Sixteenth annual poll!
When I first launched this poll in 2007, Amazon’s first Kindle was just a few weeks old and iPads didn’t even exist yet. Now we have gizmos galore and a global pandemic under our belts. Are people feeling the e-book thunder or are they weathering the storm with paper in their hands?
My usual caveats:
- Yes, I know this isn’t a scientific poll.
- Yes, I am aware it’s even less scientific to compare very different audiences and sample sizes through time.
- Yes, I know that you want more poll options because one of these doesn’t precisely capture all of the nuances of your e-book and print book tendencies. Choose the one that’s closest!
The poll is below. You may need to click through to see it if you’re reading this in a feed reader or via email.
Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!
For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel and my guide to publishing a book.
And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!
Art: Vanitas stilleven by Evert Collier
){kind=link}
Now, I use Libby so much that I don’t even buy ebooks anymore. I just borrow them from the library.
But I’ll still buy paper books when there’s a good map inside.
Well, just like me, I hit submit before choosing a category. For what it’s worth, I still have no idea.
Interestingly, I have bought more audiobooks now than ever ebooks. With five kids I don’t have time to sit and read in any form, so audio has been awesome! I hear about a lot of people doing this lately as well. Even my eldest (16), listens to audiobooks and podcasts while working out. Doesn’t like to sit and dedicate reading time but has embraced listening so much.
Put me down in the ‘want more options’ group.
The one I want is Buying ebooks because I won’t pay what the pubs want for paper.
Thanks!
…. why do people do this every year
But no. GIVE ME ALL THE BOOKS I can curl up with, underline, star, dog-ear the pages to. I will NEVER choose ebook over paper book unless it’s cost-prohibitive to purchase the book itself and / or I just have limited need or interest. For instance, I purchased an ebook about iodine and salt because I just needed the info from one chapter. I still didn’t care for the format, but I got what I needed and haven’t opened it again. (For the record, I’d rather read a PDF document than an ePub type of book.)
I will continue to buy e-books, but my choice of books is hard-back.
I’ve gone pretty much exclusively to ebooks and audiobooks from the library. I always have my phone with me, so then I can read whenever I have a minute. The exception is reading with my middle school students during their SSR time. I get one paper book at a time from the library for that.
I’d like more options too.
I buy mostly ebooks, followed by audio (I love my Kindle) However I still like paperbacks but they’re not so convenient to carry around.
Hi Nathan, I was ready to answer your poll but didn’t like the way it was framed, so in good conscience couldn’t. You can hardly pry my bound books from my hands, I prize them so
much. But I buy mostly ebooks now because all my book shelves are overflowing. Also I like the convenience of my kindle when traveling, and the great deals I can find price-wise, even on new released ebooks.
…. And you don’t have an option in the poll for buying mostly ebooks?