Writerly(/reader?) Debate #3: Ebooks or paperbacks

For a long time, I just could not get into the idea of having an e-reader. I thought it was dumb, and a waste of money.

Then I was gifted a Kindle and I have never looked back.

Well, maybe a little. Sometimes.

Reasons why people love paperbacks

1. Because they smell AMAZING
2. Because THE COVERS!!! So pretty and beautiful! And the back covers!
3. The feel of a soft (or hard) cover in your hand, the pages….ah yes it’s lovely.
4. You can let people borrow them
5. You can give a book away if you find you dislike it.

All this is true. I will not lie.

But here are 5 reasons why I love ebooks

1. My vision is a bit blah and it’s a lot easier to read ebooks honestly. You can increase the size for one. And change the contrast (sepia background v. white background)
2. You can highlight passages and make notes and then go back and view them all together in one place instead of flipping through and trying to find that ONE QUOTE YOU LOVED SO MUCH!!
3. My local library offers ebooks through some app or some such. and it’s AMAZING. I don’t have to go anywhere to read books for FREE. I just download the app, input my library info, search through their library ebooks. It is fantastic. They will disappear on the time they are ‘due back’ and then you can renew them as well with ease.
4. I can read the same ebook anywhere. On my phone, on the computer, on my kindle (before it broke). Now, I don’t really mind carrying a physical book places, but every time I do that, the cover and sometimes the pages become tattered. I suppose I could buy a case …
5. I can carry an ENTIRE LIBRARY online, or technically, 3 libraries. (Amazon kindle, ibook, google play) And I am sure there are other ebook platforms…and they are in a cloud so you won’t ever lose them.

So, what do you think? E book? Paperback/hardback? Both? Which do you love?

Check out my other writerly debates:

To read or not to read

To write Chronologically or…not