I've been following the news on this one, and I find it quite sad even though I preferred Barnes and Noble before the Nooks came out. I don't own an e-reader, but I always am wishing that I did. My students use their Kindles quite frequently to download books for school and it seems that they do really prefer reading via Kindle vs. a regular book. It's making it difficult for citation purposes because they get confused about how to cite page numbers from their Kindle. But anyway, does the closing of Borders mark a shift in the writing market as well? If real books are getting harder and harder to sell, then it might mean even greater competition and even less reward for those are trying to break into the market. That is, unless we hop onto the digital revolution as well. I have mixed feelings about this, I'll be honest. Turning away from the advantages of the internet to me would be like turning my back on reality in general and choosing to remain in the dark. And yet I'm sad that so many kids don't really experience the joy of reading a paper book anymore...
That's right. It's the kids' fault. Being serious, a lot of children still read. A lot don't. But bookstores seem to be on their way out which is a shame, but it's just the way the market is changing. People are buying books cheaper on Amazon, and it has the added value of being online, and done by post so it's more convenient. And Amazon allows you to read the first few pages of a lot of books anyway - so the argument of 'I need to read a bit of a book before I buy it' no longer applies either.
I don't consider Borders closing as a direct sign of more consumers preferring e-readers versus paper bound books. I think it has a more direct link to the state of our economy compiled with the fact that Borders was lagging behind their competitors on industry standards and trends. As far as it being harder to break into the industry as a writer. I actually think it's easier to break into the market thanks to e-readers, online sales, etc. now. The demand for literature will always be there, it's just the format of how it's delivered that is changing.
I have to agree with Lemex. Purchasing books online seem to be cheaper and more convenient so that's why people choose to do that instead of going to a bookshop. I try and always buy my books in an actual bookshop, and if I can't find it in the shop then I order it from them still because I'd hate to see bookshops wiped out. I love bookshops and books in print. I do, however, occasionally buy books online for uni when I can't find them anywhere else (charity shops, second hand bookshops etc.) because it's cheapest. I don't like that e-books and digital technology is making books in print decrease in sales (I have no proof of this, just an assumption). I prefer a book in print than an e-book/reading on a Kindle or whatever. But as writers, I think we've got to embrace it because that's the way publishing is moving. I haven't embraced it yet myself, and I will never own a Kindle or a similar technology, but we've got to accept that things are changing.
That's what I thought before I got a Kindle. Now I love it I thought I read somewhere in the last month or two that e-book sales surpassed print book sales on Amazon...
No, it has been dying a slow death since 2006. Alot of Kids still read, and im against this trash they call an Amazon Kindle. To be honest, im against all of it. Borders also couldn't fight off the abridged economy. Hopefully it will see the light of day again.
That's a ridiculous viewpoint. Why be against reading because of the medium? Paper hasn't been around forever, you know. Why don't you be against paper as well, and only read on clay tablets. It makes just as much sense.
With Kindle, that means more technology. The more we become dependent on it. Let's say you bought a kindle, and well you bought a total of 9 books. If the thing breaks, you loose 9 books. Or when your going camping, the battery goes dead. You can't read anything. People are always looking at screens, so with the Kindle being so as it is, everybody is gonna have glasses. Yes, it saves paper. But what else does it have as an advantage? Abosultely nothing. You break that thing and you can kiss several hundred thousands words goodbye.
Im not against Paper, im all for it. The Kindle angers me, because i would rather have the actual book in my hands. Im kinda old fashioned. Even at the technology age, i fully support paperback books.
If it breaks you can get another one and keep your same books. As for reading, reading a Kindle is no harder on the eyes than looking at a piece of paper, so the argument for glasses doesn't hold up. It's one thing to have a personal preference, but if you're as adamantly against the Kindle as you claim to be (it's "trash" and all that) then if you ever get published you can put your money where you mouth is by refusing to ever allow digital editions of your work. It would be interesting to see the effect on a writing career as technologies change.
About the me getting published thing and a chance of hurting my writing carrer, you got a point. I'll have it availble on kindle cause a decent amount of people have it. But your missing my other point, Reading was invented on paper. Writing was invented on paper. Yes, it's fine to have computers, but the fact that Kindle is sweeping away the books is not a good thing. You can get a headache reading the Kindle for several hours. Can you get that from reading an actual book? No. Can you feel the wave of the adventure grasped into your hands in a Kindle? No. Tablets don't have a exciting thrill like a good o'l book.
