As a follow-up to the post about Stephen King’s choice to not offer an e-book for Joyland, I wanted to address the larger issue that King’s decision touches on. In most of the comments, there seemed to be a broader application to the discussion, which showed a division into three groups: those who like e-books, those who like physical books, and those who like a little of both.
E-book-Only Readers: Once the e-readers and e-reader applications became widely available on multiple technology platforms, the rise in e-book popularity was inevitable. Allowing for complete portability, a digital library shrinks thousands of books into one convenient form. In this day and age where we’re getting more and more used to being able to get things in just a click of a button, it satisfies that “immediate” sense of gratification.
Cost is a big part of what makes e-books even more attractive. For the self-published author, that’s a huge selling point. Most indie authors offer books from as low as $3.99 to $.99, including free promotions. But for more established authors and their books, the cost for e-books has been a sore point. From J.K. Rowling who priced her book around the same price as her hardback when her non-Harry Potter book was released to the court case against Apple and other publishers about price gouging, many readers feel that asking for anything over $9.99 is unrealistic and unfair as a digital version doesn’t cost the same in production as a physical book.
For e-book enthusiasts, it doesn’t look like the format is going away. Some authors are making leaps into different digital formats, such as Neil Gaiman and his Blackberry Keep Moving Project that used technology to create a shared story and reading experience.
But digital is not without its issues. There’s an issue with Amazon and the Kindle as their books are affected by DRM (digital rights management). That means that the files sold through Amazon can only be read on a Kindle. All other e-readers seem to use the epub file. But in the long run, is a digital file going to last as long or be as cherished as a physical book? As technology changes so quickly, how long will it be until these digital book files become obsolete? No one wants literature to just disappear, but advancements in technology may make that happen.
Physical-Books Only: There are those that refuse to support the e-book growth because books are important parts of their lives. They’re something to hold. It requires physical acts to participate with the book to turn the pages. There’s a clear sound to it and a specific feel to holding the book that a click on an e-reader can’t provide. The books will last for a longer time and can be passed from person to person.
More importantly, there’s a relationship that a person can have with a physical book. As someone mentioned in the comments, it’s almost like a romance. A physical book can court you with an intriguing cover and thickness of content. An e-book can have an attractive cover as well, but it’s hard to weigh an e-book in your hands and decide how much time you want to commit to it. A physical book can be caressed and touched. If you really like it, you can dog-ear the pages to mark what turns you on. And if you want to remember something in particular, you can write marginalia and become a part of the book itself.
Physical books have a distinctive smell, and there’s nothing like turning a page and getting that slight whiff. Stacks of books all over the house aren’t a mark of laziness – they show love of being surrounded by beloved words. And if physical books all disappeared, what would we do with our two-story grand libraries with ladders, couches, and fireplaces?
Beyond the romantic aspect of physical books, many people believe that the books that can be bought in brick-and-mortar bookstores have gone through a vetting process that proves they are worthy of being read. More than one person cites this as a firm line between established authors and self-published ones. Many self-published authors offer physical books of their works, but it is true that it’s harder to get them into the bookstores. Only a few hybrid authors like Hugh Howey have gotten the deal to get their books in stores. And traditional publishers and authors like King are busy making that line visible.
Hybrid Readers: Then there are the people who partake of both e-books and their books in hand. I fall in this category. I resisted an e-reader for ages until in my graduate program. Once I found the convenience of downloading and reading the many books required directly on my computer rather than killing my back by carrying them in my bag, I became hooked. Instead of my house being inundated with books with a little room for us, I could have thousands of books at the touch of my fingers on different devices. I can’t tell you how many times being able to continue reading a book on my phone has been to saving my sanity while waiting in line.
But I will never give up the important books to me. I do support my local bookstore when I can to purchase the books that will stick with me forever. I’ve begun to really appreciate hardback books, and purchase collector editions from my favorite authors – if I’m going to spend bigger bucks, it’s nice to have something that is special. Of course, some of my e-book purchases could be due to the fact that my husband can’t complain about how many books I own if they only exist in digital form.
My brother just bequeathed to me our shared old copies of the Narnia collection. It’s not that the books themselves are particularly special. They’re pretty beaten up paperbacks. But it’s the memories of reading them together. As was said in the comment section of the King post, memories that are made with books are priceless. It’s doubtful that an e-reader with e-books can convey the same experience. And I’m not sure how generations in the future will appreciate being handed an outdated piece of technology with a digital library on it or who will spend millions of dollars on that library like some do on the rare books like Shakespeare’s Folio.
Many readers go back and forth with what they prefer or they are staunch loyalists. I don’t think either form will be disappearing any time soon. But the most important aspect of all is that books are written and continue to be read. The biggest tragedy would be if either disappeared simply because we stopped reading.
Tagged: Amazon Kindle, Book, Bookstore, E-book, Hugh Howey, J.K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, Readers, Self-publishing, Stephen King, writing
Falls Into Writing 
First let me state what a well done post, one that does touch upon the real issues between the physical and the digital. The reference to the books shared with your brother is, in my opinion, that which captures the very essence of the power of the memory a good book(s) can help forge, and how that makes their real worth immeasurable.
