I see the eco-friendly side of the ebook, but, like you, I simply cannot imagine giving up my very much loved paper books. There's something about the aesthetics of it, the feel, the smell... When I am dead and gone, the world is free to do what every they like with books, but until that happens, they'd better not get rid of them! :)
ReplyDeleteI love to curl up with a good book. A good, three-dimensional book that I can hold and smell and sit in a big comfy chair with.
ReplyDeleteI think there will be room for both.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for traditional books, although I have purchased EBooks. Electronic devices fail. Can you imagine your reader or computer crashing and losing THOUSANDS of dollars worth of books?
L. Diane Wolfe “Spunk On A Stick”
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
I'm an old fashioned girl and like to carry the book around. Still, the e market is clearly growing and we should be familiar with it as writers. These are good discussions to have.
ReplyDeleteLike I mentioned yesterday, I love the feel and experience of a real book as well. ANd love being surrounded by my books. However, the Kindle is winning me over. It's not like reading on a computer, the e-ink technology looks like a written page. I didn't think that was possible until I experienced it.
ReplyDeleteThe first book I read on it, I kept lifting my finger to the corner to turn the page, lol. I would completely forget that I wasn't reading a physical book.
Also, you can only hold a certain amount of books on there (1500 I think), but amazon saves your purchases on their database, so if you delete them off your kindle, you can still re-download them (for free since you already bought it) anytime.
I am one of those who loves having a paper book in my hands. My daughter-in-law got a Kindle for her anniversary, I might ask if I can borrow it just to see what it is like to read a book from an electronic devise. Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy it. It seems the Kindle would be great to us when you are traveling by plane since you can take lots of books and not have the weight.
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