break even at 24

[fugazied]

For dedicated readers, 25 books is a year max. For casual readers perhaps 2-3 years. That's pretty quick really!

[Sweetpea]

I've bought more books since I started reading electronically than I would have done if I only had pbooks at my disposal.

Personally, I don't mind that much if pbooks and ebooks have around the same price, that's not why I buy ebooks. The ease of taking books with me, always having a book to read, that's why I read ebooks... And that is not possible to put in money terms.

[narbeauchamp]

I would tend to think someone who buys an ereader would be reading more than 24 books per year. I was recently chastized and asked in a sense,why don't I just go buy a book-or borrow books from the library.In my first few months having a 505,I easily read 30 books,I can go through a book or three in a week (if I am sick or on vacation or find myself with more free time,I prefer to read than almost anything else ).

I didn't buy the reader to save money necessarily,but to save my back-and to me that is priceless ...its just a bonus that I can carry around a few hundred books ! At this point I still buy regular books,mainly because at times comparing the prices it just works out better (and some books I just won't want to keep around).I just bought a PRS700 in January,and in the last almost two months since I've had it-I've read about eight books. I have become so dependant on the reader,that I think in the time between when my 505 broke and I replaced it..*maybe* I actually finished four books-mostly because I have grown accustomed to being able to carry the reader,and wouldn't carry the paperbook around to/from work,gym etc,so I only read at home.

That said I'm presently working my way through 3 books on the reader,and another three in traditional form.

[bill_mchale]

At some point, I plan on actually buying a book for my ebook reader, but between the Project Gutenberg/Manybooks.net/feedbooks books and the Baen freebies on the web, I have yet to actually buy a book. Now granted there are about 50 books on Baen's website I plan to buy, but there are probably about 10-15 more I plan on reading first.

So figure that since I started ebook reading back in September, I have probably read 10-12 books on the reader (I got bogged down in Count of Monte Cristo...). The jetbook hasn't paid for itself yet, but it has definitely increased my reading.

--
Bill

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by fugazied

For dedicated readers, 25 books is a year max. For casual readers perhaps 2-3 years. That's pretty quick really!

Hunh?!? I can go through 25 books in three months - when I'm slacking off on my reading! I'd call anyone who ONLY reads 25 books in a year as a 'casual' reader.

Derek

[Sydney's Mom]

I have read way more than 25 books in the 3 months since I got my kindle. Most of them free. I still look at it as a net savings, cause I would have had to run all over to pick up those books in dead tree format. At the very least, I would have had to go back and forth to the library numerous times. Gas savings, too!

[Amalthia]

I think my reader is worth it's weight in gold, though I know I've spent less than 50 dollars in ebooks since buying my device (over a year ago). I, like Elfwreck, am mostly using it to read fan fiction. Anyone who's seen the 200k word fan fiction novels will understand why an ebook reader is a life saver. Not sure I can sit in front of my computer to read the novels anymore and printing them out only works so well...

I also find that reading mangas on the device is quite fun too.

[pshrynk]

Well, I've got nearly 400 books on my Kindle 1. About 200 free. None more than $10. Yeah, I'd say it's paid for itlsef by now.

[Penforhire]

24 books is an absurdly low estimate. I'm past 50 books but no way have I broken even. I'm probably getting close. I don't count the typical free books, like my Sony Classics, in payback because those are not on my must-read list. That list far exceeds the time I have to read as it is.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Liviu_5

I mostly agree with the above - though I buy more books than before since having the options to explore tons of authors in e made me buy quite a few of their books, both print and e, books that otherwise I would not have discovered

Selling an ebook device on savings based on purchases of ebooks vs similar print books is disingenuous though and to my mind it is exactly the kind of argument that makes one shy away from them.

Because of the free samples I only buy what I want to read right now. I don't buy books without finishing the sample. I used to buy more speculatively so I would end up with books I didn't like well enough to finish or didn't get around to starting because I'd become interested in something else. I'd enjoy something by an author so I'd go buy all their books. That sort of thing. I know some folks like to do that to have complete collections, but I'm not a collecting sort of person. Now, I wait and see. The book store's always open and accessible so I don't have to worry about being stuck without a good read. So, while I'm reading more than ever, I haven't bought any books that I haven't finished (aside from the ones I'm reading right now). I don't have any books in my queue waiting for me, only free samples. I've downloaded plenty of samples and NOT bought the book. Before, I would have bought the book and put it aside unfinished. I have probably paid for the Kindle in what I've saved in not buying clunkers.

[Sydney's Mom]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

I have to say, I knit a lot less now. I'd rather be reading (now that so many books are at my fingertips instantly).

Yes, I have wondered if the text to voice on the kindle 2 would solve that problem. But I can't really imagine listening to one of my steamy romance books being read to me. Notwithstanding that I would have to have headphones, so my 11-year old couldn't hear!

Debra

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

Yes, I have wondered if the text to voice on the kindle 2 would solve that problem. But I can't really imagine listening to one of my steamy romance books being read to me. Notwithstanding that I would have to have headphones, so my 11-year old couldn't hear!

Debra

I just imagine Steven Hawking reading a romance novel

[BurBunny]

The number of you mentioning you've taken advantage of the free Amazon book previews to determine what books you ulitmately purchase has me wondering how many books I've read in the past few years that I wouldn't have completed if I'd only "sampled" it from the first chapter. I can offhand think of several which started off quite slowly, and which I might have put aside for a bit and come back to finish later. Many were well reviewed literature, but which didn't "grab" me from the start. Most of which I really enjoyed by the end.

If I'd not had the financial investment of having already purchased the book, I might never have persevered and finished them. Likely I'd never have gone beyond the first chapter.

What about the rest of you? How many books have you not liked from the start but enjoyed reading in the end? Do the free samples for the Kindle have the potential of making you a bit jaded if the book doesn't "grab" you from the start? Do you think that writers and editors will have even more pressure to make Chapter 1 more compelling? (Not that it's ever not been important, but will this make a change in how publishers approach new releases?)

[Liviu_5]

Originally Posted by BurBunny

If I'd not had the financial investment of having already purchased the book, I might never have persevered and finished them. Likely I'd never have gone beyond the first chapter.

Today you can easily find online samples of most new books out there, reviews, opinions... so a one chapter sample is not that relevant for me.

Anyway if it's a new US book, I spend time in bookstores several times a week so it's easy to sample. With UK/overseas only books it is trickier, but I usually can decide to order or not based on subject, author, sample and I rarely got "burned" - actually I probably ordered on the 100 books scale from the UK/Canada/Australia/ and maybe 25-50 from France/francophone sphere in the past 5-10 years and there is only one book from the UK that I deeply regretted spending money on and two more that I sort of regret in the sense that I have not read them yet and now they have been published here in the US and are available at better prices, but I plan to read them sometimes.

But with free shipping from BD and nowadays the weak pound, buying books from the UK is just routine for me...

This being said, I easily have 100 books unread, partially read... sitting on my shelves, most likely more, while for paid ebooks maybe around 10-15 partially read/unread, but it rarely is because I ordered something and did not like.

I like to buy books and I also like to have many books to read at my convenience, and considering that many older books can be had for 4-5$ today, rarely over 10$, it is not even an expensive habit.

[deety]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

I just imagine Steven Hawking reading a romance novel

My only interest in the text-to-speech feature is having it occasionally read the worst passages of bad books to me for the added comedy value. Yes, I'm easily entertained.