Good morning! Here’s a possibly deceptively simple question. How do you like to read your fiction?
Do you like the feel and heft of a paperback or hardback? Do you use an ereader, like a Kindle?
Do you ever read fiction on your phone? (I remember reading Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother on my phone in the 2000s and thinking it was the future - haven’t done it since)
When and where do you tend to read? Breakfast table, in bed, on the train?
Do you go in for mammoth sessions, or read in little 10-minute bursts when you can squeeze it in?
As someone who spends a lot of time writing fiction, these are the things that keep me up at night.
I love converting my library into ebooks and having them on my tablet. The reasons are manifold:
1. I like big hefty books and the weight of a 2kg monster is hard on my wrists and/or stomach. Plus when you get beyond 600 pages the binding is either so tight you have to force the pages open or so loose it falls apart. If we had multi-volume hardbacks like in the Victorian times it'd be different...
2. I have no space for 1000s of books in my apartment.
3. I need 100s of books for research and general interest. No money as a struggling writer. Solution? ... well, you work it out.
Prefer Kindle. Love it. As many have said, when you read a lot it’s easier to maintain the collection, plus it’s immediately easy to buy the ones you want.
Hardcovers are like buying something on vinyl, like when you really enjoy a book or artist, something you’ve already read, something as a collector’s item.
I will read a book on my phone, but I have found it difficult to do so with Substack serials so I’m working out a way to publish my serial novel in some way beyond Substack.
Will raise my hand and admit to my new addiction to audiobooks while walking, especially a fine RTE 28-hour recording that got me to read the whole of Ulysses AND walk for miles.
I like reading paperbacks, but I barely ever do because I was never going to live permanently where I live right now, and physical books are pretty cumbersome to move. So I read books on a Kindle, and when I don't have my Kindle with me, on the Kindle Android app.
I try and read 5% of any book every day. That's my rule. Can be any book, fiction or non-fiction, and any length of book (which means that sometimes 5% is a lot and sometimes it isn't). This is usually done in a long session somewhere in the afternoon, when I have less energy (I work as a freelance marketer, so I can move things on my schedule around pretty freely).
In terms of location, I read heavy stuff in my office. At night, before I go to bed, I read a little too, but only lighter things that I don't have to focus on very much.
I have no preference. But by default I read most on my phone. It's always with me, and almost my entire library is on it (as well as a couple of massive bookstores), and I love that. And it has a built in light that can be dimmed so I can read in bed without disturbing anyone else there. I keep toying with the idea of an e-reader, and will probably get one eventually. Battery life is the big draw. But, they're bigger than phones so won't necessarily always be with me. Also I think specific models may be tied to specific online bookstores. I still read books. I have always preferred paperbacks because they're physically easier to read held in your hand for long periods. But, I'm definitely not a *physical book* fanatic. I'm there for the story not the object. I really don't understand the first edition or variant cover thing (I read comic books too, sue me).
Dec 11, 2023·edited Dec 11, 2023Liked by Simon K Jones
I like physical books, but they are so expensive. I usually opt for the ebook for financial reasons (I do ask for books as Christmas gifts.) So I mostly read on my iPad (Kindle, Apple Books, and Substack apps.) In bed. And I like the convenience of not having to store books on a bookshelf (which is full) to collect dust and take up space. I know that statement is heresy for book collectors. But I would rather have a room full of guitars, and basses, and keyboards that I use regularly than books I no longer read. Hey, you asked. 🤓
I'm very much a hard copy kinda guy. If I can get a book in hardback, that's my preference, but paperback in a pinch. However, I own an extensive ebook collection, because I follow a lot of indie authors who don't do print editions. My preference toward print copies probably stems from my love of libraries, and how books feel, smell, and sound when you handle them.
As for reading, I try to fit in around 30-90 minutes of reading right before bed. And most of the time that's from hard copies, so that I'm not distracted by notifications on my laptop/phone as I wind down for the night.
