My daughter got it into her head last week that she wanted an easel and a beret for Christmas. She sat on Santa’s lap and told him on Saturday.
Actually, she told anyone who would listen to her.
On Wednesday, a flyer from a large national toy store arrived with our paper. It was advertising the type of easel she was asking for at 50% off.
So I was off to the toy store. :)
Unfortunately, when I got there, I discovered that there were no more easels in the store. In fact, they’d been out of those easels for weeks.
The clerk got on the store’s computer. “Atlanta has 78 of them at the main store. Want to go to Atlanta?” We burst out laughing. (Southern joke here—Atlanta scares us all to death to drive in….most folks there drive 100 mph and weave in and out of traffic. Plus the fact, of course, that there are five million people in the Atlanta metro area.)
The clerk kept on looking. There were 100 easels in Orlando (not exactly a quick drive from Charlotte…more like 8 hours.) And they couldn’t ship from another store without charging me for shipping…even if I picked it up at the store.
So I was a little irked. The clerk looked sympathetically at me. It would have been a guaranteed sale.
With books, distribution has always played a key role in a book’s success. If it’s available in a lot of stores, its chances of being bought are increased.
I’ve found that Penguin, in particular, has amazing distribution…and that it gets amazing placement on shelves. I’ve found my book on endcaps, on new release tables, and on special displays. That has little to do with me and a lot to do with them and their clout with bookstores.
Distribution has also always been a reason why self-published books have faced such huge odds. Unless the writer went through a company that distributed through Ingram or Baker and Taylor, then the book couldn’t even get to the bookstores, unless the author went to each store with a load of books in his trunk. And then the author had the bookstore manager to make his case to.
Now, however, I feel like ebooks are starting to really impact the publishing landscape.
I think visibility is still going to be an issue—maybe getting your book on the landing page of Amazon or Barnes and Noble—but distribution will be as easy as a download.
To some degree, I think this is going to level the playing field a little bit. I’m sure that publishers are feeling ambivalent about it.
To me, though, it’s all about the books. I just want people to continue reading…despite all the modern-day electronic distractions that compete with their attention and time.
I love the idea that, if we want to read a book, we have the capability of reading it immediately—without even having to hunt it down in a store. I love the ease of distribution.
But I’ll miss my bookstores.
What are your thoughts on the ebook revolution? Mixed, like mine? Are you seeing the advantages more than you used to? Advantages like accessibility of books—and lack of physical distribution?
I have mixed feelings on the print verses the e-books. I love the physical book, but I can see where it is to a writer’s advantage to offer an e-book. An e-book can be purchased almost all over the world, while the physical book may take months, years or if ever to get distributed around the world.
BTW, I agree with you on Atlanta drivers. The saying around here is “if you can drive in Atlanta, you can drive anywhere in the world.”
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
The store where I normally buy my books is a subsidiary of a publishing house, and by just looking at the display, you can see which books are published by them and which are not! I still go there, because I love browsing, but I now order most of my (physical) books online, because there is such a difference in prices, and you get to compare when you are ordering online.
And I am happy about onlines, because you always get the books you want, even if you have to wait a bit for it.
Elizabeth – Like you, I love printed books. I love the touch of a page, that feeling you get when you open a new book for the first time, and even that new-book-smell. But E-books are a reality. They are revolutionizing the process of buying and reading books and in my opinion, if E-books means more people read, that is, per se, a good thing. For authors, online ordering and E-books allows them to reach millions of readers while spending far less, to be honest, on promotion. So I look forward to the E-future, even as I sit here with the paper novel I’m reading in my lap ;-).
Studies have shown that people with ereaders read more than they used to. And the more people read, the better for us writers. So I’m cautiously optimistic.
Definitely mixed. Living in the back of beyond, the ability to get a book “delivered” to my Nookcolor is a boon. And since my books have virtually NO bookstore distribution (you have to go to Customer Service and ask, and then wait for it to be delivered to the store, or pay extra to have it shipped to your house), I rely on people finding my books on line–both the print AND digital versions.
And those store computers — I went to BB&B looking for a comforter set. I had picked it out on the web. The computer said there were 4 of them in other stores, but the clerk called around and none of the other stores could find them. So — didn’t buy it.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
I sure wish mainstream bookstores would embrace PoD potential–then they could have limitless titles available, even if there was still a lot of competition to get one of those high visibility face spots. I’ve been trying to get a book for my son since his birthday in November (I just need to order it, I think) and the Borders I go to (because it is on my walking route) STILL doesn’t have it–how easy if I could just go to a station and say ‘I want this one, I’ll pick it up tomorrow’.
I think in some ways the eBooks levels things, but in others, it is that much harder to break out–there is far more competition so the marketing needs to be that much bigger–and on us…
Bookstores are still best, but I can see them dying. At least with eBooks, a book can reach any country that has internet.
Yes, I have mixed feelings. I like my new Kindle, and I enjoy the fact that I can get my ebooks just as quickly as you can ´over there´. Still, I love holding a real book in my hand and adding it to my shelves. (And as my husband says, giving me ebooks for Christmas is *not* the same).
But as for missing the book shops – we haven´t had shops that stored more than a few bestsellers (Dan Brown, Stephen King, Stieg Larsson and such) for decades. So I had to order my varied reading diet online long before I considered buying an e-reader.
I don’t care much for ebooks. I like my books in my hands. I like browsing bookstores and libraries, picking up the book, smelling the pages, before I buy.
