A much discussed subject on the internet, as well as in writing and book magazines, is the state of the publishing industry, and how ebooks and self publishing are changing the previously well known model of publishing. A model, that the publishing industry is trying to adapt to.
I had my own experience of figuring out this changing face earlier this week. It dawned on me just how varied the book world is now and that book format isn’t a straightforward conclusion.
For the online crime book club I ask members to nominate books. For January, as it’s a new year, the theme is debut books. A member nominated a self published book. It got me to thinking. As a book club, do we read self published books? What would be the reasons we didn’t?
If it’s nominated, someone has an interest in the book. My only thought for not doing self published books is the format and how easy it is/ or is not, for members to get a hold of. We have members worldwide. Is the book available in all countries? We have members in the UK, US, Australia and France!
But that can be said for any book.
Platforms. Is the book kindle only, or is it available on Kobo, Nook and iBooks? This prevents isolating people out of the club that month.
The thing that worried me the most, was that I sell the club on it’s accessibility that books can be borrowed from libraries if you can’t or don’t want to buy the books every month. Then I looked up December’s book club choice and found I can’t order it from the library! I’m going to have to buy in electronically.
It reminded me that publishers now are doing electronic only publishing deals.
I did decide we could have the self published book in the nomination list, because the reasons are there for traditionally published books as I found out with Decembers choice. Though I don’t want to go electronic only, too often, as it does stop some people joining in. As it happens though, the author of the self published book was grateful for the nomination, but didn’t want to go through the book club process right now.
So the world of publishing is changing. But what does that mean for book clubs and the choices we make? And how do you like to read your books?
I read both Kindle and paperback. I prefer paperback on a dark afternoon with a cuppa and slice of homemade cake. A comfort thing. I read my Kindle all other times. I read an awful lot of self-published books and have read some fantastic ones.
That sounds like a wonderful plan Glynis. A book with a cuppa and cake! Bliss 🙂
I like my books any way i can get them! The only benefit of paperbacks over eBooks is that the paperbook has a new life when passed on, you cant pass on your eBook. I do find ereaders light and easy to hold if I am reading for long periods at a time and are great to load up with books to take on holidays – so light and easy. Recently I have read a few self published books and they have been available in all ereader formats. My only concern with self published is that sometimes the author hasn’t had the resources to commit fully to the editing process and I find typos and grammatical mistakes frustrating whilst reading. BQB Publishing offers an interesting compromise for self publishers.
Ereaders are definitely great for loading up with books. I looked at mine tonight. 192 loaded! I’m never going to keep up, but books are being bought, which is good for the authors.
I think self published authors are a lot more aware of public perception of errors and the need for a professional edit. The ones I’ve read so far haven’t been any worse for mistakes slipping through than trad published books. But I haven’t read loads of self pubbed books.
I have read quite a few…:)
Crime, or other genres as well?
Mostly crime/mystery reads. I have actually been quite put off by self published I have read except From A Dead Sleep – John A Daly – now that was a great debut but had the compromise of being a BQB publishing effort- so a hybrid self publishing.
When you live in a non-English speaking country and have less access to the latest English books at the local libraries (and I am registered with about 7 libraries, so I do try my best), you have to become ‘friends’ with e-readers. Even publishers are starting to send review copies electronically, especially when they discover that they need to pay extra for shipping to you abroad! At first I used my husband’s Kindle, but he complained that he never got to use it himself, so I ended up using my Android tablet instead. I can’t say I am best friends with e-readers yet. I do see the practicalities of it, but I always pack a few paperbacks as well (and am usually the smug one reading on the plane when others have had to switch off their devices for take-off and landing).
Like you Marina I do switch between both and I love holding a paperback. I like actually seeing the progression as well. Do you use the kindle app on the android?
Yes, I do and it’s got an annoying habit of highlighting certain words or checking them in the dictionary when I doze off while reading at night… (a real book is much easier to lose among your bedclothes).
There are some really good self-published books out there. On the whole though, I prefer hardback or paperback to the Kindle/e-reader format. If books are only published through Kindle you can still read them on other devices. Amazon have a free Kindle App that can be downloaded for smartphones, tablets, laptops and the PC, making the book more accessible.
I used the kindle app on my iPad but found the back light gave me a headache when using it a lot. I’ve since got a kindle. But yes, it’s great that you can get the kindle app. I’m not great with hardbacks. I find them difficult to hold. I love a good comfortable paperback 🙂
I’m equally comfortable with both physical books and ebooks which I read on a tablet that supports multiple formats including Kindle. However, I totally avoid reading big books and the Classics in electronic format. There are some books that you just have to hold in your hands and read.
I agree Prashant, some books just have to be held in your hands properly and read to be enjoyed.
I prefer physical books, but I have the Kindle app on my laptop for blog friends books. I am happy to see small publishers embracing ebooks, if that’s the only way they can sign new authors and make money, but I’m against the Big 5(4,6?) selling their ebooks at practically the same price as their paperbacks. £7.99 for an ebook is too much!
You read on your laptop. That must be an odd experience. Great that you can do it though.
I love that we have so much choice when it comes to reading. I just wish we had all of the choices every time.
Wow, if someone nominated my book for a book club, I wouldn’t say no!
