Will Subscription e-Book Sites Continue to be Viable in 2015?

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

I always assumed reading other than erotica. Never occurred to me that erotica was a big draw until joykins brought it up.

Just for the record, I brought up m/m romance, not erotica. Not that there isn't some crossover, but I imagine erotic romance is a bigger draw than pure erotica. Either way, the e-reader functions to *remove the cover* of the book, which is totally what you want while reading erotica or erotic romance in public.

[Atunah]

Originally Posted by Joykins

Just for the record, I brought up m/m romance, not erotica. Not that there isn't some crossover, but I imagine erotic romance is a bigger draw than pure erotica. Either way, the e-reader functions to *remove the cover* of the book, which is totally what you want while reading erotica or erotic romance in public.

I wouldn't really care if my ereader would put a projection of the cover I am reading at the time on the ceiling of the waiting room. I don't really care what others might think or not think about what I read.
I guess I been through all of the sniggles and sneers over my many years of reading romance, erotic romance etc, before I had access to ebooks. So the cover was always visible while I was holding up my paperbacks to my nose.

And you also bring up a good point in the filling the gaps when using subscription and library to read series. Seems like almost everything I read is in some kind of series no matter how barely connected. I am OCD about reading in order so by using Scribd and/or library, I can start reading series I might not have otherwise as it would have gotten too expensive. It hurts a lot less when I have to buy a couple of books in a series at 6.99-7.99 if I was able to get some of the others through Scribd or the library.

So in a way I buy more even and read more by using subscription services, or libraries for that matter. I have been borrowing stuff with Scribd at times, even if it was available at the library. One, I already have a subscription and two, I didn't want to wait for a loan to come up. Just depends on where the book is available. Its not an either or. Voracious readers have always been getting their reading material from a variety of sources.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Joykins

I've found an odd synergy between Scribd and my library, as well. Series with Books 1-2 on Scribd, books 3-4 at the library, and well, I buy book 5 because if an author gets me to finish a 5-book series they've more than earned a direct purchase. Or, even, books 1-4 at the library, books 5-6 on Scribd. They fill in the gaps in each others' collections more than you'd think.

This is what I would likely use a subscription service for - if anybody would ever start one that has epubs.

For the people who said they forget to return library books - you don't have to worry about that with library ebooks because they expire on their own if you don't return them!

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Joykins

Just for the record, I brought up m/m romance, not erotica. Not that there isn't some crossover, but I imagine erotic romance is a bigger draw than pure erotica. Either way, the e-reader functions to *remove the cover* of the book, which is totally what you want while reading erotica or erotic romance in public.

If you feel the need to hide it, either you should rethink what you read or rethink who your friends are.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

If you feel the need to hide it, either you should rethink what you read or rethink who your friends are.

Keyword being in public. Normally you are amongst strangers when in public. Some might be your friends though. It is for those other strangers benefit.

[eschwartz]

Why are strangers peering at your books???

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Why are strangers peering at your books???

Apparently it happens. Or else please explain to me why there is "adult cover" Harry Potter books? That is just embarrassing when you see one reading it. (Hey, you have been had - the cover is not going to change the fact that it is in essence a children's book) Yes, you can enjoy it as an adult, but don't try to make yourself more sophisticated. Just turns someone into a snob, IMO. Your friends wouldn't care, so it has to be for the stranger looking at your book.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

If you feel the need to hide it, either you should rethink what you read or rethink who your friends are.

It's the strangers on the bus/train/plane who make rude remarks, in my experience. One read looked over my shoulder and read aloud from a romance novel I was reading, I am not ashamed of reading it but I didn't like that at all.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Why are strangers peering at your books???

Because they are rude.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Why are strangers peering at your books???

To see what the book is?

On airplanes I do it to see what language the book is written in. So I can choose the right language if I need to talk to the person beside me. It is so annoying which often happens that two Swedes communicate in English because they do not realize that Swedish works.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Apparently it happens. Or else please explain to me why there is "adult cover" Harry Potter books? That is just embarrassing when you see one reading it. (Hey, you have been had - the cover is not going to change the fact that it is in essence a children's book) Yes, you can enjoy it as an adult, but don't try to make yourself more sophisticated. Just turns someone into a snob, IMO. Your friends wouldn't care, so it has to be for the stranger looking at your book.

I will keep the children's cover ones, then. Anyone who has a problem gets a smack.

Originally Posted by Joykins

It's the strangers on the bus/train/plane who make rude remarks, in my experience. One read looked over my shoulder and read aloud from a romance novel I was reading, I am not ashamed of reading it but I didn't like that at all.

Hit them over the head with a tortoise symbol.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by tompe

To see what the book is?

On airplanes I do it to see what language the book is written in. So I can choose the right language if I need to talk to the person beside me. It is so annoying which often happens that two Swedes communicate in English because they do not realize that Swedish works.

Taking a discreet peek is one thing, doing it when someone KNOWS you're doing it or reading content aloud is beyond the pale!

[Synamon]

I rarely bothered with Scribd during my 3 month free trial. I did use Kindle Unlimited a lot during my one month trial, since it allowed me to read on e-ink, I don't really like reading on my tablet.

I didn't continue either subscription because I'm fortunate to have a very well stocked public library which I use for both ebooks and audiobooks. Without the library I'd probably have stayed with KU and might have kept Scribd (particularly for audiobooks).

I can see the model succeeding in places where public library access is poor. I think it's a good way for publishers to facilitate users who want to try new authors or first books in series, something that many were using freebies to do in the early years of the ebook revolution.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Joykins

Just for the record, I brought up m/m romance, not erotica. Not that there isn't some crossover, but I imagine erotic romance is a bigger draw than pure erotica. Either way, the e-reader functions to *remove the cover* of the book, which is totally what you want while reading erotica or erotic romance in public.

Haha!
Sorry for misinterpreting. But my libraries do have M/M and F/F romances and have had in paper books for decades.

Many m/f romances have far more provocative covers as do books in other genres, Anyone who is going to condemn me based on the covers of the books I read has probably lots of ammunition even in non fiction.

Condemn away I say and see if I care.

Helen

[Blossom]

Some covers of romance or erotica are too risky for public which is why ebooks are perfect. You wouldn't want to expose children to some of the covers. Having someone read over my shoulder now that would freak me out!