I don't mind the Kindle, but only to see it's fate and trying to destroy the generation of actual books sickens me to a excessive degree. If they both balanced it out, that would be great. But nobody understands moderation and balance. Everybody just buys a product cause it looks "cool" not noting the fact there is plenty of overwhelming flaws. Think the scenarios. Power goes out. So does your Kindle. Accidently delete a book, entirely gone. You can't lose stuff like that quickly with a good book.
Reading and writing both predate paper. They were not invented on it. Most of the complaints aren't very good ones. It doesn't sound like you've ever used a Kindle. For me, there is no difference in terms of how I "feel" about a story whether reading it on paper or on a Kindle. Both are inanimate objects. Can I feel the adventure just as well in a Kindle as a paper book? Yes. I have over 1500 paper books, so it's not like I am against them. The Kindle doesn't go out when your power goes out. It runs on a battery. I charge mine like once a month. If you accidentally delete a book on your Kindle, it's about a ten second download to get it back (and no you don't have to buy the book again). And like I said before, reading on a Kindle doesn't hurt your eyes any more than on a paper book. I spent nearly 12 hours reading on my Kindle when I was home sick. Not a problem. I've done the same with paper books. Not a problem. You should probably try reading something on a Kindle before making these judgments. It just sounds like you aren't familiar with the device. Whatever balance there ends up being will be determined by readers, which is as it should be. If enough people demand traditional books, they'll always be around. If enough people say "who cares, I'll read on a Kindle" then paper books will eventually shrink to some negligible segment of the market.
Yes, you can. I still buy both print and Kindle versions of books. My brother is going almost exclusively to eBooks (he also wasn't sure he'd like the Kindle until he got it; now he likes it better than reading a paper book).
Something like this was bound to happen since Borders is overpriced (you can easily end up spending over $50 for 3 books). Honestly, I'd feel sadder if an independently owned bookstore closed down.
Oh i have read on an Amazon Kindle. I know how it is. The reason why you don't get headaches is because your not like other people. I know my parents could only read that thing for only 2 hours and have a pounding headache. I mean when the power entirely, not the power line. I actually mean Nation power outage. Nationwide power outage. But your not too familiar of that, which you shouldn't be, but ive seen it happen before. Nation wide Technological shutdown? The Kindles go with it. And that's my whole point, people are quickly forgetting about books, and it's not a good thing everyone is living and breathing screens in thier flesh and bone. Im already concerned about technology as it is, none the less a device as a Kindle. You'll eventually realize later on. Im sorry if i call the Kindle "Trash" but all i want is everybody to realize balance needs to restored. I did that on purpose so you noticed my topic viewpoint. Alltho i do somewhat stand corrected on the writing career, but anything goes. You do what the fans want.
Yeah, independent bookstores are my favorite. We have a nice, small one here, but when I really want to spend time in one I drive down to Vroman's in Pasadena. Great store.
I don't know, FullmetalXeno. I know a lot of people who have Kindles, both friends and family, and none of them seem to get headaches no matter how long they read. As for the power outage, yes if the entire grid goes down for an extended period of time then eReaders aren't going to be much use.
That's why Borders is going out of buisness. They were too obsequious towards the high prices of the Kindle. and not enough books being bought cause of lacking sales.
My boyfriend read Atlas Shrugged (which is like 2,000 pages) on his Kindle and his eyes were fine. I personally prefer print as well, but I'm just saying.
Just wanna put the fact out there that the kindle is NOT the only option. There are the options of: Nook Nook color iPad Sony Tablet etc. etc. etc.
The UK Borders' outlets used to sell cds and stuff as well. I always thought a sticky end awaited them. There was no full-blooded commitment to the selling of books.
I used to buy books. Now I realize that libraries have every book I could ever want, I don't need bookstores. Besides, you read a book, then what? Okay you can reread it whenever. I don't know. It seems like a waste of money.
Kindles and other e-readers aren't backlit so it isn't hard on the eyes. Apparently the indie bookstore market is improving rapidly, big chains like Barnes & Noble and Chapters are doing well, big stores like Wal-Mart and Target still sell books, and Amazon does too. Let's be honest, Borders has been mismanaged for a while. They outsourced all their online sales to Amazon for crying out loud! If they sold on their own website, they might have lasted. If they didn't invest so much in cd sales, they might have lasted. There are probably plenty of other mistakes they made, but it is their own fault, and it is a bit tragic