I usually have one audiobook and one print book (or e-book) going at all times. Of course, the latter has changed now that I'm following multiple serials here on Substack. I also tend to sit and read just before bed.
I like to say I’m “anti-ebooks” but I have been forced to read the current Oz book via Substack on my phone because my books are still packed and will remain that way till some time in February after my office/library in the basement is finished.
With that confession out of the way, I prefer print books. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with collecting complete series of books, especially if they are special editions. I own about 6 different editions of all 7 HP books. The moment I have enough money I’m going to start collecting a second set of the Discworld series in hardback.
If it’s a new release then I get hardback and keep watch for the paperback edition if it’s a different cover. I also like to check the UK cover vs US cover for options.
I try to read sitting up at my desk. The past couple years working permanently from home has made it difficult to get in proper reading time. When traveling to work by public transportation I had a dedicated hour or more each way, each day. Those were times I could get through a several hundred page book a week!
For some reason, trying to find that kind of time now is difficult and non-existent. This is the only thing I truly miss about traveling to work five days a week.
Reading Oz on my phone means I can do it just about anytime I have my phone with me and the time to do it. That’s usually in the middle of the night or early morning when the house is asleep. I will even cheat and listen to the audio while I follow along. I know that’s not cheating but if there’s anything I do less than ebook reading it’s listen to an audio version.
I find audio books to be like podcasts, if I’m listening I’m distracted by it and I can’t multitask. It’s no different than just sitting with the book in hand. So doing it would mean while the house sleeps and sometimes I want to sleep too! lol
It depends what I am reading. If it's fanfiction then on a website on incognito so that no one can see my guilty pleasures.
However, I try to force myself to read books from the library to take me eyes off the screen, and if I can there's a really nice spot at the local lake, or the local waterfront in the city where I try to read. Depending on how much I am enjoying what I am reading, it can go from 30 minutes to hours on end.
Also, I don't know if this is weird, but if I was reading manga online, I always listen to anime music or Japanese pop. It just helps fit the mood I guess?
I like books, not just for the words within but for their aesthetic. I like old books too, better with other people's notes in.
1. I like paperbacks, preferably the old Penguin pocket sized ones. Shame most books now are gargantuan, great at home but a pain when out and about even just going to a local cafe.
2. No to phones. Too small and cramped. I read a lot on my desktop and laptop, mostly SubStack and PDFs of old, out-of-print/impossible to find books. Oh and articles, academic or otherwise.
3. I read everywhere and much prefer long stints. With short stories I will read one after another over a morning.
This year I have read, and listened, to far more than last year but because most was digital it doesn't feel like it which is quite strange to me.
Hello, Simon! I enjoy your newsletter immensely. And I find your how-to posts on using Substack valuable as I'm a fiction writer contemplating creating a platform. As to your question, my bookshelves have been stuffed to capacity; so, I read paper-less. I usually *read* fiction on Audible and non-fiction with Kindle. All the best, Lou.
I'd wager over 98% of my reading is done out of books, and most of those paperbacks. I do a small amount of reading on my desktop or phone, usually when sent an ARC for reviewing purposes, rarely for pleasure.
I read both paperbacks and ebooks. Ebooks for the reasons that were mentioned above (space, cost, convenience). BUT: I noticed recently that I engage much more superficially with digital books, to the point that, even when I enjoyed that book, I rmember very little about it some time later. I was shocked to see in my Goodreads account books “read” that I didn’t even remember reading at all! I have switched back to paperbacks now, also because in the past months I was sick of engaging with a screen. I felt I needed some grounding.
Most recently audiobooks have worked better for me while commuting on busy buses. I tend to get about an hour or so in each way. Then do incremental bits during the day at work. Also good if I'm doing something with my hands and want a book, such as knitting or gaming.
If I can't deal with sounds then I will read on my phone.
I do love the feel of a book though. I have a rocking chair that I don't have space to use properly, but I'm looking forward to having that space in the next move, and being able to curl up on it with blankets and a good book.