Your closing is spot on, and worth quoting.
“But the most important aspect of all is that books are written and continue to be read. The biggest tragedy would be if either disappeared simply because we stopped reading.”
I must confess that your comments spurred the post! Thank you!
Well I am more than just a little bit humbled. This “debate,” I think, has within it the shades and hues of what’s happening to man overall. What are we leaving behind in our quest to get where we have never been. Again. I stand my original remark that this is a well done post.
I certainly consider myself a hybrid reader, but only if you’re buying the physical book for me. E-books are just much cheaper, especially compared to their paperback counterparts, so I can buy them like candy. I can buy two-three e-books compared to only one physical book. It’s just more economical for my budget. That being said, there is something very novel about having a physical book in one’s hands, but I know for small press and indie authors, e-books tend to sell much better than their paperback counterparts.
I read an article once that suggested that indie authors price their books what they’re worth. An indie author spends just as much time on their writing, and then spends time on the packaging and marketing as well. Yet, indies price way lower than other books. It’s a conundrum. I don’t think indies should price so low, but I don’t think they should price above $7.99 either.
But you’re right – the e-book is usually cheaper. But will you have it with you always like you would a book? That might be worth the few dollars more. At least it is for me for certain writers’ works!
I keep my Surface RT on me at all times, so, technically speaking, yes. But I have a physical copy of my most favorite book on me at all times as well, in what I consider my writer’s bag. It’s just not in my budget to spend a few dollars more. Plus, I’d rather be able to get 2 or 3 books for the price of one. I’m a fairly avid reader.
That’s awesome that you read that much! And digital books are a great way to feed that hunger. I hope you enjoy many different writers and books as you voraciously read!
As a writer this will be more than mildly self serving, but when it comes to “price” I believe the writers themselves are undervalued in the equation. To be fair I believe there is, and has to be, a certain arrogance to fuel the idea as a writer to think that what we think is so important that we should write it down and people will pay us money to read it.
The balance that should be levied is an utter reverence for not the money, but the time a reader will give to that which you have written, as such a treasure as a finiteness to it. A part of the writer must be given wholly to each and every reader, as penance for the ego that bid us to write for them.
You know, the idea has been floating around (and I’m going to do a post on this) to offer up a book as a “pay-what-you-will” model. In this day and age, it would allow for people to judge maybe by a chapter or two sample, and then purchase it by paying what they feel the reading experience of that book would be. That puts the emphasis on the reader. I’m not sure it would work as a business model for the writer, but it would be interesting to see what would happen.
Well many the great serial novelists of our age have owed their inspiration, by their own words to the pulp fiction writers of yore. Though I so love the refined writing skills of many authors, there is a certain excitement and unpredictability to that “stream of consciousness” style that captures so many. Personally, many of the whims that I pen are just that. (My current post, directly inspired by yours, reflects that.) I think readers are hungry for anything that can captivate and enthrall.. and if done little by little. so be it.
This is a great post. Like you I am one of the Hybrid Readers. Recently, I bought Dan Brown’s latest novel, Inferno, on Hardcover. I do appreciate physical books and after spending a great deal of time on my Kindle, I somehow longed for having a physical book with me. From time to time, I do make the trip down to my local bookstore or library and just borrow or buy books from authors whom I truly support them. There is just something about holding the actual book, feeling the papers in your hands, turning the pages that makes the experience of reading so wonderful.
With that being said, for me a Kindle also has its perks and there are situations where it is just more practical than having the actual books. Like what you have mentioned, the weight, the bulkiness of books can actually weigh you down, and having potentially thousands of books in a single device, carrying it with you in your bag is just wonderful by itself. It is lightweight, which is great especially when you are reading while commuting during rush hour, packed with passengers with little wiggle room. You also carry an entire library of books with you wherever you go, so there is not need to think of what books to carry with you to read. Everything you have is right there in that single device. Lastly, it is true for me, that with Kindle, I read so much more than I would ever get my hands on with physical books.
So I guess it boils down to personal preferences and your choice of lifestyle and how whether actual physical books or an e-reader suits that kinda lifestyle. 🙂
Like you, I wanted to read Inferno (although you can see what I thought of it on my blog here). But I bought it for my Kindle! I think the next book coming to me in hardback is Neil Gaiman’s newest book that I bought from a bookstore he publicized himself. It’ll be signed by him, so it’s possible I might double-dip to get the e-book to actually read and display the signed copy (next to a signed copy of American Gods). But then, the book becomes an object and not an experience. Who knows?
I do think that when summer roles around, sometimes we like having a physical book with us to enjoy. At the same time, I actually read more on my Kindle because it is easier to read in the actual sun. I guess I reiterate that the most important thing is that we’re both reading!
Great post. I grew up in the last era for traditional books and while I loved them during their time, I’ve made the switch to e-readers for all the obvious reasons.
