Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Posting my goals this week with a little incentive from the BIC crew (Maumee Valley RWA Members). I'm hitting fiction hard this week - want to get 1,000 words each day. The Saint is coming together very nicely, even with my 3 week break from everything because of health issues..and I think I may, just may, finish the entire book by mid-next week. Ahead of my schedule!!
And now for the 'ah-ha' moment I've head: E-books, even from the big authors and publishing houses must be soooooo muuuuuch bettttttteeeeeeerrrr than physical books. How did I reach my conclusion?
Y'all know I bought a Kindle a year or so ago. You know I love books. Well, during my health-hiatus I read. A lot, mostly e-books. I read some favorites, I read some new authors and I found a few keepers. I also learned a little something: If I don't like a book, an e-reader puts one more wall between myself and the book - even books written by bestselling authors. With a physical book, I can usually 'comfort' my way through, even if the characters don't 'talk' to me or the writing doesn't 'sing'.
What I learned over the past 3 weeks is that the e-reader actually puts a wall between me and the books I read. It isn't as comfortable for me. My favorite thing is to curl into a corner of my favorite couch, grab a light blanket for my feet (even in 90-degree weather!) and settle in to read. I lose myself in the pages within a few minutes when I have a physical book, even a not-great physical book.
Using my Kindle, that doesn't happen. Of the 10 or so books I read on my Kindle, three were bad. Just. Bad. And no matter how much I tried to like them, to find a comfortable position, to find the good I couldn't do it. It was torture. So I stopped reading those books and moved on. 5 minutes into the next book, even those that didn't become keepters, I was happy. Comfortable and lost again. It happened over and over.
I'm not sure what that means, ultimately, but it's something to think about as I move forward with my own publishing career. Building books for e-readers is a different thing than building books for the general, non-e-reader public. For me, an e-book - even those from the big NY authors - has to be overwhelming, enveloping and charismatic. Because I'm not holding soft, worn pages in my hands. I'm holding a machine that is cold and awkward and distant.
What about you guys? Do you love ebooks, all ebooks? Or do you find youself distanced from the e-versions of books - even books by your favorite authors?
Posted By: Kristina Knight @ 1:26:12 PM
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Posted By: Kristi
Hey Shawn! Thanks for stopping by!! I think, at least for a while, the books I get in e-format will be authors I trust...will be staying away from unknowns for a bit.
Posted on: 7/21/2010 3:09:27 AM
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Posted By: shawn dalton smith
I feel the same way. If I don't know the author, I buy it on my kindle. If I love the book, I keep it or buy the paper and ink version. I do have a book on there that I haven't been able to get into yet. I'm on chapter 3 and so far, I'm not loving it. I keep hoping it will get better.
Posted on: 7/21/2010 1:18:29 AM
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Posted By: Kristi
Hi Jerri, thanks for stopping by! You have nothing to worry about, lady, your books are amazingly yummy!!! I do think you're right, younger readers won't note the difference (as I do) between soft pages and cold machinery because it's what they're used to. And I don't mean to run-down e-publishing because it is a growing thing. I've found some 'keepers' in the e-world, just as I have my 'keepers' in physical books.
The books that didn't 'do it' for me were authors I hadn't read before. Hmmmmm.....Okay, doing a little more research into the books I didn't like. They were from larger NY/epubbers, but none had stellar reviews. What I would call C-graded reviews. But I didn't note the reviews, just went by the blurbs that interested me.
There are a TON Of great e-pubbed/small press books. Note to self: with all further e-books, check reviews first!
Posted on: 7/20/2010 7:43:01 PM
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Posted By: Jerri Drennen
Since I write for e-publishers, I hope that not all readers feel this way. I think younger people love technology and well embrace e-books. I do love the feel of a book in my hand, though.
Posted on: 7/20/2010 7:10:33 PM
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Posted By: Kristi
It took me forever just to buy one, but I do like mine - especially when we travel. So easy to load 5-6 books in an e-reader rather than packing yet another suitcase filled with books!
But, before I got sick I only read 'trusted' authors on the ereader. This time I put everyone there. My faves are still my faves, but I think the lesson learned (for me) is to focus on authors that I lovelovelove on the e-reader rather than putting anything and everything on there.
Thanks for stopping by, D!
Posted on: 7/20/2010 5:25:45 PM
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Posted By: D'Ann linscott-Dunham
Hey, K~
YOu know by now that I'm hopeless when it comes to tech stuff. I keep looking at one of the e-readers at work, but then I go on by, down to the books, and I'm home1 I just cannot get into the cold, square piece of plastic. I don't think I ever will. A friend, Autumn, brought one to a meeting some writer friends had, and for thislong I was tempted. But there's just something about a book....
Posted on: 7/20/2010 4:05:53 PM
