Sales of Camp Follower are picking up. (Like the Ottawa River ice breakup – nothing seems to be going on and then it all starts happening at once!) The book is now widely available in my region and starting to spread out of it. Libraries are ordering it. It’s been entered in contests. There’s a magazine article about it. Yay for me the author, but…
I remain puzzled by something. Electronic sales are not happening. There’ve been a couple of Kindle and Kobo sales, but I honestly thought by now they would be taking off and even outnumbering physical book sales. But they aren’t. Why not?
I’ve decided it’s because of Human Nature. My observations:
1. Humans prefer to physically see and hold objects they own. (It’s why some people preferred being paid by cheque instead of direct deposit for so long!)
2. Humans so far have grown up with physical books, and as a rule, humans don’t like change. (It’s why some people preferred being paid by cheque instead of direct deposit for so long!)
3. Humans enjoy owning books as much as reading them. Physical books have an appearance, even a décor. They can be admired and retained long after, even before, being read.
These reasons are valid; I don’t dispute anyone’s right to their reading preferences. I myself read from either kind of word-delivery system. But I stand by the advantages of ebooks :
1. The words are the same on paper or on screen.
2. Ebooks are portable.
3. Ebooks are cheaper.
4. Ebooks are immediate.
5. Ebooks are available to buy anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day.
I’m sure you have your own preferences, and reasons for them. (My husband prefers the larger font controls for his ebooks–another advantage!)
Readers : Which do you prefer, and why? Authors: Do you promote ebook sales? How?
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Stevie Szabad, Author 
I still love the feel and smell of a new book. Probably always will.
I hear you! More human nature (and senses!) in play there😉
I have tried the Ebooks, but nothing beats a good “page-turner”! Silly as i sounds…I like turning the page!
The page turning is important especially when I want to jump back and forth-much easier with a real book I agree!
I’ll take either. I like ebooks for their portability, but I LOVE holding a book in my hands and turning the pages. It’s easier on my eyesight, too, for some reason.
I’m with you. But the older I get, the fuller my place with all the physical books! I like ebooks but you’re right, I’ll never stop the old school ones completely!
I prefer the searchability of ebooks for reference works (about 95% of my library). Corporeal books for leisure reading (away from the computer screen).