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Who Really Reads Ebooks

ThePinkCage

Hi

My book's come out on ebook and paperback - it's on Amazon. Keen to prmote the ebook - I went for my publisher, Book Republic, because they're very proactive in that sphere and I want to be where the action is.

But I'm curious. Have any of you read ebooks? How do you find the experience? What reader do you use? And would you pick an ebook over a paperback?

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EileenG

Everyone I know who has a Kindle loves it. I know people with Sony e-readers and they complain about having to hook it up to the computer to download books.

However, I'm told that in a competition between Kindle and Nook, the Nook wins hands down.

Bob Z

EileenG wrote: »

However, I'm told that in a competition between Kindle and Nook, the Nook wins hands down.

But the nook seems more like an ipad though

FewFew

I think cost plays a major role here.

Kindle is under €200 and is great at what it does.

Other eReaders have more capabilities, but generally they cost more and more until you're in tablet territory, in which case I might as well just get a tablet.

Antilles

I was without my Kindle for a few days last week and couldn't bring myself to go back to reading from paper. Turning pages is so much wasted energy.

Bob Z

Fewcifur wrote: »

I think cost plays a major role here.

Kindle is under €200 and is great at what it does.

Other eReaders have more capabilities, but generally they cost more and more until you're in tablet territory, in which case I might as well just get a tablet.

but arent ebook readers better than tablets for reading?

FewFew

Bob Z wrote: »

but arent ebook readers better than tablets for reading?

Yup, which is why I'd grab a Kindle if I wanted a reader. Cheapish and do the trick.

CD.

my ebooks are currently free in america, in the past 3 days or so they have over 5000 downloads between the two of them.

Of course, being that they are free they will be different numbers compared to priced stuff, but it gives you an idea of the scale of people who download ebooks.
Those numbers have gotten me into the top 100 free listings, (the second book made it to #68, the first book got to #118) the first book was free and sales were fast but slower than the second book which has 2500 downloads in less than 48 hours.

It might not seem like a large market or anything, but really it is a great one, after all, there is no physical product to store and there is no limit to how long you can leave it there.

I havn't reached those numbers on the UK site, which isn't suprising really, as america is a large market my fasted downloads per day on the UK site was 110 compared to over 1000 on the american site and with that I was highish in the top 100 free (as far as I can recall, not 100% sure think I was around the 60's, but I did get to number one in genre specific charts)

pickarooney

A little OT, but I've read a few of your stories, CD, and while there's some good stuff in there I can't help feeling that you'd be better off writing fewer stories but spending more time on refining and editing them. It sometimes seems as if you're in a mad panic to get a story done by a deadline and it even comes across in the punctuation with sentences all run together with commas.

On the other hand it's good to keep writing and writing while you have the motivation and it gives you lots to work with when you go to make your first book for sale.

BostonB

I used to read ebooks on my windows pocket pc when I used to get the train. very handly for reading on the go and reading in snatches. Its always where you last were , when you turn it on. Haven't sprung for a new eReader yet, as they are still a bit pricey. I still like books though.

CD.

pickarooney wrote: »

A little OT, but I've read a few of your stories, CD, and while there's some good stuff in there I can't help feeling that you'd be better off writing fewer stories but spending more time on refining and editing them. It sometimes seems as if you're in a mad panic to get a story done by a deadline and it even comes across in the punctuation with sentences all run together with commas.

On the other hand it's good to keep writing and writing while you have the motivation and it gives you lots to work with when you go to make your first book for sale.

Yeah I have felt that myself sometimes with commas, problem is theres no place to put a full stop or an and, so I'll probably do some research into similar kinds of punctuation or try to find ways to break them up. Generally, most if not all of the stories are written on the same day, I keep meaning to make a buffer and will have to now that college is coming. I was thinking that what I'll do is write a load then I can leave most of them for a while before I edit rather than Write-edit-post that I usually do.

I'll probably have a week or two where I read over old posts to see if I can see any problems/typos, I was glancing over a few of them a while a few days ago and noticed a few typos jumping out that when your reading properly, your eye just skims over.

As you said, I've been super productive with it, I've probably written more short stories this last summer than in my entire life! so really pleased with that, even if not all of them are amazing, the idea is there and I can polish/lenghthen them

Thanks

it really helps to have someone say something that I wouldn't see or notice because I'm so close to it if that makes sense?

