I heard someone mention this the other day, in theory, so I thought I'd present it here and get you guys' thoughts. I'm referring only to mass market paperbacks, not paper books in general. You know the ones that are smaller than trade paper, about five inches tall. They were called 'pocket books' and usually seen in convenience stores and airports. The theory is that the e-book is replacing this sector of the market. (again, not hardbacks and trade paper, just mass markets) Anyone got an opinion on this? Thanks in advance.
The used bookstore shelves say, "no". Much as I like the cost of Kindle books, I still read more print books and so does my son who grew up in the tech era. Not that it won't change in the near future, it could.
No I don't think so. I think there is room for both and hope both stay around. I'd be awfully sad if paper reading totally died off but thankfully I think paper books have more staying power then records and VHS did. They are tough! So yeah hopefully in the next coming decades paper books are still alive and active.
While e-books are certainly on the rise, there is still a very large market for paper books, at least these days. Now of course, shops where one can buy paper books are disappearing like snow in a hearth (at least in my country) but even online there are tons of places one can find paper books. I think both the e-books and the paper books have a lasting role to play in peoples lives. Life is getting busier and technology is advancing. People like to read on-the-go nowadays, on Ipads, smartphones, laptops. Even on the couch at home. An e-book comes in handy then. But then again, there are also a vast amount of readers who prefer a paper version when reading in bed, on the couch, or like to take that small paperback out of their suitcase during lunchtime. Besides that, there is nothing like a good wall of paper books to adorn ones house. In fact, I think a house without books is not a house at all! (Was that a quote by someone? Something tells me it is) I think there is a future for both versions, and both will stick around.
I like my kindle, although it is a pain in the ass to revert an e-book back to the beginning. I like using my Magic the Gathering Black and White deck cards as book markers, and read far more solid books than e-books. Nothing goes together like a Romance novel and a Putrid Cyclops card.
Hi everybody, I wasn't referring to paper books in general. I was only referring to mass market paperbacks, books smaller than trade paper, about five inches tall. What I heard was that the business model for mass market is nearly gone due to Kindles and the like. Anyone heard anything on this? @GingerCoffee I was referring to new printing, not the used market.
I know some publishers are pulling back on mass market paperbacks, at least in some genres. I'm most familiar with Romance, and it's now pretty rare for a new author to get a print deal with a publisher - they're much more likely to start the author on e-books and only move them to paper when sales are high enough to prove it's a worthwhile move. I'm not sure if this is a wise choice - I think there are lots of people who don't read e-books who might like to try a new author, for example. But it's what I've been told (by my agent and publishers) is happening in the industry, at least in Romance.
Exactly. I agree. I am disappointed that even some of the publishers have moved to this thinking. I guess years will have to pass before we can see if this trend will reverse itself.
