I’m not what is known as an early adaptor–the person who lines up outside the tech store for the latest device and chronologizes the experience via twitter (or whatever social media the early adaptors are onto now). That being said, I’m no pen and paper purist either. I’m more of a sellout willing to pimp myself to whatever technology can help me obtain my goals.
Thus I’ve found myself writing and Indie-publishing eBooks rather than twiddling my thumbs while I wait for an agent to pander my doodlings to a traditional publisher.
I’m also fully aware that many of you are jabbing at your keyboard right now in an attempt to scroll down the screen to read the rest of this post, all the while mumbling about the “good ole days” of muscle cars and vinyl. Well, sorry to be the harbinger of bad news, but eBooks are here to stay.
While 8-tracks and VHS have dawdled gently into history, stuff like the internet and email have stayed around. eBooks belong to the latter group rather than the former. Amazon might faulter, .epub may disappear, but eBooks will endure.
Don’t get me wrong. This doesn’t mean you need to adapt at all. Paper books won’t disappear either, so there’s no need to panic just yet (and begin memorizing pages of your favorite novel in order to preserve it after the burnings begin). But adapting to the eBook revolution will bring certain benefits:
1.) relevant discussions of current events and trends will shift to eBook
2.) electronic formats will almost certainly be cheaper than printed forms
3.) remote locations will have easier access to eBooks than paper ones
4.) increased interactivity between consumers of content (with other consumers as well as the creators)
5.) convenience, portability and immediate gratification[divider]
eBooks are not just for techies. They are for those who desire large print, those who wish to read for entertainment on a budget, for those who travel, and for those who wish to be in the know. And their uses are only going to increase. So if you’ve been holding out, it might be time to give in (just a little).