Jimoslimos

I think a similar (not exactly the same, mind) parallel could have been alluded to with the early beginnings of mp3 and digital music. The question back then might have been "who listens to mp3s? or who downloads music?" And the answers - "not a lot, but its growing......prices are still too high.....i'll always prefer to have a physical copy of my music......can't find the stuff I want - I don't want to but I download illegally." See any resonance here?

Amazon have pretty much mirrored Apple's early approach to digital music sales. Own propietary(sp) software (AZW) vs industry standard (ePub) + a rather nifty gadget (IMO the best on the market).

As for publishers, they're understandably cautious. For starters they can foresee a time when Amazon (or whichever major player emerges) can wield enormous sway on ebook pricing. Second I reckon ebooks will overtake printed in the next 5-10 years (don't quote me on that though yet!) and with it will diminish one of the main roles of a publisher - that is, to print and distribute books. What happens when major authors (no longer requiring publicity generated from publishers) decides to release a 'special' electronic only novel? WHAT IF (assuming out of contract) they bypass the publisher and go straight to Amazon - given that Amazon are acting more akin to a publisher and less like a distributor when it comes to ebooks? What happens when everyone starts doing this and printed copies are only reserved for when the author is super successful?

Perhaps (and I really sincerely hope not!) publishers will take an approach akin to current record companies where young, promising artists have vast amounts of marketing thrown at them in the hope of creating a global megastar. A literary X-factor of sorts:eek:

Alot of what ifs here and maybe not all will come to pass but things are changing.

TL;DR: Books = LPs / eBooks = MP3s / Publishers = Record companies

EileenG

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Second I reckon ebooks will overtake printed in the next 5-10 years (don't quote me on that though yet!) and with it will diminish one of the main roles of a publisher - that is, to print and distribute books. What happens when major authors (no longer requiring publicity generated from publishers) decides to release a 'special' electronic only novel? WHAT IF (assuming out of contract) they bypass the publisher and go straight to Amazon - given that Amazon are acting more akin to a publisher and less like a distributor when it comes to ebooks? What happens when everyone starts doing this and printed copies are only reserved for when the author is super successful?

Perhaps (and I really sincerely hope not!) publishers will take an approach akin to current record companies where young, promising artists have vast amounts of marketing thrown at them in the hope of creating a global megastar. A literary X-factor of sorts:eek:

Alot of what ifs here and maybe not all will come to pass but things are changing.

TL;DR: Books = LPs / eBooks = MP3s / Publishers = Record companies

I think this has already happened. I'm pretty sure I read recently that Amazon are selling more e-books than paper books. I know e-books overtook hardbacks a year or so back, but I think they have recently overtaken paperbacks as well.

And Amazon have recently signed up a 16 year old author and are acting as her publisher.

As for the competitions, there are a lot of competitions out there where people compete to get the attention of an editor or agent, and some big ones where they compete for the big prizes.

Bob Z

So has anyone here tried the nook?

pickarooney

I don't think I'll ever come around to reading bedtime stories from a tablet, and I'm definitely not letting the kids use it to learn to read. I also can't see my family and friends offering e-Books as presents so there's at least one part of the physical book market which I think (hope) is safe.

The Nook sounds like a Dr. Seuss book.

chicken fingers

What about when your kids really want you to read them the latest and greatest book, which you don't already have?
If you were an ebook user you could download the illustrated, full colour book on your nook for example.
And you could do it in less time than it takes the kids to get into their PJs.
I've seen on boards from a couple of years ago, those who are against the ebook, one they actually try it, get hooked, and those who have never tried it will swear that they will definitely never, ever prefer ebooks to normal books.

Your point about the presents is valid, you can clearly see what happened to the concept of giving CDs as gifts.
But it died out, rather than being the one remaining way that people obtained CDs.

We're talking about ebook readers, not tablets, there is a difference, do you own a kindle or nook?

BostonB

A kid ripping a book, or spilling milk on it, is one thing, breaking a kindle another. Not sure I read a kindle in the bath, like I would a book. Or on a beach etc.

Someone in the family has a iPad, I couldn't imagine reading on it. Its just too heavy and bulky. Whereas I see people on the bus with Kindle's. They just slip them in their jacket pocket. A kindle is practical, tablets often aren't. At least not yet.

pickarooney

chicken fingers wrote: »

What about when your kids really want you to read them the latest and greatest book, which you don't already have?

