Running and walking books: How do you prefer to read them?
I ask you this because there has been a convergence of events over the past few months, weeks, and days, including a press release that I read only today.
- Some three months ago, soon after I launched my first two books — Mental Tricks for Endurance Runners and Walkers and 123 Cellphone Tips for Runners and Walkers — in hardcover, softcover, and Kindle editions, I noticed that sales of the Kindle editions were outpacing sales of the hardcover and softcover editions.
- Some two and a half months ago, Monster.com announced that it was going to make its new book, Six Fundamentals to Building a Lifelong Career, available exclusively in the Amazon Kindle store — that there would be NO print editions of the book for at least the first year, if not for all time.
- Within the past month or so, Barnes & Noble and Borders have joined Amazon in releasing online publishing systems for publishing e-books for their e-readers.
- Some two weeks ago, I heard a book-publishing expert say in an interview that he expected that 80% of books sales will be electronic editions within five years.
- Today on its website, Amazon says that the Kindle is its #1 bestselling item for two years running.
- Also today, Amazon posted a press release in which a senior vice president said, “For the top 10 bestselling books on Amazon.com, customers are choosing Kindle books over hardcover and paperback books combined at a rate of greater than 2 to 1. Kindle books are also outselling print books for the top 25, 100, and 1,000 bestsellers–it’s across the board.”
- And rumors were swirling today that Barnes & Noble would release a color-screen version of its Nook e-reader tomorrow.
This convergence of events is making me wonder about the best form(s) in which to publish my future books for runners and walkers.
When it comes to creating books for SpryFeet.com readers, I want to be sure that I am delivering what you want to know about running or walking as quickly and efficiently as possible.
For example, much of what I write requires no illustrations, so I do not create books with internal illustrations. Including illustrations in a book would delay its publication and usually would unnecessarily drive up the cost of the book.
Other, more-unusual examples of types of books that I do not publish today include 3D-pop-up books and books with holographic covers — although I admit that those could be interesting!
Similarly, getting a book published in each edition listed below — hardcover, softcover, Kindle, etc. – is mostly a separate effort after I have written the book.
So I have a ranking survey for you:
Then share your comments below with other readers. Thank you!
Wow. This afternoon, less than one day after I wrote this blog post, I heard Laurel Langemeier — the resident “Money Expert” on the Dr. Phil show — say in an interview, “You know, my books are out-selling on Kindle and iPad three-to-one on my hardback books.” She also said that many bookstores are looking at putting print-on-demand facilities into their stores. What about you as a consumer of books about running or walking? Have you tried reading any books on e-readers? What has been your experience? Please take the survey and leave your comment here. Thanks! — Kirk