In a
recent Opinion piece in The New York
Times Sunday edition, David Sax wrote that “Our Love Affair With Digital Is
Over”. He goes on to observe that: “Sales of old-fashioned print books
are up for three years in a row, according to the Association of American Book Publishers, while ebook sales have been
declining.”
are up for three years in a row, according to the Association of American Book Publishers, while ebook sales have been
declining.”
Angela Hoy, publisher of WritersWeekly.com, made a similar observation
in a recent newsletter but concluded:
“Authors need to offer both electronic and print editions
to their readers to attract the largest readership.”
Sax ends his Times article by acknowledging that
we do not have to make a simple choice between
digital and analog but rather need to balance the two.
I
personally prefer reading print books. However, I read many digital books as
well. As a writer, I am not happy unless my work appears both in print and
digital editions.
Purchasing
hardcover books can be expensive. These days, I generally borrow them from the
library. One of the benefits of digital books is that they are so much lower in
cost. Also, they are convenient to use on devices.
In
addition, there’s the matter of space. Unless you have a large house, bookcases
can become overcrowded and your living space becomes cluttered with print
editions. When we downsized from a house to an apartment, I was forced to give
away several thousand print books. It was painful.
As a
writer, I am pleased that many of my more recent books are also available as
e-books that are low in price. Current example: THE BURNING which is available
both in print and all e-book formats.
What is
your opinion? Do you prefer print over digital books? Do you like them equally
well? Which are you inclined to purchase?