Does it really come as a surprise? History is full of these lessons.
With music, we saw the compact disc supplant vinyl and the rise of digital replace the compact disc.
The automobile replaced the horse and buggy and the lightbulb replaced the oil lamp.
Time marches on. I’m afraid the paper book, for better or worse, is on the endangered species list.
Based on your comments about progress marching on, would you predict that physical books will completely disappear? Or just paperbacks? I hope that physical books won’t disappear all together.
The vinyl record remains and is even making a comebacks so who knows. I think paper books look good in bookcases so there will always be a market. I see it going more towards print on demand. There will come a point in the not to distant future where mass publishing will simply no longer be profitable and it will end.
So the physical book will still be there, but as a collectible or even more specialized product while the e-book will continue to evolve. I wonder how that will drive the actual content of books or change the job of a writer.
It’s a very exciting time. I imagine we will see a lot more people writing that never would have before. More writers means more chances for great work. We could be on the cusp of a golden age for writers. We here in 2013 get a front row seat.
I’m trying to get my own work ready to put out there in the world and see if it passes the litmus test in both e-book and POD paperback! So I’m definitely excited to see what happens!
Good luck!
Print everytime. It’s all about the physical.
That’s cool. Holding physical books is an essential experience.
I would say both. Though these days, in the interest of price, I mostly buy digital. However, if I like the book quite a bit, I’ll get the print version of the book for collectors purposes.
I’ve been watching ebay for rare books from this author I studied. He was a contemporary to Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne, but we kind of lost him in the shuffle of great American authors. His stuff is really good, and it’s fun to find it when I can. Makes the books special to me.
Who is this author that you’re looking for? And what kind of work dd he do?
It was Robert Montgomery Bird. He was a huge playwright who was hooked in with the first famous American stage actor Edwin Forrest. He switched to novels by the mid-1830’s. He was doing things like the frontier book and some fantasy-type writing before others made those genres famous. He seems to have been forgotten while his colleagues garnered fame and longevity. I highly recommend reading Sheppard Lee – it’s a great slice of 1830’s American life.
Makes me think of H.P. Lovecraft in how he was somewhat forgotten for a time but it’s only thanks to Stephen King that some know about him.
I got a chance when working on my master’s to go to UPenn and dig in the archives. I went through all his notes, his writing journal, and rough drafts. It was absolutely amazing! I transcribed so many of his notes and letters. He had some amazing, ahead-of-his-time ideas for stories!!
I wrote about this once, well it reflects my personal feelings about Digital versus Print Books.
http://quixoticsemiotic.com/2013/02/19/the-kindle-thing/
I just read it. And it’s good that you have strong feelings. I think that both can live together. After all, they both have enthusiastic readers like you and me!
Definitely! As long as they both exist, I’m not complaining. To each his own.
I have to say that I enjoy both electronic copies of books and hard copies. I think that the world is big enough for both to survive. One can never replace priceless signed first editions with an e-book!! I love the portability and convenience of the ereader and yes the low prices on newly published books. I tend to read a lot of current fiction. I am often looking for older copies of books and find that they are not available as digital copies. I am disappointed when I hear some authors will not release an electronic copy. Great discussion topic!
Thank you! I’ve started a pretty nice collection myself of signed copies. The search for the ones I really want has become part of the fun!
Like you, I read both digital books on an iPad as well as the real thing. I have always loved reading and there are those books that you just need to hold in your hand, cherish, then store on a shelf where you can glance at them and smile at the memory or take them down and read again. Most novels don’t fall into that category for me, so I prefer to download them, enjoy them for what they are, then happily hit delete. Reference books for me at least absolutely need to be the real deal… you just can’t flip around properly with an e-book. Thanks for the post. It’s interesting to find out how others feel about this topic.
I’m surprised myself to see how many different views there are. It’s also made me reflect on my own experience with books.
There is something wonderful about the weight of a book in my bag (never leave home without it), but I have recently switched over to the Kindle so I still never leave home without it. This time, I can just bring an endless supply, and when I finish a book, as I recently did on a plane trip, I just chose the next one to read which was fabulous.
BUT, I have to stay that I have not switched over to the Kindle when it comes to non-fiction. I noticed recently that my home’s library has mostly shifted from an even split of non fiction to fiction ratio, to the ratio mostly being of the non-fiction variety. The fact that you don’t usually read a non-fiction book (and I’m mostly referencing text type books, not your autobiographies), cover to cover, so I find it impractical to read that type of book on the Kindle.
Also, I’m a library gal (first job in a library, now I volunteer at one) so I love the fact that I can borrow a book on my Kindle as well.
I also do love the fact that I feel like now, in the world of self-publishing, there is a better chance for many more people to become successful in getting his or her work published. To me, that is a huge factor.
You know, one of the wonderful things about self-publishing is that there are writers out there that may have never been able to be found. Now there’s an outlet for more writing to be available, which increases the possibility for a non-reader to find something they might like.
What I’m a little hesitant to see is if digital books will hurt libraries. I don’t want to see libraries disappear.