Back on cyber-Monday I purchased myself and my wife a brand-new Kobo Mini.
It’s a $79.99 device and was offered that one day for $49.99. So I ordered two of them. And I ordered the cases for them. We’ll open them up at Christmas and I will finally embrace the new e-age.
I figure that it is about time I did. I’ve been writing e-books for over a year – with nearly two dozen e-books out in “print”.
So I darn well better own me an e-reader.
But not everybody uses the e-reader they get.
I know several people who have bought e-readers and just haven’t found the time nor need nor desire to use them more than once or twice. Some of them can’t figure out how to use the device. Others find it simpler to just pick up a book. And then others never read in the first place – and are given e-books by concerned relatives under the mistaken that simply having a battery attached to the device is going to turn a non-reader into a reader-gone-wild.
There’s probably a dirty joke in their somewhere – but let’s rise above that shall we???
This failure-to-adapt is not an uncommon phenomenon.
According to a recent survey – over a third of the e-readers that are given at Christmas are only used once.
That is an interesting statistic.
Let’s face it – some of us deal with change a little slower than others.
Heck, it took me this long to realize that I should be spelling it eReader rather than e-reader.
The truth of it is – a lot of us want to OWN an eReader, but that doesn’t mean we will use it!
Having a hard time swallowing that? Just think of that last treadmill/exercisebike/Bowflex that you bought on New Years Day three years ago. You know, that thing that you use as a coat rack?
You had to own that, too – now didn’t you?
So – this is why all of us indie e-book authors need to NOT forget about paperback format.
The fact is – the paperback still continues to sell. The publishing world is being modified by the assault of the digital – but that doesn’t mean that we can all start relegating our paperbacks to granddaddy’s dustified attic.
No sir, no ma’m.
People STILL want to read paperbacks.
I know that.
You ought to know that too!
So my next step throughout 2013 is going to be getting more e-books out there – but likewise getting those e-books into paperback format.
Which brings me to CreateSpace. This, as far as I can see – is the best way of getting your paperbacks in print and in distribution.
So how is it done?
Well – I haven’t done it yet – haven’t even started learning – but I wanted to hand you over to a blog entry I found that was VERY VERY interesting and informative.
Check out Lynne Cantwell’s My Journey To The Center of CreateSpace.
This will give you some important information on how to go about getting your e-books into paperback format.
I’ll let you know by the end of January how my journey into CreateSpace works out. I’m backed up with all kinds of demands and obligations – but I intend to see at least ONE of my e-books into paperback format at that time.
In the meanwhile – here are a couple of more really informative blogs that you might want to read.
How To Get Started Selling Fiction in 2013!
The Five Stages of a Writer’s Growth!
That’s all for now.
Don’t neglect your eReaders…
yours in storytelling,
Steve Vernon
YOURS IN STORYTELLING... 
I use Createspace and do manage to sell a couple of paperbacks a month now. Half of them I sell to the UK. It was so easy to figure out and I was very happy with the product. They also pay quickly as well 🙂
I got a Sony eReader many Christmases back and have never removed it from the box. Yet, since having to check my own books on Kindle, I’ve downloaded the free kindle app on my Mac and I read on it every night! It really is convenient. In this depressed economy it does save a lot of money to peruse the free lists and bargain ebooks. (Although, I’ve just received Sinking Deeper and it looks great! My son is going to LOVE it!)
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Great Lauren. I hope he enjoys the read.
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Sadly, I kill e-readers the way I kill watches (I still insist on spelling it that way.) The magnetized screens just don’t like me (they distort after a couple of months use – it happened two times running with two different e-readers). I resort to reading ebooks on my Kindle app for PCs on my netbook. I don’t know if there’s a Kobo equivalent, I haven’t bothered to look. But it is not as small as an e-reader, and as long as I have my netbook open there are temptations to do things other than read (especially if I have wi-fi access.) When I want to just focus in on a good book, I need a print copy to get rid of all other distractions.
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You know – I’ve heard of that with digital watches. Some people just seem to kill digital devices – although I’m not sure why.
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I know, I know! ha ha. Actually, I’ve been about halfway through my Createspace project for oh, about a year. I got stalled when I got to the cover and realized that my 72 dpi e-cover wasn’t going to work for print. Unfortunately, my designer (a great friend who did it for free) only did a 72 version, which you apparently can’t just blow up into 300 dpi. Ergo, stalled. But still in the works.
As to e-readers (and yeah, that’s how I write it, too), I use mine fairly often, but mostly because I keep stumbling over these free e-books. I still read paper books, too, though. But the pricing is just hard to beat for electronic media.
Good luck with CreateSpace. I’ll have to check out that other blog post as well.
Paul D. Dail
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Thanks, Paul.
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Hi Steve,
Thanks for the plug for my post at Indies Unlimited! Hope it helps. 🙂
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My pleasure, Lynne. It was a great post.
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Reblogged this on Armand Rosamilia and commented:
Steve Vernon with some cool points about e-authors
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Thanks for the re-blog, Armand.
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I like a book in my hands. I celebrate the success of my author friends, but haven’t caved yet to buy a e-reader. When their books come out in paperback, however, I will be first in line to buy their books.
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