Kindle or Nook owners: has owning a Kindle changed your reading habits?

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underthecity

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(And this includes a discussion on writing also)

I was originally a stickler for print books, I will admit that up front. I also refused to ever see ebooks becoming as widespread as they have become.

But this Christmas, my wife asked what I wanted most , and I told her I had been thinking it would actually be nice to have a Kindle because of the proliferation of ebooks. That, and publishers like Leisure, who published horror titles I liked to buy, were discontinuing mass market paperbacks in favor of ebooks and trade paperbacks.

Since Christmas, I have read book after book after book on the Kindle. I will admit it: I love it.

I'm wondering how reading habits of others here have changed by owning a Kindle or Nook, or any ebook reader.

I used to go to the bookstore and buy a book. I still do that. Thank goodness the Borders near me is staying open. But now, more than anything, I choose a book I'd like to read, then buy it on amazon for the Kindle.

When it's time to buy a new book, I go through the chosen genre on amazon and find another, usually through the "similar titles" listings. I've found some, um, really interesting books there, one I just finished reading. One by a big author who released this book only on Kindle. I never would have found it in a bookstore. (A discussion of this book is forthcoming in AW's Book Club forum.)

The only drawback to this method is by not being physically inside a bookstore, I am not made aware of new titles I might be interested in purchasing.

Regarding how this affects writing, I've noticed that many writers are releasing their unpublished books through the Kindle for either $0 or very cheap. Suddenly it's become a self-published wonderland in some respects. There are horrible ones mixed in with very good ones.

Problem is, of course, is knowing these titles even exist, then going solely by their titles, then the descriptions.

I believe also that ebooks have given an author more flexibility in ways I hadn't realized before. By having his book available in both print and ebook versions, a reader now has a choice. In my case, I would probably go ahead and buy the ebook version. In the end, the author wins. And so does the reader.

I still don't think, though print books will ever go away. If anything they will supplement ebooks, giving a reader an additional choice.
 

s.m.s

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I love gadgets so I've been reading a lot more since I bought a nook. I've also tried out a lot of genres that I normally wouldn't because you can often find a lot of really great deals on books published by major houses in e-book format.

My only problem is the price sometimes, which I notice is a lot worse in genres like YA or historical books. I'm really reluctant to pay $9.99 for a file--I usually stick to $7.99 and below. The great free books you can find at B&N sometimes are nice, too.
 

JoyMC

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YES. i got a Kindle for Christmas and i have read sooooo much more in the last couple months than i had for the previous five years (since i started having kids). i spend a lot of time getting a baby down and up from naps and am able to read during all that time (got the case w/the built in light). it's also just so handy to slip in my bag if i'm heading out - handier than bulkier books.

i do wish the Kindle had library capabilities, though. a few times i have gotten a hold from the library only to find out it's a huge, hardback book and i just don't have the patience (or wrist strength! ;)) to put up with giant hardbacks after getting used to the Kindle.

i've also purchased more books in the last couple months than i had for a long time, though i also have been reading more free classics and looking for books that are in the $5 range (and there are quite a few cool ones in middle grade, which is what i'm reading a lot of now).

i love it so much that i think i will eventually look for a used Nook to also have e-reading library options.
 

Uncarved

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I love my kindle. After deleting off everything I've already read, I still have around 140 books waiting to be read on mine. I'm reading more, reading a wider array of genres than I was prior to the kindle, and taking chances on authors/genres that I normally wouldn't because of it.
I will still buy trade books that I can hold, but I've noticed that I've started to categorize my purchases. Is it a reference item or something I want to keep and have personalized? Then its going to be on paper. Is it just fluff to read and toss afterwards? Then its an ebook.
 

AlexPiper

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When I was reading primarily print books... well, let's just say I wouldn't exactly be reading Wise Man's Fear except at home. Hardcover books in particular are a royal pain to haul around, or to read anywhere other than ensconced in a comfy chair. The Kindle? I can have the puppy in my lap while I read! I can read in bed easily without having to displace the puppy! (I'm just now realizing that having the Kindle has meant the corgi is in my lap a lot more often...)

With my Kindle, even if I leave the actual Kindle at home I can open the book (and be synched right to where I left off) on my phone, then continue again later at home. If I'm stuck waiting for someone to show up for a lunch meeting at a restaurant, no more staring at the table aimlessly. It's not like I'd be hauling along a hardback book with me, but via the iPhone app I can read the next chapter of whatever I'm currently reading while I wait!

I also buy books a lot more readily. With physical books, I'd sometimes have to force myself to get rid of some before getting more, which was always painful. Kindle? INFINITE STORAGE SPACE! BUY ALL THE BOOKS YOU WANT! (And I do. Oh, how I do.)
 

brainstorm77

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Yes and no. The one thing I did find is that it makes buying books on impulse VERY easy.:tongue
 

Soccer Mom

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One-click-buy is from the devil. Kindle has become my crack. It's so light and easy to carry my entire library. There is also the instant gratification thing. I find an author I like and nomming their entire backlist is so frighteningly easy. I've become a reading monster.
 

Bubastes

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What Soccer Mom said. I'm reading more books in more genres than ever. Another weird side effect: I'm buying more paper books as well.
 

AlexPiper

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I find an author I like and nomming their entire backlist is so frighteningly easy.

The new Kindle firmware feature where, when you turn to the last page of a book, it lists other Kindle books by the same author, in the same series, or that people who liked this book liked? Yeah, that's dangerous too. Finish a book and push a button AND THERE'S ANOTHER BOOK TO READ.
 

Soccer Mom

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What Bubastes says is true. I find I sample more series in different genres, but I still go back and buy print versions of books I deem keepers.

I love Kindle pre-orders too. Just yesterday I turned on my Kindle and three new books popped up on their release date. I'm reading the new Seanen Maguire. Win!

