Above are Nicolas Cage and Justin Bartha in NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS as they scour the Library of Congress for a clue. What treasures will digital books hold for the future? The Library of Congress hosted a day long conference, Romance Fiction in the Digital Age (link). Panel Four explored this very issue - Where is Romance Fiction Heading in the Digital Age?
Moderator: Sarah Frantz Lyons, founder of The International Study of Popular Romance
Panelists: Liliana Hart, self published author, Jon Fine, Former Director of Author Relations for Amazon, Angela James, Editorial Director for Carina Press, Tara McPherson, Associate Professor of Gender Studies at USC, and Dominique Raccah, CEO of Sourcebooks.
From the panel (paraphrase):
Liliana Hart: I was tired of being told that romantic suspense would not sell (so she decided to self publish). I self publish like a traditional house - I hire a professional editor, cover artist, etc.
Angela James: Digital publishing provides hope to aspiring authors.
Dominique Raccah: Find where are your readers.
The panel agreed that romance community embraced digital format, paving the way for indie publishing.
I recommend Sarah Wendell's storified Tweets at this link. For tweets related to this panel, scroll to 3:44 pm.
I prefer print books. I'll probably be buried with a print book in my hand. But I appreciate the new opportunities afforded by digital books - traditional authors publishing backlists; traditional authors completing series; any author publishing genres (like romantic suspense) that "dont' sell"; and any author pursuing a dream.
What are your thoughts on digital publishing? One randomly selected commenter wins a book choice from my convention stash. Comments are open through Saturday, March 7, 10 pm. I'll post the winner on Sunday, March 8.
Mahalo,
Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City
Very good,I love digital and print books :)
ReplyDeleteI read both--print and digital--but I find I am reading more and more on my Kindle or my computer. The text is larger, so I can read faster, and therefore, more books! But I'd hate to see print books disappear. There is still something about holding a book in your hands that is so precious.
ReplyDeleteI still read both! Nothing feels so good as holding a book in your hand.
ReplyDeleteI'm still a print reader. My husband says that I'll probably die buried under a pile of books lol.
ReplyDeleteI read almost exclusively print books. The only time I read a digital copy is when I've won it or it's sent to me for a review.
ReplyDeletemore books to read, but a lot of them are poorly written or edited
ReplyDeletePrefer print books and have ones on kindle and nook that are still on there to be read.
ReplyDeleteWaiting to get the digital book from publisher, I guess it is that I won here the previous week.
Patoct
I love print books, but read e-books on my Kindle as well. The only thing I don't like about e-books is that you can't trade, or sell them. I guess you can loan them, but it still doesn't feel like you own them, even after paying for them. A print book is yours to do with what you will, and I like that. :D
ReplyDeleteLike you, I prefer print books. I do have a kindle and use it , usually when I am traveling. Some authors publish only e-books and some well known authors publish the occasional piece in e-format only. I have not yet been able to catalogue the books so they are easy to find. (My old, basic Kindle had that built in. My Kindle HD does not as far as I know.) That is a definite problem. I forget books I want to read and those I want to review.
ReplyDeleteIt does make it easier for new and old authors to get books into print when they want them put out. The disadvantage is that not all authors take the time to have their books professionally edited and presented. As a result, there are many e-books out there which are not ready for readers. Readers are buying books that sound good in the blurbs, but a big disappointment.
Both finely me
ReplyDeleteKimh
I will always prefer a tree book over an e-book, but digital books do have their place.
ReplyDeleteI admit that it is much easier to carry a large quantity of books in e-format when I am traveling, but I definitely prefer print (and my house shows it, lol). It is so much easier for me to find a passage that I want to re-read, and I find that e-readers tend to slow me down and occasionally frustrate me as I am trying to turn the page!
ReplyDeleteI prefer print but digital books are great too! And easy to store LOL
ReplyDeleteI only read print books, because I like to curl up on my sofa with a cup ot tea & a "real" book in my hand. I just love the feel of it, turning an actual page by hand & using my pretty bookmarks. Also love having a bookcase full of books in my livingroom, it looks so cozy :-D
ReplyDeleteI prefer print books, but digital books do make it easier to feed my obsession. They are generally less expensive, so I can buy more. They are much easier to store and transport - as long as I have my phone (and WiFi), I have access to my entire library on Amazon and Barnes and Noble - that's ignoring how many books can be downloaded to my tablet (and paperwhite). Finally, it is easier for me to resist flipping to the final pages of a digital book while I'm still in the early chapters of the book - way to easy with a paper book. :-)
ReplyDeleteI prefer print, but use my eReader occasionally, mostly for novellas. I think digital is great for those who travel or commute a lot, and for those who don't have a nearby library.
ReplyDeleteI prefer print books but have quite a few on nook and kindle. Keep forgetting to try to get them read - I have so many print ones on my shelf.
ReplyDeletepatoct
I'm glad that it's available, but I'd never want it to replace print books.
ReplyDeleteI read print books; don't have any ereaders. Like the book in hand.
ReplyDeleteI prefer print but do occasionally read on my tablet.
ReplyDeletePattyB43
I love digital!! It is so much easier to deal with in my opinion. All/most books stored on a small device instead of overwhelming my home (at least that's my hubby's thoughts). I have paper, I enjoy the smell, but for digital, I don't have to worry about my little one messing with my books and ripping pages or losing my place. I think digital publishing is an amazing thing and seems to give writers a lot more freedom. :)
ReplyDelete