If I can read/listen in big chunks, that is my preference. I love getting sucked into the story and escaping the real world for a while.
I've used it as a way to recharge after being sociable and such, which is probably why I prefer longer chunks of time.
I prefer longer fiction reading sessions and I like reading on the Kindle app on my iPad the best, highlighting with my Apple Pencil, and I use no case on my iPad cause I’m a rebel. ❤️
I’m a Kindle convert from way back - although I read on the Kindle app on my iPad mini to avoid having so many devices.
I read a LOT of fiction and at first it was to save money because eBooks were so much cheaper. Not so much nowadays, but now it’s to not have a ton of books I know I’ll never read again laying around, or having to go to the effort of reselling or taking to a second hand store.
If I absolutely adore a book and know I’ll read it again or want others to read it, I buy a hard copy to add to my library, but my fiction library is small - I devote most of my space to non-fiction because of the way my brain works in remembering content (where on the page and how far into the book).
In an ideal world I have a huge room dedicated just to books and every book I ever loved is in there.
I prefer a trade paperback. I'll read a hardback, sure, and a regular paperback, but I like the bigger paperbacks, and those looks best on my bookshelves. Kindle books are fine, but if there's a book I really enjoy, I want it on my bookshelf. Can't do that with an ebook; that said, I have a ton of them, and I've read a lot of them. Most often, I'm in bed at night with my wife, while she's also reading, and it's our little quite time away from the world.
I’ve adopted ebooks as sort of a “try before you buy” system when reading. Ebooks tend to be much cheaper than a paperback, and since I don’t keep all the books I read, reading an ebook first was the more economical option (along with the library, of course). So I’ve definitely shifted from physical copies to ebooks over the years. That doesn’t mean I don’t have physical copies. I have PLENTY. And if I like an ebook I read enough, I’ll buy that physical copy to have.
I like reading in my inbox thanks to substack subscriptions, has me reading for pleasure a lot more. Aside from that I generally have a preference for physical media, including books. But I am thinking that for research books digital copies might have an advantage in being easier to reference and grab quotes from, this is hypothetical though, haven't really tested it.
My tablet is my book! I read all books I can get on it and if I find one that isn't available on it I go check out my library to borrow one! (They have Libby which allows you to borrow online too! Never without reading material!
I prefer physical copies, hard or soft cover doesn’t matter (though price is often a factor). I love a beautifully designed book, I like to see my reading progress, mark pages, and be able to easily grab it from a shelf and reference it again. Having said that, I do gravitate toward ebooks for nonfiction lately so I can highlight and take notes in the text (it’s sacrilegious for me to write in paper books!)
I’ll also buy bargain ebooks when I’d otherwise not take a chance on a pricier physical book. But I tend to easily forget about the many ebooks in my Kindle (can we agree Kindle’s sorting system sucks?) and end up never reading them unless I’m in a waiting room or on a plane, so it’s a double edged sword. Out of sight, out of mind. Books on shelves are hard to ignore, so they get most of my attention…
I read ebooks or paperbacks - the price makes the choice. I read paperbacks in the morning - when I don't work I try to read at least an hour in the morning first thing. I read in bed before sleeping on my kindle, and I always have one in my bag when I go out of the house, just in case...Otherwise I read during the weekends, and it can be all day if you let me. I read everywhere and anywhere.
I sometimes read on my phone- if I forgot my kindle at home.
I read both on my phone and hard copies - never an e-reader (my phone does what an ereader does just as well, i guess). I have had 3 babies in 6 years, so I am often holding a baby for naps where a book is too heavy and hard to maneuver with one hand. That's why I've gotten so used to reading on my phone. Its so easy and I like that I can use my my phone reading to escape social media. Instead of clicking on a social media app, i pick up where I was reading and its a huge relief. It also means i have two to four books on the at any time, two on my phone, two in paperback or hardcover. Whenever i have a free minute, i am reading (that could be 10 mins or could be an hour, all depends on life!)
