Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Have U Changed Your BOOK Buying HABITS?


So, have you done it? Turned, simulated, and changed your book buying habits since the onset of ebooks and ereaders?

I USED TO...
I was a library, bookstore groupie. I would hang out in the library for hours. And for me, that wasn't a lot. I lived in DC and would visit the Library of Congress and just... hang out and read. Being in that large, stately building of books, oh the smell... indescribable. But my first love was the neighborhood library where I used to walk to get...peace. Looking back on my life as a young person, I had a lot of drama, but I loved to dream and the city library let me do it.

THEN I...
Grew up, got out of college, had kids and ... would sneak off to the bookstore on my lunch break. I'd scoop up tons of books for my weekend all night reading sessions in bed. Then hooked my kids on my favorite hide out, the local library.

BUT now...
I'm an ebook addict. It happened. Not over night but gradually for me. I started buying ebooks when I would be stuck at work, at my desk and have to stay in for a 30 min lunch break. So I started to buy quick short stories to read on my computer at work while I ate. It got to the point where I was downloading 1 a day. After I got my ereader...well, the rest is history. I have bookshelves filled with googobs of books, but mostly for my kids who don't have ereaders. But even my 8 yr old said he wanted one and I've ordered books for him and my 10yr old who fight over my reader. Not to mention my teen who wants her own this Christmas.

THE Future...
It's happening. With the closing of our local bookstore, buying more books online at book festivals or downloading onto an ereader is a much easier option.

From a Author/Publisher Perspective...
More and more of my MG are staring to sell in ebooks, although the lionshare of the sales are in paperback. My YA's started off selling more in paperback, until I put them in ebook and they are selling far better than my paperback books. Which is great for the publishing company since we don't have to print so many initial runs of books. And the cost for producing ebooks is much cheaper.

WHAT HAVE YOU CHANGED ABOUT YOUR BOOK BUYING HABITS?

7 comments:

Catherine Stine said...

Yes, I buy most books through Amazon and for my kindle. But I still LOVE browsing at B&N.

E. Arroyo said...

I was a library junkie. I used to buy books second hand or on sale and waited patiently for the buzz to die down, and the price, to go out and buy one I really, really wanted. My Christmas lists were filled with books. LOL. Until I got my ereader. I love it. There's so much greatness out there I can't wait to absorb it all. I should probably find a support group. =)

Mardel said...

my book buying habits have changed lately but not because of e-books (not directly anyway). I don't have a reader, and I still enjoy the whole physical book in my hand thing. I also love being in the bookstores and being able to browse through to any page I choose - which is way different from trying to browse through the online "see inside" book feature (like on amazon).
However, due in part because of the tech change with books, my favorite bookstore has closed (Borders - r.i.p.) which means now I have to either order online (takes most of the fun of shopping away) or go to a bookstore I've been boycotting because they harass people into buying their membership card (B&N). I work when the indie stores in town are open. sigh.

I'm also back to buying mostly paperbacks, waiting even for my favorite authors to print ppb a year after the hardbacks come out because of the economy. Can't afford to buy what I want when I want. I consider myself lucky that I'm able to buy books at all at this point. :)
At the present time I don't see myself buying an e-reader.

LM Preston said...

Someday you may be able to even 'borrow' them from the libraries I bet.

Kelly Hashway said...

I have a Kindle but I don't use it as much as I use paperbacks. I have a stack of books waiting for me to read them. I like the immediacy of being able to download a book and have it in seconds, but I love the feel of a real book in my hands as opposed to an ereader. It doesn't compare for me.

Jessie Harrell said...

My Kindle is my book life line. If I win a book, I'll take read the paper version, but for me, Kindle is just as good. Plus, I get my books faster & cheaper. AND, when going on vacation, there's no huge stack to lug in my suitcase. Glad to be an e-book convert.

Kelly A. Harmon said...

I like eBooks, but I find myself racing through them to get to the end.

When I need to read something , electronic is fine.

When I want to relax and unwind, I still like the paper version.

I have a feeling my attitude will change over time. I do like being able to carry a library of books on my reader.