Why So Many Newby Writers Without a Device - Page 13

neilmarr · 08-05-2011, 03:22 PM

Whatever, Anamardoll. We always somehow seem to cross swords, which is not why I'm here [edit by moderation] Your posts, though, are often interesting, though-provoking and influential in my own feelings when you point out flaws we all tend to have when posting in a rush, [edit by moderation] so I will not add you to mine. I continue to look forward to your well considered contributions. Best wishes. Neil

JSWolf · 08-08-2011, 12:26 PM

Quote:

The terrible grief of the dying as they realise their last hour is upon them and they still haven't read Proust.

Never having read Proust is one of my great achievements in reading.

Nancy Fulda · 08-08-2011, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Never having read Proust is one of my great achievements in reading.

*snicker*

OldGunbunny · 08-08-2011, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Never having read Proust is one of my great achievements in reading.

Are you a 20 year old sophmore? If not, there's no requirement.

You will have to stay up all night discussing and drinking coffee after finishing the read.

afa · 08-08-2011, 03:20 PM

I think for an author to say that he or she prefers reading "real" books is a little bit offensive, if only because it sounds condescending.

I don't expect all authors to have to be compelled to be ebook readers, but perhaps the above can be phrased better. "I enjoy the feel of paper in my hands," for instance, or "I like print books, because I like the look and feel of a well-designed cover." Even "I like the looks of having books filling my shelves," would be fine.

But when one says, "I prefer 'real' books," that implies that ebooks are somehow lesser. Perhaps that is not what the poster means, but when writing on a forum, one has to be careful about their choice of words. After all, we can't hear their tone or inflection in their voice to estimate the 'true' meaning. All we have to go on are their words on a screen.

I would think that a professional writer, of all people, would know enough to chose his words with better care.

Native · 08-08-2011, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilmarr

Sorry to have to answer your ill-informed 'straw man' accusation, Anamardoll. Simply Google 'authors who admit to not reading books' and you will find many.

The very first listing there, in fact, is about the renowned Umberto Eco who openly states in a Guardian piece: "I'm a writer, not a reader." There are others, Of course, I have read Eco. But after reading what he has said here and there, I will never do so again.

I believe it to be an outright insult to intelligent readers and to other writers to say that the only merit and inspiration Eco and the likes sees in literature is in their own.

But that is a side-issue in the subject under discussion. Neil

Neil, I admire the courage of saying hard things, but that sounds to me as if you're trying to hurt with an accusation rather than trying to help with a warning. Connecting the quote you provided to the "outright insult" you drew from it requires quite a leap of peevishness. And that's before the context Anamardoll provided.
But here's some cannon-fodder: I gave up reading for years so I could develop and write my own voice and perspective without being led. The world didn't end, and I'm enjoying reading again.

afa · 08-08-2011, 08:41 PM

Maybe your world didn't end.

You can't be sure about the others...

khalleron · 08-09-2011, 07:10 PM

Late to the party, but I've been reading along -

Many authors are encouraged to come here and pitch their books. When Girlebooks.com took my book, the owner of the site signed up for Kindleboards and was going to sign up here to push it, but I told her I was already a regular. I also told her I'd never joined Kindleboards because I don't have a Kindle and didn't really feel it was kosher to go there just for the purpose of self-promotion.

She also signed me up for Goodreads - something I've looked at but am still not sure how to use.

I'm not good at the marketing stuff - which is why I submitted the book to them in the first place - but apparently, out *there*, beyond these electron walls, authors are being told that this is *the* (or one of *the*) place(s) to go promote themselves.

We have a reputation now - it's hard to blame others for taking advantage of it, annoying as we might find it.

neilmarr · 08-10-2011, 12:28 PM

You've already found that properly placed promotion is welcome and well received here, Kate.

But an author gains more community standing and greater respect by, as you do, contributing to general discussions as well. It's all a game of give-and-take; of sharing what we have to offer in terms of advice and opinion.

This is an e-reading community that includes many ebook writers and publishers, so it does appreciate news of available works, but it really does thrive, I believe, on those who (again like you) become part of the community rather than visit merely to exploit a handy target market for their ebooks. I hope, but don't know for sure, that they are few.

Luck, best wishes and karma. Neil

khalleron · 08-10-2011, 12:40 PM

I was a member long before I was an author.

In fact, I received quite a lot of help and advice from the other members here in writing my first book. I like to return the favor when I can.

Lemurion · 08-10-2011, 01:08 PM

The more I think about it, the less I worry about authors without devices. I don't particularly like people who just sign up to push their book - though if they do it in the right forum it's not going to bother me. Still, that's more about the community than anything else.

The reason I don't care otherwise is simple: novels are not fundamentally different as eBooks than they are in dead tree format. I've read the same book in both electronic and print formats more than once, and it's always been the same book both times.

Many of these writers are choosing eBooks simply because they want to make their books available to readers - and that's the only way they can do it. They aren't concerned about electrons versus paper, they're concerned about getting words before eyeballs by any means necessary.

My eighty-one year old mother doesn't read eBooks - but she does recommend books she's read in print to me, that I later read in electronic form. If an author promotes a good book, I'll be interested because it's good - not because I care whether the author reads fiction off a screen or a page.

It's the story that matters.

