Opinions on E-book Lengths, Costs

[sr71plt]

On another thread, Jomar posted something that invites me to ask for opinions on related issues. Jomar posted: "I have a hard time reading really long stories on a computer. And I'm far more average than I care to believe..."

My questions are to those of you who buy and read e-books in the new formats/devices (like Kindle).

1. Do you prefer to read shorter works on the computer or in something like the Kindle, or is size no issue when you decide what to buy? I've been writing at various links in e-books--which are freeing for authors who are accustomed to being stuck with the "cost-effective" marketing restrictions of commercial printing. (The cost-effective zone for print by a mid-level author is roughly between 70,000 and 120,000 words.) But with e-books, I can (and have) put a cover on a story of 7,000 and it sells and can (and have) put a cover on a book of 260,000 words and it sells.

My assumption has been shorter is better for e-books. What's the opinion of those actually buying them?

2. Cost. Is there a drop-dead cost above which you won't go any further than the price quote to consider buying an e-book. From observation, I think there might be--and that maybe it's around $6.99. But what do you think?

 

[driphoney]

Depends.

The Kindle is not exactly like a computer. The most attractive feature for me is not the book-like size, but the fact it's not a typical back-lit screen and is much easier on the eyes. Given that, and the ease to hold the device and it's portability, story size isn't an issue.

Not that this is really what you're asking, but I will NEVER buy another online college textbook. The publisher never reformatted it to help with online reading. It was exactly as would come in print form and because of that incredibly awkward to use.

I think your pricing sounds about right. What's available has been cheaper than print, so I think we're all conditioned to pay less.

Just my experience. (But I'll read long stories here on Lit, too.)

 

[Verdad]

I don’t own a Kindle or similar reader, but I do read books on the desktop or the laptop. Length used to matter before I got used to it. Way back, even a lengthy article was a bit of a chore, but by now, length is completely irrelevant. If it’s a book I want to read, I do. Once you develop the habit, I think it becomes that way for anyone.

To be a bit more precise, though, I can say this: around 50k words demands zero commitment. I can read that in a breeze, by the way, as it were, so there’s zero intimidation about starting. 100-150k, still no problem; if I’m interested, I won’t even notice. Above 200k, though, I have to be really interested, else there’s resistance (“read now or later?” “is it really worth reading?” “maybe get it on paper, instead?”) which might make me change my mind.

 

[harding]

Maybe soon the world will change...

I've just ordered a Kindle, but delivery is a few weeks away due to demand, but based on experience with other readers I think length is far less of an issue on Kindle than on a site like Literotica where you need to scroll down and page through longer stories.

My own submissions here tend to be on the longer side because I enjoy the development of character, and individual stories are often 20,000 words, with a series I'm just completing coming in at over 200,000 words.

What I'm very interested in is how I believe eBook readers will change the way we buy, read, and hopefully sell our work.

You mention $6.99 as being an upper limit, and I agree more or less. However, because there is no cost of print, only distribution, I can see many more very low cost books and stories (how about 99 cents? Good price?) appearing and being published - particularly if you can download a million of these!

Music had already led the way with YouTube, MySpace etc and I firmly believe literature is about to follow as Kindly and the iPad fundamentally change the way people read.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Kindle isnt forever.

In a year or 5 years something else will hop down the bunny trail and your Kindle morphs into 8 track audio tapes or vinyl records. Whereas a book is forever and easily preserved. I mean, you can pee on a book, drive a car across it, set it on fire, let the cockroaches eat it, and you still have a functional book. It doesnt require batteries, and loads every time you open the cover. If a thief steals your Kindle you lose your whole library.

 

[jomar]

I think a large part of the issue for me is how I like to read the books I like to read - at the table, in my comfortable chair, laying on the couch, riding in a car/plane on a trip, one hand, both hands...portability, which I don't have with a desktop and is limited with a laptop in the way I use books.

I haven't read an ebook with a Kindle or other e-reader but don't think I'd have the same problems with it since it is book portable. Just have to get over the "but it's not a book" thing. I'll weigh in when I do.

 

[harding]

I agree, Kindle, iPad, all the other technology is not forever, and I also agree that books are books. I have a huge emotional attachment to printed, bound material.

I think the point I was trying to make was that the technology is going to change the way we approach reading. A computer is not a great medium, but an "electronic book" is pretty nearly there as a comparison to a real book - and has some significant advantages.

Your going on vacation for three weeks - do you pack that Steven King, Michael Connelly, Harlen Coben, oh yeah and that new hardback. I've been away in the past with four to six books in my suitcase. In the future I can carry 60 books on my Kindle.

Yeah, yeah, I know, IT IS NOT the SAME as a book. But it's different in a way that I think will change the way a lot of us are going to read.

Back in the 50's in the UK one of the early adopters said "I cannot conceive of a use for more than 2 computer in Great Britain."

And Bill Gates, at the outset, said: "250K is more than enough for anyone!"

Oh - and if you lose your Kindle, you can get another one and download all your purchases from Amazon again!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

And next week they'll release a new gadget. Try running games circa 2000 on Windows 7. How many new computers include disk drives? None? Books do well for technology thats 500 years old. Your Kindle is junk next year.

 

[SwiverGuy]

I like both formats

I've recently started reading ebooks on my iPad and find it a great experience. It definitely makes carrying more than one book around very easy.

I've come to the conclusion that ebooks are great for books I know I'll read once and throw away, but that the paper version is better for works I know I'll read again and again over a lifetime.

BTW, it's very easy to convert stories to ePub format and put them into iBooks on the iPad. I've done that with a couple of my favorite Lit stories (for my own personal use, obviously).

Cheers,
SwiverGuy

 

[scriptordelecto]

Still a big fan of both

I have a Nook, which I carry with me everywhere. I got it for purely practical purposes, I'm just out of physical space to store my books. I already have over 250 books on the e-reader.

As far as length and cost are concerned, I typically pay anywhere between 99 cents and ten dollars, depending on what it is.

I do get a little miffed when I pay 5 or six bucks for a book and it ends up being a 40 or 50 page novella.

On the Nook, I can read any length. On the laptop, I've read something as long as 250k, but I had to do it in increments due to the eye strain. That's not something I like to do.