Kindle, Nook Color, Sony Pocket: My EReader Conversion

Kindle 3G Wifi
sold at Amazon
for $180 new, refurbished
for much less

Six months ago, I had no ebook reader and no interest in buying one. What with technology advancing so rapidly, my plan was to wait for the next wave - which I assumed would be the next generation of IPad. 

Maybe.  Part of me just didn't like the idea of an electronic book. I'd stick with print, thank you very much.  If tablets advanced that they served other purposes for me and they were great e-readers as a bonus, then great.  I could wait. 

Then I got a Nook Color for Christmas and everything changed.

I enjoyed the Nook Color for the two weeks last December that I went through three different Nooks before getting a cash refund. I liked the color screen, the size, and the ability to immediately download books ... but each time, the Nooks I had went nutzo. They started automatically scrolling ahead in the book, as well as highlighting random words. It was almost as if the Nook Color was possessed, or controlled remotely. Crazy stuff.

But I had the fever after that two weeks with Nook Color. So did I get a Kindle then? Nope. Got a Sony Pocket Reader.

It's cute, and I like the screen on the Sony Reader. It's great that I can download books from the public library. It's terribly bad that there's very little to choose from at the Sony Store. Not much inventory there.

So, I bought a Kindle 3G with WiFi one afternoon at Best Buy.

And, I adore my Kindle. I love the selection available to me. I love that at three in the morning, I can shop Amazon for books. I love that there are great books for free or very, very low cost. Connecting to the internet is fast, downloading is fast. The battery lasts a good, long time -- I'm thinking that I recharge once every 2-3 weeks (lasts longer if you keep the wireless connection turned off until you need it).

Do I still use the Sony Reader?
Yes. I like it, too.  I prefer using the wand to highlight sections of the text that Sony lets me do over the Kindle's text blocking.  Easier, faster.  Plus, I want to support the local library's expanding ebook collection and I can download the borrowed ebooks via Sony's ereader (no can do with Kindle). 

Do I buy more books because of Kindle?
Yes. Full price, 99 cents, free. I'm reading more because of Kindle (and I read a lot before).

Do I buy less print books?
Nope. In fact, I'll buy a book in print after reading the ebook because I want the print version. Never before did I routinely buy the same book twice, just for me.

Book to Read: Newbie's Guide to Publishing

Don't stop reading the blog, but don't miss this book!
For only $2.99 at Amazon.com.
Newbie's Guide to Publishing by J.A. Konrath

Earlier this month, I recommended reading Joe Konrath's blog daily if you are interested in ebooks, publishing, self-publishing, yadda, yadda, yadda ....Don't stop doing that, but do go and check out this book (see it on his blog sidebar, or just go to the Amazon site).  Chock full of great, helpful information.  

Don't know about you, but I really respect pros who share the wealth - like Mr. Konrath, and Lynn Viehl/Sheila Kelly over at Paperback Writer. 

The Big 6 in Publishing: Who They Are, and Why Their Days May Be Numbered

This month, Write it Forward's Bob Meyer interviewed Randy Ingermanson to discuss the impact of electronic publishing upon the Big 6 - and it's a good read, since they ponder things that seem suspicious, like the reported statistics about the number of ebook sales versus printed versions (hardback, paperback).  Am I the only one who thinks some of those numbers are fishy?  Nope. 

Another good read: last fall's panel discussion on the profitability of ebooks and how this impacts the Big 6, over at Publisher's Weekly.  Very nice info here on the ratio of profit to author versus profit to publisher in hardcover sales, wholesale ebook sales, agency ebook sales, etc. provided by Paul Aiken, executive director for the Authors Guild.  Especially interesting when you've been reading Joe Konrath's blog for awhile (see previous post). 

So, who are the Big 6? 

The Big 6 in publishing are the six North American publishing houses that make the most money, year in and year out.  Some of them are owned by even bigger powerhouses; for example, HarperCollins is owned by NewsCorp. (whose chairman of the board is Rupert Murdoch) (fyi, NewsCorp. owns Zondervan, the Christian publishing house, too).

As of February 2011, here are the Big 6 Publishing Houses (with links to their web sites): 

Hachette

Harper Collins

Macmillan

Penguin Group

Random House

Simon & Schuster.

 

Within each of these big conglomerates are a variety of imprints, whose names may be more familiar to you.  For example, Harper Collins imprints include (full list here) Avon, William Morrow, and Walden Pond Press.  To learn the complete listings of all the other imprints for the remaining Big 6, visit their sites (linked above). 

Blog Recommendation: A Newbie's Guide to Publishing

If you are curious about self-publishing, or if you're wondering how successful anyone might be rebelling against the traditional publishing model, then you must read Joe Konrath's blog, A Newbie's Guide to Publishing. 

Must. Read.

Not only does Mr. Konrath share his personal experiences - including his financial details - but he also welcomes guest posts by other authors who have their own tales to tell.  People like Lee Goldberg.

