See, something like that just gets under my skin. Did she ever hear of the Sony Reader? Aside from the wireless bit, it does everything she lists.
Even If They Will Pry Books Out Of Your Cold Dead Hand...
It's time to concede e-readers are not going away.
OK, if I put my reaction to that in words, it'll be very, very ... bad. So let me use a graphic:
Has that been the thinking of the dying dinosaurs of print publishing? That these weird, geeky, icky things will just ... go away? Vanish? Enter FAILville?! That the entire idea of electronic text is just a freaky thing done by guys who can't get dates and by women too fat to get to a public library?! Despite the fact these same dying dinosaurs of print have -- this third decade of the microcomputer -- never bothered to reflect on the fact they've probably read several times the length of War and Peace on screens already?!
At least here I'm encouraged that her abominable Kindle ownership has caused her to begin to see things in publishing in an up-to-date modern 21st-century perspective:
Those free downloads can increase the circumference of your buzz circle a LOT. I think publishers, particularly smaller publishers who face an enormous hurdle for getting attention for their books, should be looking into this tool with alacrity.
But wait you say! Not so fast. We don't want to give away our content.
And I say unto thee, what is the most oft-repeated phrase among people urging someone else to read something, be they agent, editor, telephone order taker, bookstore handseller, or your mom? "Just read the first chapter and you'll see."
Just read the first chapter and you'll see.
Free Kindle downloads removes huge barriers to connecting with buyers. I don't have to be in a store, for starters, to peruse a book. I don't have assume the risk of paying for something I might not like if I buy it on the net. Think of first chapter for free downloads as a tasting spoon of Chunky Monkey at Baskin Robbins. Would you buy that flavor based on the name alone? Well, I wouldn't. But I tasted it (and butter pecan, New York fudge, rocky road, and peppermint..but I digress) and it was yummy. Will I buy it again? You bet. All cause BR was willing to give me a free teaspoon of the stuff.
Cue the heavenly host breaking out into song!
Then, this is where it gets absolutely ugly for me:
I'm on the phone this week to every publisher I can to wax enthusiastic about this.
See, these addicts of the Kindle, all they know is Kindle-Kindle-Kindle.
This is an e-reader, dammit:
And it's in RED too!
Previously here:
The Sony Reader Rejects Defeat
Amazon: New Kindles? We Never Said That!
Kindle Schmindle III
Sony Reader Gets Truth And Love
Kindle, Schmindle II
Kindle, Schmindle
The Kindle Revolution Ain’t Happening
Sony To Kindle: Up Yours!
What’s Up With That Awful Kindle?
I’m No Fan Of The Kindle. Nor Is He.
Oh, NOW He Believes Me!
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