I’m a total eBook convert now. I prefer it come from the iBookstore, but if I can at least find it on Amazon, I’m good to go. I don’t judge whether a book is traditionally published or self-published either. I’ve read really great and really crappy books from both sides.
That’s a good point about crappy books from both self and trad published Alex. It is a subjective subject reading and what we each love so there are bound to be what we perceive to be crap in each format. I think that’s why we should read all that’s out there now. Self pubbed authors take a lot of pride in their books and often have professional edits just like trad pubbed books.
Rebecca – It is such a rapidly-changing world isn’t it? I think one limits oneself if one chooses to read, say, only paper or only E-books. Too many books don’t get on the list that way. I have to admit to not being particular when it comes to format. Basically as long as I can read the book, that’s fine. There are I think benefits to both E-books and paper books.
I tend to swing between paper and ebook, though I’m tending to favour paper again at the moment. I do love the ease of ebook shopping as my very long list of bought ebooks will attest!
I have both hard copies and a kindle laying around and like switching between them. For thick heavy books, my kindle is awesome cuz it saves my wrists and I really love the dictionary feature. But I love the feel of a real book still. I think may go the way of hard copies in a similar way for movies and DVDs – consume something digitally, and then if I enjoy it enough get a hard copy.
But I’ll admit, there are certain books that I’ll always think are better in paper – cook books and other how-tos.
I think it’s awesome to include selfpublished books in book clubs, but I would totally check to see if they are available in every e-formant for accessibility . Since, as you said, some books don’t have print versions. But you can easily download kindle apps for a laptop if you don’t have a kindle.
I agree about the Cook books. They definitely need to be in paper format. Though they do sell them electronically. I like flicking through the pages of Cook books. And having it open on the work top 🙂
The kindle apps are great aren’t they.
You’re so right that things are changing faster than we can blink, and we have to be ready and willing to embrace some of those changes (not all though!). I’ll happily read ebooks and self-published. I’ve read some great self-published, and some not so great, but I’ve had similar experiences of traditional over the years too. A good book is welcome, whatever format it comes in.
A great point Sharon. A good book is a good book. 🙂
Great blog. Since we are at the edge of great publishing changes, what format works and with whom is very important. I still love the printed page but the kindle is convenient, so I alternate between the sublime feel of paper and the electronic reading device.
Nancy, I’m exactly the same. I’m tending to feel happier with paper at the minute but I have an awful lot of books waiting for me on my kindle and I’m on my third book in a row now that is being read from my kindle! I think the next one needs to be paper!
I read a mix, but really prefer to read on the Kindle these days – weight, convenience and being able to select a font-size that suits me. But I prefer paper for illustrated or annotated books as flicking back and forwards is so much easier than on a Kindle version. I’m afraid I’m very reluctant to read self-published books – I jumped in with great enthusiasm when I first got my e-reader, but the ratio of good to poor was so bad, I found it put me off. Not that all books that go through traditional publishing are good, by any means, but it at least implies some sort of quality control.
Having said that, it was through his early self-published books that I discovered Gordon Ferris – now one of my firm favourites…
The good thing with kindle and self published books is the preview option. The ability to check out whether the author had put in the work and taken pride in their work before shelling out. I’ve read some great self published books, but I’ve only read a few authors. I admit I haven’t taken masses of chances.
The kindle is great for weight and ease. A wonderful invention indeed. I love paper but there’s definitely a place in our world for the electronic.
I read in both formats equally, and I read self pub’d, small press, and best sellers equally too. As far as my book club, I’d say in the past year, we only had one member pick a self pub’d book . . . everyone was fine with it 🙂
I love that your book club picked and read a self published book. I think if the person choosing or nominating the books has read a sample and that shows the author has put the work in, I see no reason we as clubs, shouldn’t.
I’m not part of a book club but friends of mine are and they haven’t ventured into the e-book world yet. I guess the day will come when everyone has an e-reader of some sort, though! I do read books on my Kindle, but do prefer a paperback. I like to be able to flick back and forth and hold it in my hands, although I’ve just been bought a Kindle Fire HD for Christmas and was pleased to see I can flick about using that. It’s still not quite the same, though! I guess using a self-published e-book for a book club would be fine, as long as everyone had something to read it on!
I also prefer paper, though do have a heap of books on my kindle.
The good thing with kindle is that they have apps to read on. Including for your computer / laptop. Though that must be odd to read on. It is a very fluid world out their now. Even with traditionally published books being published in only electronic format.
Kindle and paperback …. traditional and self-published (as an author of the latter, how could I not? And there are some fabulous self-pubbed books out there which are only available electronically).
With Kindle books, I like the fact that I can read on my Kindle device (which I keep beside the bed), or on my phone or – most often – on my laptop, in between other computery-type tasks. Also, with non-fiction books, I tend to highlight useful paragraphs then copy those into a document for future reference (personal use!) This is far easier than making any notes by hand.
But I do still love paperbacks – and have hundreds – so I often have both formats on the go at once. Unfortunately, with a cat on my lap most evenings, it’s often not possible to have a paperback in front of me as well…! 😉
I can see why this issue’s caused some thought for your book club, Rebecca, and hope you and your members can access the books you want!