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Monday 14 May 2012

Does downloading samples change the way we read?

Before owning a Kindle (a Christmas present) I of course went about buying books in a different way.

I've always liked browsing bookshops, big chains and local ones. I was disappointed when Borders in Kingston, Surrey closed down. I used to spend ages (and too much money) in there.

Since October when I set up this blog and joined Twitter, I've discovered authors whose books I may not have noticed in a bookshop.

I read two books on Kindle recently which I'd seen mentioned on Twitter. These are The Last Summer by Judith Kinghorn and The Apothecary's Daughter by Charlotte Betts. I enjoyed both of them immensely. I wrote a review (my first) on Amazon for The Last Summer (click here).

I've recommended both to a couple of friends who like reading. They hadn't heard of either of these books but are likely to buy them on my recommendation. If I'd bought the paperbacks I would have lent them these. Does this mean e-readers are good for sales?-a subject for another blog post...

I have a pile of books by my bed (TBR pile) which I've started and abandoned. Some of these were hand-picked from the tables in Waterstones or from the Bestsellers in Sainsbury's (it takes too long to do a food shop now my local Sainsbury's has a book and DVD section). A few weeks ago, I noticed the 'Send sample now' button on Amazon when about to buy a Kindle book (probably ages after everyone else). Because of the TBR pile by my bed, I read samples of the two aforementioned books before buying them. As I enjoyed these books so much, I wish I'd bought the paperback versions instead of downloading the e-book so I could put them on the bookcase.

I wonder whether downloading samples to e-readers will change the market. Although this option allows a reader to be more cautious when buying books, could authors sell more books this way?

Do you download a sample before buying the rest of the book (and then which version)?

Have you downloaded e-books which you wish you'd bought in paperback/ hardback?

So many questions! I'd be interested to read your comments on anything related to this post.

An old post on a related subject.

24 comments:

  1. Very interesting questions, Anita! I think the kindle encourages us to buy more books - a good thing for writers. I like both ebook and print for differente reasons. I never read a sample first. But I do sometimes wish I had a particular book in print too if I've really enjoyed it - it's easier to check back through certain passages. And I do still like my shelves of favourite print books!

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    1. Hi Rosemary, thanks for your comment. If I read a book as research I've realised that it's preferable to have a physical copy to flick through.

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  2. I agree with Rosemary you have asked many interesting questions. I currently only have the Kindle app on my computer and have read only a couple of books, but I have quite a few lined up. I still prefer an actual book. Funnily enough I am in the UK at the moment and I am reading a library book, the last in the series of which I have bought all of the other books, and I am enjoying quite a lot so far and will probably end up buying it to add to my collection. Recently I have explored the option of releasing some of my books on Book Crossing as I realised that I have quite a few books that I probably won't read again. Yesterday I downloaded a sample of a book from Emerald Street's website (a branch of Stylist magazine)that may be tempting some people to buy the book,I don't know yet, I am trying to concentrate on one book at a time! I picked up my first real copy of 'Stylist' in Brighton on the weekend. I still can't get used to reading apps for magazines on the iPad. I love to hold the actual magazine/ book in my hand. My TBR pile from the library is large. I love being able to get current books, and not have to purchase everything. So I am not sure, whether downloading samples will change the way I read. I just love reading!

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    1. Hi Cathy, thanks for your comment. I haven't tried the reading apps for magazines on iPad yet-I wonder if I could get used to not reading a physical copy of a magazine. Hope you enjoy your time in the UK (and that it stops raining for you!)

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  3. I've seen the download sample on Amazon but I've never actually used it.

    One book I wish I'd bought in paperback and not on the kindle is Sister by Rosamund Lupton. I like to keep my favourite books (I don't have enough storage space to keep them all) on my bookcase and I wish it was up there now because it was fantastic.

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    1. Hi, thanks for your comment. I keep hearing about that book!-*logs in to Amazon*

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  4. I didn't notice the sample initially either and also received my kindle for Christmas, but the book I did download a sample for, I then went and purchased a print version, because I knew I wanted to keep a copy.

    Some of the books I have read in entirety I do want to buy, in particular if they were favourite read, I don't reread a lot but I imagine that I will reread all-time favourites and in fact my favourite books I do buy time and again, but to give away more than to reread, beacuse a great book must be read by all!

    But I do think the kidle is changing the way we buy books.

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    1. Hi Claire, thanks for your comment. I give favourite books as presents quite a lot.