As I began reading of your struggle to get the easel I thought of our local art supply store. Green’s has been here forever and a day…I know they struggle to stay alive but I also know they service their valued customers. Would the easel have been as cost effective? Probably not but it would have been there with the beret to boot!
Now the struggles of authors to get published and distributed…I buy as many as I am able..and have so far put off the e-book device purchase. I peruse the stores, the library and blogs…and during a discussion with my lovely librarian (she has a Kindle in her book bag!!) I realized the purchase would be so much easier to make if they had a feature to “borrow” books!! A stroke of brilliance it wasn’t…just another reason for me to stay in the book store, the library and reading the blogs.
I have learned so much this past year about the challenges you authors face to get your stories out to us…the reader. I thank you all for your perseverence to get your stories to us…your readers.
Rayna–I do a lot of online shopping, too. I wish I could support an indie, but they’re just not very close to me.
Mason–My hands grip the steering wheel so hard that the knuckles are white!
Margot–That’s almost exactly my philosophy on it!
Hart–I’ve read a lot about those POD kiosks–sounds like a smart approach, to me.
And you raise an interesting point–is the market going to be flooded with ebooks?
Alan–Anything that increases reading can’t be a bad thing!
Alex–Good point. Easier to reach a global audience.
Laura–If I had the choice, that’s my preference, too. I’m a little concerned that that choice is going to eventually be taken away from us.
Terry–I like the immediacy of it. I think my patience gets shorter as I get older. :)
That was something else I heard–that the count on the computers might not even be accurate. Bleh.
Nanc–It would have made a lot more sense and been a lot less frustrating for me to go that route! I’ll check into it. I think the art store didn’t come to mind because I’m soooo unartistic. I’m a huge appreciator, but incredibly untalented!
I’ve been wondering when the libraries will end up lending Kindles and other e-readers. I have a feeling the day is coming very soon. They’re book lovers too, even if it’s a different format. I think we’ve all got to change our way of thinking–that we love *reading*, not that we love *books.* I’m trying to make the change. :)
And thanks so much for the encouragement! I’m just delighted to hear from a reader! :)
I agree with the other poster who said there is nothing like a physical book, opening it for the first time. I love the smell of a new book and can spend hours in a book store.
While other formats are quick and easily obtained, a true book can never be replaced. I feel it would be awkward sitting at an electronic device while reading to a child, how impersonal is that? I also find it easier to go back and forth in pages with an actual book.
I’ll take the physical book over an electronic device any day.
I have mixed feelings as well–although, at this point, physical books are the only kind I can read.
Hi Elizabeth .. I hope your daughter gets her easel .. and the beret – red one I hope .. to warm us all up.
Books – I hope they don’t go .. I’ve yet to read on a Kindle or ereader .. though I do hanker for an ipad ..
I can’t believe they’ll go in my lifetime .. but your life time and your kids .. who knows!
I shall be sad – I love looking at books on shelves etc ..
Your page loaded fine .. so did one tab & I worked out how the search worked .. so far so good ..
Cheers Hilary
Cheers Hilary
I just bought a Kindle and read my first novel using it. I really love it. After I finish reading the huge collection of already purchased hard copy books, I will only order books for my Kindle. Although, I do enjoy visiting book stores.
I will always prefer books I can hold. The smell of a new book, the sound of pages turning, the feeling of getting smacked on the nose when I fall asleep reading in bed. Then again, I still miss card catalogs too.
I’m intrigued by the photo in this post. Can you tell me more?
Lisa
I think traditional and ebook shops can co-exist. They serve different customers. I use the computer a lot and would not hesitate to buy things online. But for my sister, she wouldn’t use it to pay bill.
I agree that self-publishing authors have less chance of wide distribution. But with higher royalties, we may earn as much as a midlist traditionally published author.
Fire and Cross
Joyce–I think we’ll always need picture books. I hope that’s true, anyway. You’re right–I can’t imagine curling up with my kids and reading “Hop on Pop” from a Kindle!
The Golden Eagle–You could really even read the PDF versions of the books on your computer…I haven’t done it, but I know lots of people who are going that route.
Dorte–I think the convenience factor is great, although you’re right about it not seeming like a very substantial gift! I’ve got a few gift cards for some family members that had them on their gift list…and they just look pitiful when wrapped. I may have to put them in a big box!
Hilary–She’s on a French kick. :) We’ll find a way to get her set up with an easel. Might have to be Santa’s elves, though…
Those iPads look really cool. Thanks so much for the feedback on my blog tabs and the loading time!
Nancy–I think, for most avid readers, there’s a space limit issue, too. I know that I’m at the point where I need to take some of my books to a charity if I buy more books for my shelves.
Lisa–I miss card catalogs, too! I was in the library a couple of weeks ago and temporarily lost my mind and started looking for it. Ack.
Lisa, all I know about the photographer is that he or she goes by msthurnell and can be contacted at msthurnell(at)gmail.com and appears to also be a metal sculptor: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/browse/#/?author=msthurnell Amazing work. There is a site for copyright free photography for creatives called Morgue File and that’s where I find my photography. Sometimes there’s more artist info than others. But I LOVE this photo.
Enid–I think you’re right–it depends on the reader. We have a mix like that in our family, too.
Oh, if there’s a motivated self-pubber, there’s no doubt they would make more than a midlister! This definitely isn’t a business where there’s much money involved.
Thank you, Elizabeth. Off to check out msthurnell right now!