Great stuff, if you're any kind of maverick.  Absolute manna from Heaven if you're writing something that you want to have published, and you'd like to make more than a nickel per copy (and maybe avoid all that book signing mess, too). 

Go read it here.

NaNoWriMo Starts Today - Without Me

National Novel Writing Month starts today, thousands of folk all over the world, banding together in the common goal of writing a complete novel in one month's time. 

Professionals (Lynn Viehl, for example) and hobbyists alike, joining together in NaNoWriMo's joys and sorrows.  To meet the 50,000 word count goal, you need to write 1700 words a day, every day, on your project.  Some will fail at the starting gate, others will falter somewhere along the way, and the furious few will skate across the finish line on November 30th with some kind of finished product. 

My hat is off to all of them.  Good luck! My prayers go with you. 

Me?  I'm not doing it.  And today, as I've got tons of writing projects on the runway and it's the official first day of NaNoWriMo, boy am I glad.  Glad, glad, happy, happy.  Yea.

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich - I Read It, and Boy I'm Disappointed

Janet Evanovich is one of my favorite authors, has been for years.  I read about Stephanie Plum with delight, listen to the audiobooks and chuckle, and always await the publication of the next in the Plum series with great anticipation.

Well, maybe that excitement has wained somewhat since nothing seems to evolve with Stephanie and the gang.  Stephanie never chooses between Joe and Ranger.  Lula can be counted on for tight spandex and a new diet or two every book, and there's always the car that's gonna explode.  Then, the Plum Spooky series started appearing in between the number books, and I had hope.

I thought that maybe Janet E. was getting tired of writing the same old storyline, and maybe this paranormal humor test run would do her well.  Kinda like a rock and roll star who gets sick and tired of singing the same old hit song time and again, despite how much the fans demand to hear it.  Surely Rod Stewart has had enough of Maggie Mae?

Diesel would solve everything.  His new series -- debuting as Wicked Appetite this Fall -- would show how Janet Evonovich had jumped into a new pool of characters, new exciting plotlines, fresh jokes.  Oh, I was so ready for this and I thought ... assumed ... she was too.

I was wrong.

Wicked Appetite was a major disappointment for me. It's a poor imitation of the 123 series, and even then not the best of those books (which were the first few, by the way).   Lizzie is too much like Stephanie Plum, the bakery and surrounding neighborhood too much akin to the Trenton neighborhood, and the only thing that I was truly happily surprised to see:  Cluck in a Bucket never appeared. Thank Goodness. 

Same old fart jokes, Carl the Monkey shooting the bird, and the significant amount of white space on the pages had me checking to see if I had a Large Print book by mistake.  (I didn't.)  I didn't estimate a word count, but it's obviously pushing the edge of the envelope here to get the required number of pages of sellable product here. 

Janet, Janet, Janet.  You've got such talent and you've got people out here who love you.  Stop this.  You're disrespecting yourself to the point of being self-destructive here, in an obvious sellout to the Publishing Dollar.  Which, cruelly, will be disappearing soon enough -- I'm not buying anymore of your formula books and I'm reading all over the web where lots of other disappointed readers won't be either.

Maybe falling sales will send the message that all the Amazon one star comments haven't.

Writing Dialogue - More Authors to Study Who Are Masters of Dialogue: Sue Grafton

Couple of years ago (wow, I've been blogging here for awhile now!), I wrote about my search for authors who have mastered the art of writing great conversation.  Dialogue. 

I admit it -- setting, plot, characters: they're all with their hurdles.  Dialogue downright intimidates me. 

So, imagine my surprise when I'm reading Sue Grafton's latest, U is for Undertow, and realize just how much of the story is (you guessed it) dialogue.  Great stuff, too.  I surf around on Grafton as a writer, seeking to learn more about her writing - besides the ABC series, I've read all of them just like you. 

Voila.  Grafton worked in Hollywood, writing screenplays before she decided to write mysteries as a way to escape the Hollywood system.  Good for her, great for us.

So, in addition to those authors that I listed in September 2008 as authors who have mastered the art of writing dialogue, I must add Sue Grafton.  Wow, she's great at it. 

(And Sue Grafton's got a really cool web site to explore, too, if you're interested.)

UPDATE:  I've finished U is for Undertow, and I think it's the best yet in Grafton's series.  If you're interested in my take on why U is worth the read (very), check out my review at Amazon. 

Journaling by Hand: I Like Writing Pen on Paper - Though I Do It Less and Less

When I was growing up, I had a callus on my left ring finger that lasted all the way through law school:  it was ugly, but somewhat of a badge of honor. I was left-handed, and held my pen a funny way because I'd taught myself to read and write long before I started school.  (There's an old news story on this in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, but that's a different post for a different day.)

That callus meant I wrote - and wrote a lot.  I was proud of that ugly old thing.

Today, it's gone.  I type all the time now.  Sometimes, I dictate into a Dragon microphone (voice to text software is handy now and then).  I handwrite grocery lists, task lists, little notes to friends, an occasional letter.  Sign a card, leave a stickie on the door.  Not much handwriting going on over here.

