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Steven Lyle Jordan · 08-20-2008, 01:06 PM

I was first introduced to e-books in the mid-nineties. At the time, I was helping to pioneer electronic on-demand print production of documents in my company, and exploring digital media extensively. This led me to discover e-books, mostly PDF files, of public-domain books and mostly-badly-written fan fiction.

At the same time, I was writing my own books, and exploring the advantages of producing books on computers instead of writing longhand or using typewriters (both of which I did, depending on where I was when the muse hit me). And as I owned an early PDA (the Casio Zoomer), I did quite a bit of writing on the device's on-screen keyboard. So I was creating e-books at the same time I was discovering others!

Fast forward to around 2005, when I decided to attempt publishing, but was largely ignored by the publishers I contacted (not turned down, but told they were not interested in seeing my work at all... when they replied at all). I was disappointed, but at the same time, wondered if I had any other alternatives. Remembering the early e-books, I dove back into the arena and researched it, and before long I decided that if I could not get interest from a publisher, I could sell my books online as e-books.

As I researched things like formats, prices, markets, etc, I discovered more e-book publishers, and e-books that were no longer all public domain or fanfic, but professional material and current bestsellers. I also discovered e-book readers, although I quickly decided that it was just as convenient, much cheaper, and more versatile to use my PDA for reading instead of a dedicated reader. I started purchasing e-books regularly, and curtailing my purchases of printed books when I could.

Today, I produce e-books, as well as buy e-books for my PDA. I also actively check out technology that promises to shift publishing from print to electronic systems in the future. I do not buy e-books exclusively yet... there are still old and new books that I cannot find as e-books, or that I come across in a store and buy on-the-spot. But I look forward to the day when I can buy nothing but e-books, as well as converting my paper-based collection to electronic files someday, and reducing the amount of print-based material I'm attempting to store in my house in one form or another.

08-20-2008, 01:06 PM	#15
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I was first introduced to e-books in the mid-nineties. At the time, I was helping to pioneer electronic on-demand print production of documents in my company, and exploring digital media extensively. This led me to discover e-books, mostly PDF files, of public-domain books and mostly-badly-written fan fiction. At the same time, I was writing my own books, and exploring the advantages of producing books on computers instead of writing longhand or using typewriters (both of which I did, depending on where I was when the muse hit me). And as I owned an early PDA (the Casio Zoomer), I did quite a bit of writing on the device's on-screen keyboard. So I was creating e-books at the same time I was discovering others! Fast forward to around 2005, when I decided to attempt publishing, but was largely ignored by the publishers I contacted (not turned down, but told they were not interested in seeing my work at all... when they replied at all). I was disappointed, but at the same time, wondered if I had any other alternatives. Remembering the early e-books, I dove back into the arena and researched it, and before long I decided that if I could not get interest from a publisher, I could sell my books online as e-books. As I researched things like formats, prices, markets, etc, I discovered more e-book publishers, and e-books that were no longer all public domain or fanfic, but professional material and current bestsellers. I also discovered e-book readers, although I quickly decided that it was just as convenient, much cheaper, and more versatile to use my PDA for reading instead of a dedicated reader. I started purchasing e-books regularly, and curtailing my purchases of printed books when I could. Today, I produce e-books, as well as buy e-books for my PDA. I also actively check out technology that promises to shift publishing from print to electronic systems in the future. I do not buy e-books exclusively yet... there are still old and new books that I cannot find as e-books, or that I come across in a store and buy on-the-spot. But I look forward to the day when I can buy nothing but e-books, as well as converting my paper-based collection to electronic files someday, and reducing the amount of print-based material I'm attempting to store in my house in one form or another. Last edited by Steven Lyle Jordan; 08-20-2008 at 01:13 PM.