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  5. I use Amazon's look inside feature before I buy. I love it because if I'm go to a bookstore, I start reading the book to find out if I want to buy it. It's a lot like that.

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    1. Hi Kelly, thanks for your comment. I have seen that feature but never tried it-will have a look next time.

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  6. It usually takes me a couple of chapters to get into a book, so I tend not to download sample chapters as it may put me off. If I go to the trouble of downloading a book, I usually like to stick with it and more often then not by chapters 4 or 5, I'm hooked sufficiently to keep reading. If I really enjoy a book I've downloaded to my Kindle, and I mean really enjoy it, verging on love, then I will buy it in paperback too, just to sit on my bookshelf and to stroke it from time to time!

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    1. Hi Sue, thanks for your comment. I can see myself buying the paperback version of a book I've read on Kindle too-especially with the two books I mentioned in this post.

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  7. We both have kindles but also still have a tremendous number of real paperbacks waiting to be read. I think the kindle probably means we will buy less fiction in paperback form as since living abroad it is our policy to move them on once read. The one lesson we have learned is that the non-fiction reference type ebook is unlikely to ever work for us. We made the mistake last year of trying a guidebook in eformat for a trip to Bangkok, it was a complete disaster, just did not work for us.

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  8. Hi, thanks for your comment. The Kindle is so handy when travelling around. Haven't looking at non-fiction as e-books yet but can imagine that they don't work as well as fiction.

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  9. An interesting post, Anita.

    I don't have a kindle, but have downloaded books on to my PC. I've noticed, though, that ifnI don't enjoy them, I tend to give up on them much more easily on the PC than I would in paperback form. I rarely give up on a tangible book.

    I wonder if this means that the greater degree of inconvenience, however slight it is, with a kindle, or the fact that I spend all day looking at a computer, which makes me less tolerant, means that I have less patience with a downloaded book thsn a traditionally published book.

    I've never read a sample - I didn't realise that you could.

    Liz X

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    1. Hi Liz, thanks for your comment (and it was lovely to see you on Thursday night!). I think it may be easier to read a book on Kindle than on a computer because there isn't the same glare on the screen (also I've picked up mistakes on my MS when emailing the word doc to Kindle which I hadn't noticed on the computer screen). I've bought paperbacks on offer which I've given up on-and I think this is because I haven't been as selective. When I buy a book on Kindle it's usually because I've seen it talked about on Twitter or on a blog.

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  10. Like Liz I have kindle only on my laptop. I've downloaded a small number of books including recently the Murder Wall by Mari Hannah - a very good book which I read quickly - and did wish I'd waited to buy it in paperback. It was impatience made me do it - I finished what I was reading and just fancied something new there and then. (Living in the country, I can't just pop out to a Waterstones.) I've since bought two books which I made a point of ordering through my local bookshop. They came in the next day - worth the short wait. I still find books much more intuitive and user-friendly than electronic devices.

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    1. Hi Sue, thanks for your comment. I do love being able to download a book onto Kindle at any time-very handy when there's nothing on TV!

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  11. I, too, enjoyed The Apothecary's Daughter. I have stopped reading the full samples on Kindle, rather now just read the first page or so, as I would with a paperback before buying. I think we are more inclined to carry on reading a paperback for longer even if we aren't so keen on it because we have spend a lot of money for a print copy, whereas most kindle books are a lot cheaper, so you don't feel like you are throwing away money if you don't finish it. Love my Kindle to bits,so handy for travelling and wouldn't give mine up for the world now. It also means I can read in bed at night without disturbing the other half.

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    1. Hi Kit, thanks for your comment. Kindle books are cheaper but sometimes they're not much less than the full priced paperback (and sometimes paperbacks can be on offer in shops). The Kindle is handy on train journeys as it's light and I have loads of books on it.

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  12. I don't think samples will change the way we buy books. If I buy in a bookshop, I always read the first few pages anyway.

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    1. Hi Talli, thanks for your comment. The option to download samples has definitely changed the way I buy books- have several on my Kindle. Hopefully this will stop me from spending money on those books I don't persevere with!

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  13. Hi, Anita! I also received a Kindle for Christmas a few years ago and there have been many times I wish I would have bought the paperback version of a book so I could share with friends - but, I like your point - maybe this encouraged my friends to go out and buy their own copy and it helped to boost sales for the author.

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    1. Hi Gabrielle, thanks for your comment and for following my blog. The US market must be so far ahead of the UK one if you got your Kindle a few years ago. E readers have only taken off here in the past year or so.

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