Vic333 · 08-13-2011, 10:56 AM

The editor I know is interested in how her book looks and feels as an e-book, (the publisher released the e-version without letting her proof it) but isn't particularly interested in becoming an e-book reader herself. Luckily she knows my wife and I, and we clued her in on e-books, showed her how they work and how they look on the eink screen. If an author didn't know any e-book readers personally, or wanted a larger sample size, I could see them joining the forum and trolling around. They're not a user, but they are related to the product.

Many of them, though, might just be here just to promote, but since the author's section is clearly labeled as "Self Promotion", I see nothing wrong with that. I just don't read that section often.

08-05-2011, 03:22 PM	#181
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Whatever, Anamardoll. We always somehow seem to cross swords, which is not why I'm here [edit by moderation] Your posts, though, are often interesting, though-provoking and influential in my own feelings when you point out flaws we all tend to have when posting in a rush, [edit by moderation] so I will not add you to mine. I continue to look forward to your well considered contributions. Best wishes. Neil Last edited by dreams; 08-05-2011 at 11:29 PM.

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08-08-2011, 03:20 PM	#185
afa The Forgotten Posts: 1,136 Karma: 4689999 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Dubai Device: Kindle Paperwhite; Nook HD; Sony Xperia Z3 Compact	I think for an author to say that he or she prefers reading "real" books is a little bit offensive, if only because it sounds condescending. I don't expect all authors to have to be compelled to be ebook readers, but perhaps the above can be phrased better. "I enjoy the feel of paper in my hands," for instance, or "I like print books, because I like the look and feel of a well-designed cover." Even "I like the looks of having books filling my shelves," would be fine. But when one says, "I prefer 'real' books," that implies that ebooks are somehow lesser. Perhaps that is not what the poster means, but when writing on a forum, one has to be careful about their choice of words. After all, we can't hear their tone or inflection in their voice to estimate the 'true' meaning. All we have to go on are their words on a screen. I would think that a professional writer, of all people, would know enough to chose his words with better care.

08-08-2011, 08:41 PM	#187
afa The Forgotten Posts: 1,136 Karma: 4689999 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Dubai Device: Kindle Paperwhite; Nook HD; Sony Xperia Z3 Compact	Maybe your world didn't end. You can't be sure about the others...

08-09-2011, 07:10 PM	#188
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,683 Karma: 3165009 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: Nexus 7 2013, Kobo Aura H2O, Kobo Forma	Late to the party, but I've been reading along - Many authors are encouraged to come here and pitch their books. When Girlebooks.com took my book, the owner of the site signed up for Kindleboards and was going to sign up here to push it, but I told her I was already a regular. I also told her I'd never joined Kindleboards because I don't have a Kindle and didn't really feel it was kosher to go there just for the purpose of self-promotion. She also signed me up for Goodreads - something I've looked at but am still not sure how to use. I'm not good at the marketing stuff - which is why I submitted the book to them in the first place - but apparently, out there, beyond these electron walls, authors are being told that this is the (or one of the) place(s) to go promote themselves. We have a reputation now - it's hard to blame others for taking advantage of it, annoying as we might find it.

08-10-2011, 12:28 PM	#189
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	You've already found that properly placed promotion is welcome and well received here, Kate. But an author gains more community standing and greater respect by, as you do, contributing to general discussions as well. It's all a game of give-and-take; of sharing what we have to offer in terms of advice and opinion. This is an e-reading community that includes many ebook writers and publishers, so it does appreciate news of available works, but it really does thrive, I believe, on those who (again like you) become part of the community rather than visit merely to exploit a handy target market for their ebooks. I hope, but don't know for sure, that they are few. Luck, best wishes and karma. Neil

08-10-2011, 12:40 PM	#190
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,683 Karma: 3165009 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: Nexus 7 2013, Kobo Aura H2O, Kobo Forma	I was a member long before I was an author. In fact, I received quite a lot of help and advice from the other members here in writing my first book. I like to return the favor when I can.

08-10-2011, 01:08 PM	#191
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	The more I think about it, the less I worry about authors without devices. I don't particularly like people who just sign up to push their book - though if they do it in the right forum it's not going to bother me. Still, that's more about the community than anything else. The reason I don't care otherwise is simple: novels are not fundamentally different as eBooks than they are in dead tree format. I've read the same book in both electronic and print formats more than once, and it's always been the same book both times. Many of these writers are choosing eBooks simply because they want to make their books available to readers - and that's the only way they can do it. They aren't concerned about electrons versus paper, they're concerned about getting words before eyeballs by any means necessary. My eighty-one year old mother doesn't read eBooks - but she does recommend books she's read in print to me, that I later read in electronic form. If an author promotes a good book, I'll be interested because it's good - not because I care whether the author reads fiction off a screen or a page. It's the story that matters.

08-13-2011, 10:56 AM	#192
Vic333 Connoisseur Posts: 57 Karma: 500240 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	The editor I know is interested in how her book looks and feels as an e-book, (the publisher released the e-version without letting her proof it) but isn't particularly interested in becoming an e-book reader herself. Luckily she knows my wife and I, and we clued her in on e-books, showed her how they work and how they look on the eink screen. If an author didn't know any e-book readers personally, or wanted a larger sample size, I could see them joining the forum and trolling around. They're not a user, but they are related to the product. Many of them, though, might just be here just to promote, but since the author's section is clearly labeled as "Self Promotion", I see nothing wrong with that. I just don't read that section often.

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