WilliamAug 6, 2017
JP 🌈

anyone here actually read ebooks?

i run a lit mag and i'm trying to determine if it's worth the significant extra effort to put epub & kindle out there.

they barely sell. i do much better with the print editions. i'm just not sure if the audience is small but loyal, or if digital feels like a bonus addon that people take but never actually read.

please give me your insights!!! i need perspective outside my own. :)

boost too, if you'd be so kind.

Aug 5, 2017 at 11:03pmWeb
Show threadcurrently on cybre.spaceAug 5, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I don't read as much as I'd like to, and I can't buy as many books as I'd like to, but when I do buy books, they're ebooks.
Show threadJP 🌈Aug 5, 2017
@maunzikation good to know! thank you!
Show threadEdenAug 5, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I only really buy the e-version for fiction that I'm particularly desperate for - I do prefer the book version. I think I've bought about 6 e-pubs in the last year and that was from 2 authors where I just couldn't wait to read the rest of their works.
Show threadThe Book of KelsAug 5, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I love digital editions, although I do like having some paper books around the house too.
Show threadMarkusAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I actually prefer audiobooks!
Show threadJaycie (Squid Mode)Aug 6, 2017

@pixelpaperyarn That's surprising. All the other indie authors I follow have reported the opposite, with their print sales being dwarfed by digital sales.

What about your production process requires extra effort for digital releases?

Show threadJP 🌈Aug 6, 2017

@jaycie i think people just like reading our stuff in print for some reason. we do have the stories up on the website as well (which is changing next year, so we'll see).

i start with print files, reformat for pdf, export that to epub (which has to get manually cleaned up because InDesign does weird formatting), and finally to kindle (which is a simple conversion).

i get clean html from the epub and that goes to the website, so i wouldn't be saving tons by dropping digital.

Show threadJaycie (Squid Mode)Aug 6, 2017

@pixelpaperyarn Yeah, it's not a universal rule.

I am surprised by the workflow. That sounds like the reverse order of what I usually see, including my own. But it works for you!

Show threadJP 🌈Aug 8, 2017

@jaycie it's graceful degradation in a publishing paradigm. 😆

it partly comes from my previous life as a print designer. i make it look really good in print first, and then slowly strip my pretty styling back down until i'm at raw text again.

in the process, i clean the text up so at the end, it's super clean.

Show threadJaycie (Squid Mode)Aug 8, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn Playing to your strengths! Conversely, I'm someone who drafts everything in Markdown and writes Ruby scripts to auto-generate PDFs. %D
Show threadRotating SkullAug 6, 2017

@pixelpaperyarn Nope. Never. With the exception of a pile of pirates copies of out of print nearly impossible to find stuff that is for my job.

Other than that no way. Why would I?

Show threadYari(s) // Deki SystemAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I personally much prefer print to ebooks because I know that years down the road my book/magazine/etc can still be opened and doesn't rely on some company's technology who may or may not still exist at that time.
Plus, I really like to be away from a screen from time to time.
Hope this helps!
Show threadJP 🌈Aug 6, 2017
@Yarideki it does help! thanks! i feel the same way.
Show threadChristina HendricksAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I read them if I need them right away and it will take too long to get physical copy. I live in Canada and sometimes books take awhile to get here if they're not super popular and so already in stock somewhere. But generally I prefer paper versions when I can get them and don't mind waiting.
Show threadcharlag test accountAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I read only ebooks unless it's something with pretty pictures that I want to own physically. I don't always buy them, though, because it's quite hard to find where I can buy them in English usually (bad excuse probably but it's a problem here)
Show threadLaura Ritchie 🌸Aug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I wrote one - am a uni prof by job and my paper book is expensive, and so when I wrote the second one, I chose to do it as an ebook with the hope that people would actually read it (I could make it cheap if I controlled it). -and that one's not academic in the same way. I'm beginning to think it is a completely separate audience. although I don't have a clue how to market/promote & think for sure I'm missing a trick in that, but I didn't learn it training as a cello player... :)
Show threadKrzysztof JurewiczAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn Ebooks vs paper books are somewhat like cars vs horse cabs. They're cheaper to create, cheaper to distribute and more handy in many cases. Nowadays I avoid buying paper books.
Show threadmalokiAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I rarely get around to reading them, even if I want to. But if I'd be able to subscribe to a magazine on kindle, maybe I would.
Show threadDelAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I've put some stuff on Smashwords that was eligible for their 'extended reach' distribution which pushes ebooks to places like the istore, Barnes and Noble, etc. With zero promotion from me a few of them sell every month. They're really cheap, small things, so I don't make more than about $10 a month from there, but they definitely get sales.
Show threadJP 🌈Aug 8, 2017

@WelshPixie thanks for the feedback!

hmm. i might check out smashwords again. last time i looked at them their formatting restrictions were super strict and didn't work with my production flow. but it might solve some of my distribution problems.

Show threadBenoit SERRA #VCGAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn Reading novel only with my Kindle. I tried to read mag as PDF or epub, but I don't liked it, I found it inadequate.
Show threadAntanicusAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn hey! I was skeptical about ebooks until I got a reader a couple years ago. Since then I only purchased and read ebooks.
Show threadjvargAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn i only read books in digital format. Best thing is to get some sort of download code when you buy the print version.
Show threadThe Mysterious EmAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I pretty much exclusively read ebooks. A large share of my reading happens on work trips, and there is no way I'm lugging paper for that.
Show threadQyv (;* has moved *;) 🍍Aug 6, 2017

@pixelpaperyarn Read them all the time, as a fair proportion of your other responses have mentioned, it is easier to carry several thousand ebooks than their print equivalents.

