The biggest threat to publishing isn’t Amazon; it’s Angry Birds

[BeccaPrice]

http://dearauthor.com/ebooks/the-big...-in-libraries/

Publishing, whether it is traditional publishers, self publishers, digital first publishers, needs to invest in early reading for two reasons. First, early readers become paying adult readers. Second, early readers become adept adult writers. Both readers and writers are needed for a healthy publishing ecosystem and investment in fostering the love of reading and writing is vital. There is no better place to do this than by investing in libraries.

I've read this argument in other places, too - Jane makes a good case that library borrowing of books leads to sales. apparently Amazon has found this to be true with their Kindle Owner's Lending Library as well.

As anectdata, I've noticed this in my own kids, too - by preference they'll play video games over reading (although at least during the school year, my son read more on his kindle in 4 months than he had all the previous pre-kindle year)

[Phogg]

So Games on phones are going to destroy serious reading as an activity in the exact same way baseball, comic books, movies, radio, television, roleplaying games, and pokemon were going to destroy reading?

By making sure children chose something else?

Call me jaded, but I think that changing the name of the bugaboo does not make the concept true. There never were any halcyon days when everyone read - so they aren't over now.

[SteveEisenberg]

I disagree with the headline, but the OP article is better.

[maxiart]

I don't even see how the headline and the article are connected. Videogames are no more danger to reading than any other hobby under the sun.

[carpetmojo]

Originally Posted by maxiart

I don't even see how the headline and the article are connected. Videogames are no more danger to reading than any other hobby under the sun.

Well, it does rather depend on the hobby, and how seriously you take it ...........

Bit tricky rock climbing with a book in your hand ...........

[pidgeon92]

Home video games first started becoming popular when I was about ten years old. I had an original Atari, with a boatload of games. I played them quite a bit, but I enjoyed reading as much then as I do now.

And I like Angry Birds, too.

[CommonReader]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

http://dearauthor.com/ebooks/the-big...-in-libraries/
As anectdata, I've noticed this in my own kids, too - by preference they'll play video games over reading (although at least during the school year, my son read more on his kindle in 4 months than he had all the previous pre-kindle year)

Our daughter (11 yrs) has at her disposal a PS3 and a Nintendo DSi with plenty of games and additionally she can use my wife's iPad. What does she use most? Her Cybook Opus, voraciously reading ebooks. She reads plenty of pbooks as well. I for one can not confirm your finding.

[crossi]

Well in some ways. I'm both a reader and a gamer and gaming can seriously cut into my reading time (I'm not talking about the Angry Birds type of game but those like Civilization and Oblivion where a single game can take months to finish even playing hours a day).

I also agree that encouraging early reading is in the interest of publishers. Reading is a skill that the more you do it the easier it becomes and the easier it becomes the more enjoyable you will find it so you'll do it even more. It is also in their interest if children develop a habit of daily reading. A child that reads will become an adult who reads and buys books.

[vulcan_girl]

Originally Posted by maxiart

I don't even see how the headline and the article are connected. Videogames are no more danger to reading than any other hobby under the sun.

The article mentioned the rise in tablet sales, and apparently when you have a tablet, you find yourself doing things other than reading, like playing Angry Birds. Then it goes on to mention the lack of ebook lending in libraries and how a large number of library users will actually purchase books that they first read and loved at the library. With people already reading less, the BPHs are not growing their market like Nike does.

[RainingLemur]

Originally Posted by crossi

Well in some ways. I'm both a reader and a gamer and gaming can seriously cut into my reading time (I'm not talking about the Angry Birds type of game but those like Civilization and Oblivion where a single game can take months to finish even playing hours a day).

Same here (2 200+hour saves playing different styles in Oblivion, over 300 hours sunk into Fallout 3 & New Vegas, and just started losing sleep over Skyrim).

I have noticed, though, that I have actually done a bit more reading when playing those games. I'll seek out fanfic set in those universes and will read those when not playing. It's fun stuff.

[VaporPunk]

I used to be a very avid gamer. The best CRPGs were books* back in the day, great storytelling, interesting characters, situations that challenged you to think. Think Planescape Torment, Baldurs Gate series, Fallout 1 and 2, etc...

Now its just blow stuff up and pump up yer stats. Which is fun once in a while but nowhere near as engrossing. Maybe I is just getting old.

*Okay, they really weren't but I'm trying to make a point here about the sad decline of in depth RPGs. The point is, there used to be some level of literary value in these games. And after a long gaming session, picking up a good fantasy novel before bedtime was the icing on the cake, a cherry on the ice-cream sundae of imaginary worlds.

[QuantumIguana]

It's not hard to imagine that someone once wrote an article about kids playing hoop and stick being a threat to reading.

[Jazzy_Jeffaz]

Originally Posted by maxiart

I don't even see how the headline and the article are connected. Videogames are no more danger to reading than any other hobby under the sun.

I agree especially when you have to read things in a lot of the games.

[wizwor]

I've lobbied PBS to set aside time from 7:00pm to 9:00pm to have celebrities read to children with animated captioning. Bedtime stories for kids without literate parents would help overcome one of the major onstacles to early reading. I think this would be a good way to grow the market for literature. Maybe publishers would be willing to sponsor paid programming that does this.

[VaporPunk]

Originally Posted by wizwor

I've lobbied PBS to set aside time from 7:00pm to 9:00pm to have celebrities read to children with animated captioning. Bedtime stories for kids without literate parents would help overcome one of the major onstacles to early reading. I think this would be a good way to grow the market for literature. Maybe publishers would be willing to sponsor paid programming that does this.

Good idea. Is there a petition we can sign?