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Monday, February 15, 2010

I need your ePinion about something...

 
Hi, all! I guess, by now, everyone has heard of eBook readers: Kindle, Nook, Sony eReader, etc. Kinda makes you wonder where the publishing business is going. But the purpose of this post is NOT to debate whether or not paper books would ever or should ever go away. 
But I want to do some fact finding. I figure most of the folks who visit here are pretty avid readers. What I want to know is how many of you:

A) Own an eBook reader of some kind or have access to one?

B) And, of those who could potentially read eBooks on a reader: what would you think of me writing a book to publish ONLY for eReaders? I literally have 24-28 book concepts fleshed out and saved in digital folders. What if I wrote one just for eBooks? The price would be much lower $3-5, most likely. 

Thoughts? Insights?


51 comments:

Kayla said...

I don't have an e-reader. It's a little out of my price range right now. But my brother, who reads a lot, has an ipod touch, which he can get books on. I can't entirely speak for him, but I could totally see him buying a book for $3-5

If you had it available for e-readers, would you sell it as a pdf or something like that so the non-e-readers would have access?

Anonymous said...

I don't have a eBook reader.

I like the idea of publishing a book for them, except for the fact that the rest of us will be wondering what we missed out on!

Unknown said...

Hmmm, I'd think that it would be a great idea, and great for lots of people with the reduced price. But I'm thinking that since you're target(if I'm not mistaken) is youth, and since a lot of teens do not have the money to purchase an e-reader or are prevented by some reason to not get an e-reader, you would be excluding a large portion of your fans and audience from getting to read what I'm sure would be an AWESOME book. Just my thoughts.

Seth,

Unknown said...

Yeah, it probably would be a good idea, but I don't have a e-reader, and personally, I would KILL myself if I couldn't read one of your books because I didn't have an electronic device. Just my e-pinion though.

Wooton said...

I don't have an e-reader or any access to one

Prescott said...

A) I don't have an eReader.
B) i like the idea of buying a book for $3-5, but then, whoever doesn't have one will miss out.

Madeline said...

Don't have one either. Don't ever plan on getting one. There's something to be said about a real live book you can put on your real live shelf that you can really pick up and read and take a break from looking at screens (like I am now...*sigh*)

Anyway, if you wrote another book I would really want to read it and wouldn't be able to. That would stink.

Jonathan Maiocco said...

I do not have a Kindle or Nook... but, I do have an iTouch that has the Kindle application on it. I would probably buy your books off of Amazon or something... but, if I had a Kindle or Nook, then I would DEFINITELY buy your books. (The iTouch screen really small...). I also like the idea of the books being in a reasonable prize range. That would be awesome! :D

Cson said...

If you publish it through kindle, even people without e-readers (like me) would be able to read it with Amazon's kindle app for PC or mac.

I say go for it! The more books you write the better. :D

Katie said...

I have an Amazon Kindle. From my side of the line, it would AWESOME if you wrote something for only e-readers, as long as it was cheaper than a normal e-book would be. If it wasn't going to be cheaper then I would say to go ahead and publish it as a paper book also so that everyone could read it. Of corse, then I look at it from the other side of the line, the one where I wouldn't have a Kindle, and I think that I probably like it better if I could read all of the great stories.

So, yeah. There is my thoughts, do with them what you will! :P

Precentor said...

I am not in the market for an E reader, nor do I think stories just for them are a good Idea. But, hey, I am biased, I don't wanna miss out on epic stories because they are E only lol.

Millardthemk

LAM said...

I have an iPod touch that i could use... but i agree with Madeline. I think i would miss the feel of the pages and all that. But 3-5 dollars would be nice... Hum decissions, decissions. lol I don't even know if my parents would let me buy it. That would STINK!

Lauren

Anonymous said...

I own a Barnes & Noble Nook and I ADORE it! I currently do buy books that are only published in ebook format so I would be very open to purchasing a book from you that was ebook only.

My only 'gripe' about ebooks is that I have to be very careful about where I purchase them. If they are ebooks only, and not through mainstream publishers, quality can sometimes be less than you get in paper books.

WingedWriter318 said...

I don't have an e-reader. I don't really want one. The cheap prices are tempting but I really enjoy having a physical book in my hands. I don't really like the idea of publishing a book just for e-readers because the rest of us miss out. Lots of e-readers are really expensive.

Betsy B said...

I have a Kindle, but I almost never use it because I love the feeling of a book in my hand!
However, if you do write an ebook, I'd definitely buy it ^_^

Nathan R. Petrie said...

A) I do not have an e-reader. And I will never...ever buy one.

B) But there are many people that do own them and buy books constantly for them. If you sold it as an e-book that would also allow a PDF copy automatically. Plus you could sell the file offhand to people. Personally, I don't like the idea. Why write an idea, probably as good an idea as any, specifically to one crowd (e-book readers) when you could do both. A normally published book could be made into an e-book. And then everyone's happy :)
Now if this is an idea you don't think could be published normally, then run with the e-book idea. There's a major following for them, I just boycott the concept :) LOL

Anonymous said...

