Yes, I know. Given what I've posted in this blog before about e-books, your jaw probably just hit the floor. But things change, and I take back everything I ever said about e-books.
I admit it: I am an e-book junkie.
I blame my phone. I've had the Kindle software on my computer for quite a while, but I just can't get into reading novel-length texts on my computer. I didn't bother to buy an e-reader because I thought reading on it would be just as tedious.
That all changed one day while hubby and I were stuck in traffic waiting on a train.
I had been crowing about how cool my phone is.
"This phone really amps up my productivity." I snapped a picture of the train. "Now if I wanted, I could Tweet about being stuck in traffic and include that picture."
I opened up Hootsuite. "And see, now I can check my mentions on Twitter."
I opened up my Blog. "I can jot down some notes or even do a whole blog post if I want."
I opened up the Kindle software pre-loaded on the phone. "And if I wanted to, I could even buy a book right now."
I clicked on a horror anthology e-book listed in my recommendations. "Look," I said, "I'm downloading a book right now, while we're stuck in traffic."
That's when Pandora's box opened. I started reading the book while we waited for the train . . . and while I waited for my daughter after school . . . and while I sat in the dentist's office . . . and while I waited in line at Wal-mart customer service.
Not that I didn't always try to have a printed book with me wherever I went, but I'd often rush out of the house and forget it. With my phone, I've been "trained" to have it with me everywhere I go. Thus, my e-books are with me wherever I go.
So lately I've been scouring the Internet for free and low price e-books (and there are loads of them). I've ran into a few that have been . . . um . . . well, less than stellar reads. It doesn't really matter, though, because most of them are free. Do you know how many printed books I've paid $15 dollars for and they've sucked? Free takes all the risk out.
As a reader, you can see why I love e-books: infinitely portable and incredibly cheap. But I've even been rethinking my opinion on e-books from an author's perspective.
At first, the free & ninety-nine cent price structure seemed like a really bad idea. Who can make a living off of selling books at ninety-nine cents? Then I looked at my own buying habits. I'm more likely to take a chance on an unfamiliar author by buying a ninety-nine cent e-book rather than a seven dollar paperback or twenty-dollar hardcover (and honestly, I haven't bought a hardcover in years). So it's definitely a way for a new author to gain readers.
Also, most of the printed books I've bought over the last couple of years have been used books, where no money goes to the author. The author is definitely going to make more money off me through a ninety-nine cent e-book than they would if I bought the book used.
So e-books are starting to look really, really good to me, both as a reader AND a writer.
I am the converted: a fan of the e-book revolution!
For a daily list of free & cheap e-books, check out this site: http://www.dailycheapreads.com/
I started with a Kindle app on my iPod, moved to one on my computer...now I have a 3G Kindle and a brand new Fire. I know exactly what you're talking about!
ReplyDeleteYep, sounds like you're an ebook addict too, lol! I plan on taking the plunge and getting a Kindle (words I never thought I'd say)!
ReplyDeleteI guess mom was right when she used to say, "Try it, you'll like it!"