This post follows up on last Tuesday’s post. I spoke a little bit about how easy it is to get books on the Kindle. Really what this comes down to is the subtle differences between print books and e-books.
I’m an author. I am lucky enough to get to hang around other authors, and the subject of books often comes up. I hear about all sorts of books, and I often think, “I’ll have to check that out.”
The problem I have is that when I get inside a library or book store, all of these books I want to read disappear from my mind.
One example of this is Jim Buthcher’s books called Storm Front. I’ve heard about this book for at least a year, but I’ve never got around to reading it. I saw it referenced again today, and now that I own a Kindle, I thought I’d check it out.
The book sells for $9 on Amazon. So for a moment, I wonder if I should buy it, or just check it out from the library. Then I see a button on the page. Try it free. Free. No cost. No barrier. I don’t have to go to the library, or remember the author or name of the book. It’s right there.
So I click the button. It’s now on my Kindle. And if the free sample blows my socks off, I’ll be buying the book.
Publishers can’t give away a print copy of the first chapter in the book store, but Amazon can. It’s a small change. It’s a subtle change, but it’s revolutionary. E-readers make it easier to buy books, plain and simple.
