What habits do you have in book buying?
Do you have a few authors whose work you must obtain in hardcover the moment it comes out?
Do you find yourself often waiting until books show up in the used book store even when you are a huge fan of that author's work?
Do you often avoid buying books at all by borrowing them from friends? And, if so, about how frequently do those books ever return to their real owners?
Do you buy more nonfiction, or more fiction?
Do you buy mostly the newest books, or do you seek out older classics?
Do you engage in particular book-buying stategies because you know they will financially help a favorite author (such as buying a book you don't like from an author you do like, buying both a hardcover copy and softcover copy of the very same book, or begging all your friends to buy a book from your favorite author)?
Do you spend more on books you need (college textbooks, nonfiction books related to the writing profession, other books you need for job-related purposes, books bought as Christmas gifts for others) or on books bought purely for your own pleasure?
Are you mainly an impulse buyer ( *ohhhh! pretty cover* ) or do you plan and research before buying?
Do you keep track of how many books you buy in order to try to keep your total purchases within a certain budget?
How good are you at judging whether you will like a book in advance? How frequently do you purchase books and then regret it?
Where do you find "buzz" about books that you eventually decide to purchase? Your friends? Books on the "hot" shelf at the library? Book reviews?
In my personal case, I'm a poor book buyer. After looking through my shelves, I'm surprised at how few of my favorite books I actually own. Furthermore, I tend to make bad decisions in the store. I own a large number of books that I did not like. Conversely, I seem to make my best judgments in the library, after much research. I own more nonfiction than fiction, and I tend to favor older classics over the hottest new thing. A large amount of my book-buying budget does, alas, go towards textbooks and other books that I need rather than want. Perhaps I'll become a better book buyer after I graduate.
Do you have a few authors whose work you must obtain in hardcover the moment it comes out?
Do you find yourself often waiting until books show up in the used book store even when you are a huge fan of that author's work?
Do you often avoid buying books at all by borrowing them from friends? And, if so, about how frequently do those books ever return to their real owners?
Do you buy more nonfiction, or more fiction?
Do you buy mostly the newest books, or do you seek out older classics?
Do you engage in particular book-buying stategies because you know they will financially help a favorite author (such as buying a book you don't like from an author you do like, buying both a hardcover copy and softcover copy of the very same book, or begging all your friends to buy a book from your favorite author)?
Do you spend more on books you need (college textbooks, nonfiction books related to the writing profession, other books you need for job-related purposes, books bought as Christmas gifts for others) or on books bought purely for your own pleasure?
Are you mainly an impulse buyer ( *ohhhh! pretty cover* ) or do you plan and research before buying?
Do you keep track of how many books you buy in order to try to keep your total purchases within a certain budget?
How good are you at judging whether you will like a book in advance? How frequently do you purchase books and then regret it?
Where do you find "buzz" about books that you eventually decide to purchase? Your friends? Books on the "hot" shelf at the library? Book reviews?
In my personal case, I'm a poor book buyer. After looking through my shelves, I'm surprised at how few of my favorite books I actually own. Furthermore, I tend to make bad decisions in the store. I own a large number of books that I did not like. Conversely, I seem to make my best judgments in the library, after much research. I own more nonfiction than fiction, and I tend to favor older classics over the hottest new thing. A large amount of my book-buying budget does, alas, go towards textbooks and other books that I need rather than want. Perhaps I'll become a better book buyer after I graduate.