I don't own an e-reader and personally, I think they're ridiculous and I will never stoop so low as to buy one unless they actually stop publishing physical books. While technology can be good, there is just a point in which it goes too far. With computers, cell phones, iPods, digital cameras, etc. this e-reader thing is just another screen for us to look at. And such devices are not good for our eyes. Eventually, we'll be so disconnected from reality and from other people. Everything will run through the internet and we'll never interact face-to-face with other people ever again.
Please pardon my cynicism. I consider myself old fashioned and I rarely see the point in all this modernization and techy stuff. And I'll get off my soapbox now.
What I'm saying is: don't conform to the technology. It's not worth it.

Random Ruthie
Scribe of the King

CMR said...

Go for it! I have a Kindle and I love your books! Plus, $3- $5 is a great price.

Cacia said...

I don't have an eReader or access to something like it. I don't plan on getting an eReader, either. While the convinience is great (only one thing to take on vacation, instead of a heavy box full of books!), I can't give up the feel of a book in my hands, the smell of the pages, and the crowded bookshelf full of real books.
And thusly, if you published a book for eReaders only, I would, sadly, miss out on it.

Ivorydancer said...

A) I don't own an eReader.... that's only for books... My iTouch is very similar to an eReader, and I enjoy being able to read anywhere without having to worry about a book getting bent up in my purse ;)

B) NO!!! I'm a sucker for owning 3D books.... that would be devastating if I couldn't add it to my collection :(
please don't!

Anonymous said...

I don't have an e-reader and am not really interested in buying one, mostly because of the money. But would highly consider buying an e-book just for one of your books.

Jessica

Shane Deal said...

I do use an e-reader, an iPod touch. My most used program on there actually. (After Mail and Safari)

Amazon Kindle App and the Stanza Reader App, are the programs I use for that. The Kindle app is nice, and there is now a PC version, with a mac version coming soon. That's really nice.

Very rarely however will I buy books I have not already read for it. I mostly like it so I'm not lugging around a bookshelf full of books everywhere I go and yet can still have the books I read every year with me nearly anywhere, such as the Narnia books, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings, I use it as a compliment to the physical book.

That said, I would be less likely to buy a book that was e-reader only, I almost always prefer having a hard copy over the e-reader. At the $3-$5 range I probably would take the risk.

e-readers have one very serious drawback, it is much more difficult to loan books to friends, even though the Nook has a sharing service, I think your friend has to have one too. Forget donating to a library. I often loan my books to my friends, so that is an issue I would have with it.

In short, I prefer hard copies generally speaking.

Ama Lane said...

I don't have the money for some thing like that (the dead moth in my wallit laughs at me if I even look at that stuff.) I personaly Probibly woldnt have one though even if I had the cash... Reading on a screan can give me a migrain after a wile and I'm a fan of the ink of a page...And I love to read your stuff and would be a little down if I couldnt read one of your books for lack of eqitment.

jacob said...

I do not have an eReader (nook, Kindle or others)...BUT I do have an iPod Touch and have just downloaded the Kindle and BNN eReader apps...

I like the idea of an eBook, but for those of us who do NOT have an eReader, maybe making it a PDF version only available on your blog for those of us (me included :)) that do not have the money to purchase something like that.

And that's my $0.02... I think I borrowed that from someone...I don't remember who... but thanks anyway!! :) So ANYWAYS...

Jared said...

I don't have an e-reader. I don't have the money for it. I've thought about saving up and getting one, but and e-reader can never replace a normal book. Turning the pages, the smell - everything that seems small, I would suddenly miss it if I got an e-reader. b) I think it's a nice idea, but since I don't have one or access to one, I wouldn't get to read it. I love your books and I would hate it if I couldn't read one. I don't know if this is an option, but maybe you could wright books for both. You could buy it regularly, or buy it less expensive for an e-reader.

Anonymous said...

A - I don't have an E-book reader...

B - Probably not, because I don't have a reader, and don't plan on buying one.... I would rather pay the extra money to hold a flesh-and-blood BOOK in my hands... they're so much more satisfying, in my opinion, than killing your eyes on an electronic devise.

-whisper

WayneThomasBatson said...

Outstanding feedback. Thanks for not pulling any punches. I likely will write a book for eReaders, but I will also make it available for sale in .pdf format for those who just want to download it.

What book? Lord, I need help with that one. I just don't know. lol Many ideas to choose from!

Nathanael said...

I dont have an ebook reader. 75% of your fans are under 16! and that is WAY out of my price range!!i think that if you did both. it would be good, of you could have a download link that we could download the book.

Jared said...

Maybe you could write a science fiction book, or maybe a mystery.

Anonymous said...

I don't have an e-reader and have no access to one, but $3-5 would be great.

The Allebian Knight said...

So, basically, most people don't have an e-reader, some that do don't use it often, and some love it. Therefore, many are closed to the idea of an e-reader book from the best author on the face of the Universe (is that possible... face of the Universe???). I also am closed to the idea (stated before), but I would be open to buying it in PDF form for the same price.