By the time they understand the concept of fashion in literature they'll be well able to read themselves and probably have their own e-readers.

We're talking about ebook readers, not tablets, there is a difference, do you own a kindle or nook?

I don't really see the difference, apart from the versatility of the tablet and the weight, which is about 600g compared to 300g for the Kindle. I don't have a kindle or a nook, mostly because my tablet does the same job.

chicken fingers

pickarooney wrote: »

By the time they understand the concept of fashion in literature they'll be well able to read themselves and probably have their own e-readers.

I don't really see the difference, apart from the versatility of the tablet and the weight, which is about 600g compared to 300g for the Kindle. I don't have a kindle or a nook, mostly because my tablet does the same job.

1) Its just an example, their friends in school might be talking about a specific book and they might want it.
I did this the other day with my niece who was sick and wanted a specific book for bed and she was delighted.

2) If you don't really see the difference where there are huge differences, fair enough, thanks for posting and sharing your ignorance of the topic at hand.

pickarooney

And thanks for reminding us what a pleasant individual you are to discuss with.

BostonB

I think the extra weight is a major issue, not something significant.

BostonB

What the difference in cost in eBook and regular books? Books in Ireland are very expensive, especially as an impulse buy.

Kinski

BostonB wrote: »

What the difference in cost in eBook and regular books? Books in Ireland are very expensive, especially as an impulse buy.

Depends on the book. Though often there is little difference. Don't buy hardcopies from bookshops here - shop on bookdepository.co.uk instead.

pickarooney

BostonB wrote: »

I think the extra weight is a major issue, not something significant.

Likewise the small screen of the Kindle would be a major issue for me, but it's swings and roundabouts. If I wanted a small screen device I'd get a 7" tablet and lose 250g

What the difference in cost in eBook and regular books? Books in Ireland are very expensive, especially as an impulse buy.

.

Depends where you're comparing to. I always fill up on English books when I'm home at about two quid a book.

BostonB

pickarooney wrote: »

Likewise the small screen of the Kindle would be a major issue for me, but it's swings and roundabouts. If I wanted a small screen device I'd get a 7" tablet and lose 250g....

Well the screen is designed for reading books, specifically.

Whats the weight difference between a tablet and a kindle with the same screen size.

BostonB

Kinski wrote: »

Depends on the book. Though often there is little difference. Don't buy hardcopies from bookshops here - shop on bookdepository.co.uk instead.

Kinda hard to impulse buy from that, then read it there and then.

EileenG

I buy a huge number of impulse kindle books for $3 or so. At that price, I don't have to justify it to myself, I just go ahead and buy, and if it turns out to be a lemon, I don't feel too cheated.

The last time I went on holidays by myself, I ended up with a crowd of wrinklies who wouldn't talk to me, and I was travelling Ryanair light. If I hadn't had a dozen books on my Kindle ap, I'd have been sunk. As it was, I caught up with all my reading and enjoyed myself anyway.

Kinski

BostonB wrote: »

Kinda hard to impulse buy from that, then read it there and then.

Then get a Kindle.

pickarooney

BostonB wrote: »

Well the screen is designed for reading books, specifically.

Whats the weight difference between a tablet and a kindle with the same screen size.

I think the 10" Kindle DX is about 50g lighter than my Android tablet of the same size. The 6" in kindle is about 70g lighter than a 7" version I think.

Regarding the scren, I honestly don't know. I haven't tested a Kindle for more than 5 minutes or in the dark or sun.

Chinafoot

Don't forget that Kindles can't currently be used for library ebooks.

FewFew

Right, just went on a Kindle shopping spree.

Bought two of the fecking things (possibly poor logic here, but I decided to start buying Christmas presents now as I may find myself unemployed nearer to the event.). Amazon is such a pain in the ass.

It knows I'm in Ireland, there are Irish flags everywhere and it's charging me more money for my ebooks. Soooo... why is it when I click on the big kindle add, it lets me add the US only version into my cart. Annoying.

Then I try to buy a cover for it, and it turns out the cover can't be shipped outside of the states.

This is quite annoying, there are just constantly errors in your order, but no warning until you press the payment button. Gah!

Also, I'm not a fan of the "Kindle + special offers" deal. It sounds like you're buying a Kindle on special offer, about $20 off the price, but what it actually means is your Kindle will start showing adverts whenever you're not reading something on it! I think I'd rather pay the $20 and not carry around ads for the lifetime of the product.