So, I've decided to change.  I like writing by hand.  I like the pen, the paper, the time it takes to do it.  A friend who analyzes handwriting for forgeries recalled to me her long-ago study of handwriting analysis.  Personality appearing through handwriting. 

She told me that there are those who believe that people can change their attitudes and behaviors simply by changing how they write.  Amazing to think that a child could increase self-esteem by writing their signature bigger or that a depressed teen could brighten up by simply changing the slant of their words. 

Who knows if it's true or not - even my friend wasn't a true believer - but I suspect that our personalities do show themselves somewhat in how we write with pens, it's such a personal thing.  It has its own creative character, handwriting.

Tess Gerritsen and Elmore Leonard are two authors I know who handwrite their work.  Type it later, but first draft is brain to hand to pen to paper.  I like that.  Or I like the idea of that. 

Mr. Leonard actually writes on special paper pads made just for him.  That's so wonderful.  Unlined, yellow pads each with 63 sheets - you can see an image of them here, on his desk, and read his story of why he likes them in this NPR Interview. 

Dr. Gerritsen may not have special pads, but she has a separate desk for handwriting and another for her computer.  The handwriting desk is an old oak partner's desk -- you know the kind, with all that fabulous surface area inviting you to stack stuff to the rafters (look at the image for Gerritsen's map of Boston there, atop her books and things).   

Here's the thing. I am going to incorporate handwriting back into my daily life.  I'm going to journal by hand, maybe write a poem or two by hand, and who knows: start writing a story by hand.  Is there power in it?  Dunno - will I write more? will I become more prolific?  will my personality change? will I lose weight?  I'll let you know.

To make things even more fun, I've sent off for some disposable extra fine point Varsity Fountain pens (see the image above, they're less than three bucks apiece at Office Depot).  Very cool, can't wait till they arrive.

Update:  Got my Varsity Fountain pens, and I love them - if you're interested, read my review over at Amazon for the details on why they're great (IMHO). 

Scrivener for Windows is Coming! Scrivener Writing Software in Beta Available in Fall 2010

For several years now, Mac users had the ability to use Scrivener and Windows users were left to fret and be jealous, and organize their stuff as best they could. Until now!!!

Literature & Latte has officially announced on its web site that the Windows version of Scrivener will be available in November 2010 in its beta version (in time for NaNoWriMo) and the full-fledged, official version will be available in Winter 2011.


What is Scrivener?

It's an award-winning program for writers - providing online tools to help writers write. It's not an alternative to Word (which editors prefer - editing with their authors via Track Changes), but a way to organize and structure your work in process. For many, it is a beloved part of their routine (check out the New York Times review here).

How? Scrivener is a software package that (1) breaks down big documents into bits, so they are easier to manage, while also (2) giving you an outlining tool and (3) a corkboard, both for purposes of outlining your work -- and (4) enabling you to tag it with your research (images, PDFs) for crossreferencing. Once you've got the book written, or the thesis complete, Scrivener lets you pull it all together into a single file or document, which you can export into Word.

According to the Scrivener website, look for the beta to be available around October 25, 2010. The site promises free copies for those willing to work in beta, helping flush out the last few bugs in the system. Once it's finalized, Scrivener for Windows will cost $40 and it will work on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Also, if you have the guts and energy to have a validated 50,000 word count at NaNoWriMo this year, Scirvener will offered to you at half-price: Literature & Latte is promising a 50% discount coupon for its new Windows version as a NaNoWriMo incentive. Cool, right?

Check It Out For Yourself

The web site has a video (5 minutes of your time) that goes over the basics. For an example of how an award-winning, multipublished author uses Scrvener, check out Robin Lee Hatcher's description of her process here.

How I'm Going to Use Scriviner

I'm ghostwriting a book (again - I've got to stop doing this, and get my name out there!) that requires lots of intensive research, much of it dealing with the law -- statutes and cases from both federal and state sources. This, in addtion to news stories, various opinion pieces, etc. In other words, a nonfiction work that needs lots of supporting documentation.

I'm hoping that Scrivener is going to enable me to write the draft with the crossreferencing that's necessary for both footnoting as well as the index much more smoothly than Microsoft Word was going to provide. We'll see soon enough, right?

David Foster Wallace's Archive On View at UT's Harry Ransom Center (for Researchers)

David Foster Wallace's books and papers and notes and doodles and all that other stuff -- it's all there for everyone to eyeball at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin (my alma mater). 

However, the DFW archive is open only to researchers.  The rest of us have to make do with checking out the images that have been provided online -- and they've got lots of things to ponder. 

Like his reading list for his lower-level college class: he had them read Carrie by Stephen King; the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis; and Rock Star by Jackie Collins. among other works.  You know this makes Jackie Collins proud on so many levels, right? 

His handwritten notes are available in these books, as well as lots of papers - things like the first handwritten draft of Infinite Jest, etc.  Hard to read the felt-tip pen remains, but you're welcome to give it a go.