purplerabbit

Since Faewolf is an ebook, it has got me thinking a lot about the barriers that I have had to buying ebooks.

My first objection was readability. That is becoming less and less of an option, especially given how much reading folks do online already and how much better the technology is now. For Faewolf, I think Circlet Press has done an excellent job in their formatting and in making sure it is available in lots of different types of files. The new readers that are coming out are amazing in their quality so that they look more and more like reading on paper. (I have friends who have Sony and Kindle devices.)

My second objection was durability. I am very used to having a book to hold in my hands. And I still like that. On the other hand, ebooks make up for that in a number of ways. The files are permanent, you can keep them and store them on your computer or other device. They take up less space and are easier to move. Our last move was a nightmare. We have over twenty large bookcases. I am actually looking at getting more of those books in digital form so we can have more room in our house. I am also finding ebooks might help with access issues for me. My fibromyalgia means it can be difficult and painful to hold a large book, especially in hardcover, when I read.

My third was value. Like most people, I want to stretch my money to cover as much as possible. Yet, most ebooks are priced less than a paperback. Even with discounts, the traditional hardback release is usually five times as much money as a new ebook. And ebooks are immediately downloadable and you don't have to pay for shipping. Even when you find a cheap used paperback online, you have to pay to ship it.

Faewolf, along with most ebooks, costs less than it costs to go to see a movie. When you go to the theatre, you don't even get to re-watch the movie. And DVDs usually cost more than ebooks. My family are big movie fans. For one movie, we will spend the cost of taking all of us (4-5 adults) plus soda, candy and popcorn to the show. Then if we like the movie, we buy the DVD when it comes out. That means we probably spend at least $50 on a film, sometimes more.

My biggest problem with ebooks so far is portability. But only because the ebook readers are still too expensive. If my family is to realistically switch over to buying more ebooks, we will need a reading device for each of us. The ebook readers we like so far are all several hundred dollars. There are five adults and one teenager in our house. That's a lot of money to equip us. We probably won't be able to do it until they are under $100 each. In the meantime, we use our laptops. I like to read in bed, and I find it possible, but more difficult, to read in bed with a laptop. It gets heavy and hot though. And I want the book that can slip into my bag or pocket. In my family, we never go anywhere without a book. It can be odd but fun to see us all sitting there during a lull on outings, reading our books.

The move to ebooks has a lot to recommend it and I will be doing more with them. I like the growing diversity of choices for reading and I want to support it. As a writer, I like the potential to develop new literature and give more creative control to authors. As a reader, I like that it will give me more books to read.