But a regular book would be the best. Probably more expensive and harder to publish, but probably getting more publicity.

Unknown said...

1) I do not have an eBook.

2) I'm kinda biased this way: I would be very opposed to someone publishing a book only on eBooks!! Here's why: As I see it, eBooks are conveniences, not necessities... in other words, I'd only use a gadget like that if I really needed it (like if I needed to bring a bunch of books on a plane ride or something). I'll always prefer the "real" paper-page books over electronic screens, and I'll probably eventually be considered old-fashioned for it! Haha. Oh well.

Continuing with this topic, I am COMPLETELY supportive of new technologies, but I'm opposed to them overtaking our lives so much that it becomes ridiculous. (Which is slowly becoming the case among us youths. Sigh.) E.g., texting the person next to you, or sending a Facebook message to your friend down the street unnecessarily. Yes, it really happens.

So, sorry for my babbling. :-D YES, it would be awesome if you published books to kindles and other such appliances, but I would rather that you publish them as "real" books too. Otherwise I might not be able to read them... and that would be very upsetting!!

Precentor said...

Then write it fast WTB!! Actually, for the bright side of the whole E book thing, have like a paper manuscript sorta thing might be cool as well.

Lady M. said...

Having a book on the e-reader will mean your going to have to do something about the rest of us who don't! Please make it avalible to everyone!!

nissa-amas-katoj said...

I have a Palm something-or-other and have in the past purchased a couple of Donita K. Paul books in ebook form.

I have since purchased one of them in book form. I never finished the book as an e-book; I'm really enjoying it far more in real-book form.

Violinist4Christ said...

I don't have an e-reader, and I really don't have any plans to get one. I generally don't really like reading for long periods of time on electronic devices. It's hard for me to really get into a story when I read it on a computer.

Anonymous said...

Here, here, Brianna!
-whisper

Precentor said...

Could we get a tribe point update :P Maybe? Yes? Huzzah! You were what? Oh..Going to post it tomorrow at 12 EST? Awesome!

LAM said...

Cool, so is the pdf going to be around $3-5? If so then i would probably concider buying it!

~Lauren~

DK said...

Hi! I am a church librarian and buy your books. So having a book as an ebook would not work for me or other libraries. How would people check out an ebook out of the library? Can libraries buy ebooks for people to check out? Hmm I will have to look into that.

Anonymous said...

heres my take. Many people I know do NOT have an electronic reading device, including me, excluding computers. Personally, I hate the idea of an ebook, and I LOVE electronic advances! I like email, but there is just something about real, hard books with pages. So, I dont plan on getting 1 unless books went out of existence. Basically, Id be quite upset that I missed 1 of your books, like, really, really mad. It would totally stink! Also, I do use the library a lot. Btw, I would love it if u wrote a SciFi book! :D -SciF1Author on UG, Nathanael when off.

Leighton said...

I have access to a Kindle. That would be awesome! I'd buy it!

Miranda said...

Hi Mr. Batson! I don't have access to an ereader (so I'm obviously biased) except on an old broken iPhone, my parents' phones, or the computer. I would love it if you'd publish every one of those books.. just in print as well as ebook. :)

Aye said...

A.) I own a Sony Ebook reader, and I have 86 books on it currently.

B.) If marketed properly, you should be able to sell the book pretty well. HOWEVER, novellas sell better than novels online, due to the size and how much people like to read with a digital format. In order to get the most out of the format, you should go with self publishing that includes ISBM, copyright, and to be sold on Amazon.com/etc. It is wise to pla it all out, but can be worth the time if done right.

Anonymous said...

I don't have any sort of e-reader. I do have a computer, obviously =), so a PDF file would be great. But, since I have three other siblings and can't really look at a screen for more than three hours, I'm not sure how even the PDF will work. Would a published book also be printed? Thank you!

dannal said...

Anyone can purchase and read Kindle books on their PC with the free downloadable software offered by Amazon. You don't have to have an e-book reader to read e-books. By the way, I think it's a great idea to publish an e-book, Wayne.

The Creative Insomniac said...

I don't have an e-reader, so I wouldn't be able to read your book, which would be terrible.

The idea is great, but please consider putting out a paper copy too.

Anonymous said...

Not really fair. I'm speaking for people, like me, who read and reread your books and to just to leave them out on it, it's not really fair I'm sure it will be a great book and I hope every one who enjoys your books get to read it!!

Anonymous said...

Just do what ever God wants you to do!!

Logan said...

I do not have an e-book but have an Ipod touch with the Kindle app if you do decide to make a book spacifically for the e-book put something for us to know like an advertisment in the back of another book becuse if I happened to miss one of your books being how your my favorite author and all I would be devestated

Logan said...

My advice is to listen to what GOD wants you to do but I would prefer a paper copy over an e-book I would read it eather way but my sugestion would be to make both a regular and e-book
my third coment