Though as someone else said, I read e-books not e-magazines.

format: epub2, or epub3 (that more often than not I'll convert to epub2).

apps: FBReader & Moon Reader+ on Android.

sites: Amazon {I convert the Mobi / AZW3 files to epub2}.

Show thread𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕜Aug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I do read books almost exclusively on Kindle (both e-ink and iPhone app) but periodicals only in print form.
Show threadSludge DreadAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I love ebooks as a concept (my e-reader is more comfortable to hold than a dead tree book, and somehow I read books faster on it) but so many ebooks have terrible formatting that it's off-putting.
Show threadJP 🌈Aug 8, 2017

@Inskora thanks for the feedback!

part of the reason i put the question out there was exactly that reason. i spend a fair amount of extra time making sure the epub is well-formatted and i'm gauging whether that effort is worth it.

seems like it is!

Show threadSludge DreadAug 8, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn Oh yeah, definitely. I think a lot of publishers just digitise the print master file and leave it at that.
Show threadbentosmile 🍱Aug 6, 2017

@pixelpaperyarn I read them if they are free or cheap, I admit. o_o;

tbh I'm in a similar situation, where I produce a very short run of serialised comics, but I want to keep them relevant, so I'll need to make ebook versions of back issues (it'll be easier than keeping stock of lots of issues which might never or will hardly move). so if nothing else, it'll be an easy way to preserve and keep access to back issues, if you make ebook versions.

Show threadAlgot (Still)Aug 6, 2017

@pixelpaperyarn

I read routinely on a Nook.

My content, though, is novels. I don't often do short story collections, and don't read magazines in EPUB format.

I subscribe to digital-only Linux Journal, but download and read it in PDF format because of it's mix of images and text which I find easier to read on my computer screen.

Hope that helps.

Show threadBecka SuttonAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I read novels as ebooks but I can't say I've really ever read a magazine as an ebook tbh.
Show threadAdministratorAug 6, 2017

@pixelpaperyarn (tl;dr I've run an ebook publishing company for years and love the format + availability of ebooks)

I've bought and published ebooks for years -- for me it's all about cost, especially in the academic world. I can publish an ebook for $3-4, when to sell one in print form would be at *least* $10 through something like Amazon's print-on-demand, without much revenue back to me at all after Amazon's cut.

Show threadmaeveAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I have 91 ebooks on Calibre waiting for me to work through them.
Show threadJim BoweringAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I read ebooks, but I don't think I'd read a magazine on my ereader. It renders pictures in monochrome with lousy resolution. But it might be a good alternative for your readers to be able to read your magazine without having to pack it around.
Show threadWilliamAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I read ebooks on my kindle and often buy bundles from storybundle.
Show threadEconprophAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn
Yes, I read ebooks a fair amount. What I "read" more of are audible or recorded-spoken versions of the books. Audibles get read first, ebooks next in the pile, and print copies tend to languish.
Show threadtutormentor1Aug 6, 2017

@pixelpaperyarn

I read ebooks on my Kindle, especially when I can find free downloads from my public library.

I occasionally purchase one on Amazon, but not frequently.

My ebook reading is sporadic. I spend hours every day reading blogs, tweets, toots and FB posts as well as composing my own.

Not a lot of extra time for ebook reading.

Show threadBob MottramAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I read ebooks, but mostly downloaded from archive.org or other CC publishers. I rarely buy them.
Show threadAlkaniAug 6, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn -- I do read ebooks and have been making a conscious effort to convert the majority of my book collection to electronic formats for portability and convenience. I also tend to prefer epub over proprietary formats and PDF (because PDFs are annoying for a lot of reasons).
Show threadMoonlitsAug 7, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn Most of our ebooks currently are duplicates of books we have in storage instead of on our bookshelves, but anything new that's just barely-formatted text and we're not planning to make multicoloured highlights in we get as ebooks as well. ePub is definitely preferable even though we're primarily using a Kindle as a reading device.
Show threadSkiringAug 7, 2017

@pixelpaperyarn

I read ebooks. I have no more space left on any bookshelf, you see, and also no space for any more bookshelves. So ebooks it is.

I'm not sure whether it would be worth your effort to put your magazine into ebook format or not. I no longer subscribe to any magazines, so I'm not a person from your target market.

I wish you best of luck with whatever you decide, and I would be interested to hear how it all works out for you.

Show threadBᴬᴿᴼᴺ Vᴼᴺ WᵁᴺᴰᴵᴮᴬᴿAug 7, 2017

@pixelpaperyarn

I've only read a few, mainly because I don't own an ebook reader, and reading a book at a laptop is lame. I also like/prefer paper books. Magazines would be different, I think; e-versions would be better.

As for Amazon. I refuse to support them as much as possible. I would never buy any Amazon reader because of having to buy Amazon #ebooks.

Epub is best format! I'll buy the Aura One.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/ebook-reader-reviews/kobo-aura-one-review/

Show threadDr. Lewlittle 🏳️‍🌈🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🦝Aug 7, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn no i hate reading ebooks. cant focus as much. i need paper books.
personally i find it hard reading off screens
Show thread_knives_out_Aug 7, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I only read ebooks.
Show threadEllz_NAug 9, 2017
@pixelpaperyarn I dont see anyone reading books on their phone with FB/twitter/insta/snapchat/masto/hinative/whatsapp notifications popping out 😏 Books in paper, please. Or traditional webpage/pdf for pcs.