WOMEN RULE WRITER: Lit blog of Nuala O'Connor / Nuala Ní Chonchúir
Thursday 15 November 2012
ON MY E-READER - METRO HERALD
In today's Metro Herald, I talk about what's on my e-reader. Clicky to make bigger for easier reading.
7 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I'd be interested in hearing a writer's thoughts on e-readers.
I've so far resisted the charge towards them. That's due to a combination of factors - I love the feel and smell of actual, physical books; I love sharing books (with the proviso that they give them back - pronto); I love looking over someone's shoulder on the bus to see what they're reading; I love bookshops more than any other type of retail outlet; and I hate that Amazon have this incredible power on the back of the Kindle.
Not sure my one-man stance will ever achieve anything, though. I wonder when I'll cave in...
I love books for all the reasons you mention, Shane (hi & welcome!).
But as a realist, I also know that ebooks are here and happening and so, as a book writer, I feel it is prudent to move with the times and know what it's all about.
I am also in the fortunate position that my writing takes me abroad often and my Kindle is invaluable on those long flights and long airport waits.
I also love the out of print books I can get for free - brilliant research material that is certainly helping with the novelI am currently writing.
I feel paper books and e-readers can operate side by side, and will. There's room in my reading world for both, for sure.
Agree that the ebook and the real book can exist together. I have a kindle which is great for when I just want to download a book in the evening and get stuck in! Or if a book is not in my bookshop and I simply must have it. However, many, many of my novels and new short story collections are real ones as I like to lend them to friends or stack up in odd places around the house for guests to read! Kindle is excellent for holidays absolutely. There is room for both. Also, loved The Beautiful indifference(in a real book!)
Hiya Rozz, Yes, I buy a lot of books in real form - especially s/s collections as they are often hard to find in shops. But, like you, when I'm impatient for a book, I love One Click :) N x
Apologies for the delay in getting back. For some reason I didn't receive any notifications of follow-up comments - I live my life by notifications these days.
So what I'm thinking is that I continue my sad and silent boycott of Kindle. I would like an e-reader - no, I would love an e-reader - but I'm going to hang tough until the day comes, if it ever comes, when I can actually purchase my e-book from an independent. Or, more likely, from a collective of independents.
It's been a big change for me. I was a very early adopter of Amazon, and I loved it. Similarly, I loved buying music from cdwow (something I haven't done in a long, long time).
But money is tight for everyone these days and I'm taking an interest in where it ends up. If it's going to Amazon, then the cons of that far outweigh (for me, anyway) the pros of breadth of choice and ease of accessibility. For now, I'm happy with the inconvenience of waiting for and transporting a paper copy. I have a sort of willpower on this that I sorely lack in other areas of my life.
Thanks for the good wishes - the blog seemed much easier work when no-one knew about it, but I suppose that extends to everything in life.
Hey Shane Long may you remain entrenched! (But you will cave eventually, heh heh). In the meantime read the wonderful Kwame Dawes on the pros (and cons) of digital books and e-readers here: http://www.prairieschooner.unl.edu/?q=oxcart
7 comments:
I'd be interested in hearing a writer's thoughts on e-readers.
I've so far resisted the charge towards them. That's due to a combination of factors - I love the feel and smell of actual, physical books; I love sharing books (with the proviso that they give them back - pronto); I love looking over someone's shoulder on the bus to see what they're reading; I love bookshops more than any other type of retail outlet; and I hate that Amazon have this incredible power on the back of the Kindle.
Not sure my one-man stance will ever achieve anything, though. I wonder when I'll cave in...
I love books for all the reasons you mention, Shane (hi & welcome!).
But as a realist, I also know that ebooks are here and happening and so, as a book writer, I feel it is prudent to move with the times and know what it's all about.
I am also in the fortunate position that my writing takes me abroad often and my Kindle is invaluable on those long flights and long airport waits.
I also love the out of print books I can get for free - brilliant research material that is certainly helping with the novelI am currently writing.
I feel paper books and e-readers can operate side by side, and will. There's room in my reading world for both, for sure.
Best of luck with your new blog, Shane,
Nuala
Agree that the ebook and the real book can exist together. I have a kindle which is great for when I just want to download a book in the evening and get stuck in! Or if a book is not in my bookshop and I simply must have it. However, many, many of my novels and new short story collections are real ones as I like to lend them to friends or stack up in odd places around the house for guests to read! Kindle is excellent for holidays absolutely. There is room for both.
Also, loved The Beautiful indifference(in a real book!)
Hiya Rozz,
Yes, I buy a lot of books in real form - especially s/s collections as they are often hard to find in shops.
But, like you, when I'm impatient for a book, I love One Click :)
N x
Apologies for the delay in getting back. For some reason I didn't receive any notifications of follow-up comments - I live my life by notifications these days.
So what I'm thinking is that I continue my sad and silent boycott of Kindle. I would like an e-reader - no, I would love an e-reader - but I'm going to hang tough until the day comes, if it ever comes, when I can actually purchase my e-book from an independent. Or, more likely, from a collective of independents.
It's been a big change for me. I was a very early adopter of Amazon, and I loved it. Similarly, I loved buying music from cdwow (something I haven't done in a long, long time).
But money is tight for everyone these days and I'm taking an interest in where it ends up. If it's going to Amazon, then the cons of that far outweigh (for me, anyway) the pros of breadth of choice and ease of accessibility. For now, I'm happy with the inconvenience of waiting for and transporting a paper copy. I have a sort of willpower on this that I sorely lack in other areas of my life.
Thanks for the good wishes - the blog seemed much easier work when no-one knew about it, but I suppose that extends to everything in life.
Shane
Hey Shane
Long may you remain entrenched! (But you will cave eventually, heh heh). In the meantime read the wonderful Kwame Dawes on the pros (and cons) of digital books and e-readers here: http://www.prairieschooner.unl.edu/?q=oxcart
Like your list, Nuala. I'm off to "One Click" David Sedaris!!
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