And like Alex P says, the "you may like" function? Also evil.
 
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Namatu

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I have a Nook, and somehow it's got me reading more than before (wasn't sure that was possible). I'm surprised at how quickly I adjusted to it and by how much I like it. It's extremely convenient to have on my commute. Like others, I've also found myself buying more and more - because I don't have to figure out where to store the books. They're all in one little place! It's excellent.

The Nook does allow me to get ebook loans from the library, which I'm trying to do more of (to cut back on the insidious, insidious buying), and I really like having that option too.

I also like the "download sample" function. A preview of 30 to 50 pages that I can read any time? Nicely convenient.
 

cameron_chapman

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I bought a Nook Color just before Valentine's Day, and I read WAY more than I did before. So far, in less than three weeks, I've read eight novels. I'm working on my ninth (though that one is print).

Of the eight novels I read on my Nook, all eight were indie published (all eight were Amanda Hocking's books, and I now understand why she's sold over a million books on Kindle alone; her books are addictive). Prior to that, I'd never bought an indie book that wasn't published by someone I knew.

I've also just published my own novella on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords. It's the first in a series, and I never bothered to look for a publisher. I'm not sure if I will for future books, either. I like the indie publishing movement, I like being in control of my own work, and with the success of some authors out there already, I'm convinced that it is possible to make a living at it, as long as you're willing to put in the time and effort and your writing is good enough.
 

AlexPiper

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I love Kindle pre-orders too. Just yesterday I turned on my Kindle and three new books popped up on their release date. I'm reading the new Seanen Maguire. Win!

Ha! I had three show up last night, too! (Patrick Rothfuss' new book, Seanan McGuire's new book, and Jaye Wells' new book.)
 

VTwriter

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I thought I'd never prefer an e-book reader over print books. I got a Kindle for Christmas, and let me tell you, there's no going back. I love the Kindle. I can change the font to something easier for my eyes. I can hold it easier. I can read it outside without a problem. My wife and I just returned from vacation and it was so much easier having the Kindles than lugging around books.
 

Sarah Madara

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I read books with embarrassing covers. A lot of romance novels (especially paranormal and/or erotic ones) are just too obvious for me to take it to soccer practice. Now I can read my smutty fun wherever I want, my secret. Love it.
 

Kewii

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I read more now when I'm on vacation (something about not having to shove six books in an all ready stuffed pack).

It's also made it easier for me to get books. We don't have any proper book stores in Kuwait, so the choice is pretty slim. But now that I have an e-reader, it's a lot easier for me to indulge my habit. (but this would only really influence people in my situation).

I still like print books, but my lifestyle makes ebooks a lot more convenient and lets me read more.
 

Kitty Crocodile

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I got my Kindle last week, and I think it will change my reading habits to some extent. It's light to carry and convenient to use, and the only thing that's stopping me from buying books non-stop is that the ones I'm looking for are not as cheap as I would like them to be. Also, I haven't managed to find all books which I know are available at Amazon. I don't know if this has something to do with my location? (Northern Europe.) I've also been disappointed with the typos and errors in some of the ebooks - I just finished Hanif Kureishi's Gabriel's Gift, which had too many typographical errors for the reading experience to be enjoyable.

I will still buy the books that are closest to my heart as printed books, but I will use Kindle to expand my reading habits and to indulge in guilty pleasures.
 

KTC

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Mine is a Kobo, but same thing.

I read constantly now. I take my Kobo with me to appointments - chiro, dentist, etc, to oil changes, to wherever. I am always reading. Something I never did with meatbooks.

And I'm buying books like a crack addict buys, well, crack. I started my Kobo with 100 free classics. I now have over 400 books on it...and I read almost all of them. My meatbooks I bought all the time, but didn't always read everything I bought. I am eating up my kobobooks. I read way more...and for once in my life I feel I am reading faster. I don't know why it makes me read faster...I've actually read articles that suggest ebook reading has slowed reading down...but I do. much faster.
 

Pistol Whipped Bee

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I don't have an e-reader and I imagine I'd really appreciate having one about right now. I'm reading Stephen King's Under the Dome and it's a monster book - bulky and heavy. They've got to be very convenient and light.
 

citymouse

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I've had a Kindle for over a year. I thought I'd never give up pulp but I haven't had a hard book in hand since I got my K.
The upside to a K is you don't have to pay for a wireless connection to download books--from amz.com.

If I were buying an e-reader now I'd get an iPad. The reason is the color factor. I read a lot of biography and many books have color photos and art.
 

rhymegirl

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Since you asked, I have no interest in owning a Kindle.

I like going to libraries and bookstores and reading books I can hold in my hands.
 

Good Word

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I got a Kindle for Christmas and I like it.

What I like: fast downloads, really great for travel (usually I pack several books). I also like the sample option, which certainly makes sense for them from a business perspective.

What I don't like: no backlit option, so I can't read in bed in the dark (or while a passenger in a car at night) unless I have a separate book light. Also, it isn't good for books that you need to flip back and forth in--best for straight read-throughs. I downloaded the latest book by Tim Ferris, and he references different parts of the book (or I want to re-read something), and moving around in the book is kind of a pain. I also didn't like that when you initially open a book, it automatically opens to the first page of content. I like to see the cover, front matter, any dedication, etc. I don't like that Amazon decides where I start reading.

I'm really glad to have my Kindle--it was a lovely, thoughtful gift! But print books will always be my favorite, and I still prefer browsing in bookstores vs. online.
 

kalencap

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Yes, some. I have a nook and being able to easily carry around over 10 (or 100's) ebooks at a time has its advantages. On the other hand, I was hopping from book to book quite a bit. So, finishing the books started from front to back is a concern. I have, but not many of the ones purchased yet.
 
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