My favorite way to read fiction is from a well-crafted paper book, in a cozy chair. I prefer to read in long sessions, but normally only have short bursts of time available.
I prefer paperbacks. I have a Nook but never use it and would never read anything on my phone. There's just something about holding a book in your hands. As for when I read, sometimes it's while I'm eating dinner. Most of the time I read in bed, before I call it a night.
Dec 11, 2023·edited Dec 11, 2023Liked by Simon K Jones
I must say I am incredibly inconsistent, except I prefer NOT to read hardbacks.
Thankfully, living in Germany, instead of hardbacks we get larger paperbacks for new releases in English, which is a win in my book (pardon the pun.)
I do read on the Kindle as well and try to alternate. I prefer nonfiction on the kindle so I can highlight bits I want to reference later. (I use Readwise to keep track of my highlights and send them to Notion and other places). I also use kindle when I have insomnia, which varies by season and is ok at the moment, as it's winter here.
Fiction, I prefer in hard copy, with a soft cover as mentioned above, but I do check books out from the library on Kindle as well, so this is not 100%.
I do listen to audiobooks, but I am either all in or ignore them entirely for months on end. I had barely touched them until I finished Freya Marske's trilogy last month and wasn't ready to leave that world, so I'm going all the way through a second time on audio and it's excellent. I also think it's a crime to read the Rivers of London series rather than listening as the narration is so brilliant.
This feels like a crazy convoluted answer, but perhaps this is like a reading fingerprint, hearing everyone's replies?
1) Hardback but usually if found in 2nd hand bookstore due to the price. 2) Paperback - I want to hold the book. 3) via Kindle, either on dedicated Kindle or my phone. Husband = 100% phone. I think he's forgotten how to hold a physical book.
For books I like a paperback, for comics I have switched tom pdfs driven mostly by the absurd cost of shipping. Writing has eaten into my reading time a lot, in general I seem to be far busier now that I am retired. Finding time to do anything is hard.
I read novels on my phone a lot, it means I can read everywhere and anywhere as I always have my phone on me. If I can’t find the novel I want as an e book I buy second hand paperbacks off eBay. Thanks for asking!
I prefer a hardback but will settle for a trade paperback. I don’t like the mass market paperbacks. I started reading my fiction on an e reader last year and that’s been fine. But it’s hard for me to write fiction and keep up my reading at the same time so as I’ve written my serialized novel this year, I’ve not read a lot.
Hey Simon, this is one of the questions I asked in the Lunar Awards readership survey. I got 59 responses and 54 percent said print (paperback or hardback). Then ebook and online were tied at 18 percent. Audio book came in last. As for me, I absolutely prefer a paper copy, mostly paperback. It's easier on the eyes, not distracting like a phone and most importantly I own it outright without it being tied to a platform, service, app or file format.
Every non-writer casual fiction reader I talk to prefers a printed copy. Several I've talked to say they will only buy an ebook if they can't get the paper copy and really want to read it. Out in the wild, I actually hear audiobook come in second place more. People like to listen while driving, at work or while relaxing. Hope that helps in your research! Don't lose any sleep over it. 😉
Good question and wonderful conversation! I prefer a real copy. I have books in every shape, age, and condition in my collection. I buy second hand whenever I can, so I have discarded library copies rubbing shoulders with Folio editions. I don't care about hardback or paperback, I just get what's available. Several of my old paperbacks are in 2-4 pieces and held together with a rubber band. I also love audio books, especially if the book has a lot of foreign language. Diana Gabaldon's books, for example, or Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha.
I always have a book. Always. In my locker at work I have an old hardback of Du Maurier short stories. I read something soothing and well-loved in bed before I sleep, usually a reread so I don't wind up sitting up all night with something I can't put down. Agatha Christie is good for that, or Maeve Binchy, or Rosamunde Pilcher. I reread a lot, but I also have a stack of new things to explore. I have a reading pile of nonfiction and research for my writing. I usually have a volume of poetry I'm rereading. I never leave the house without a book. What if the apocalypse comes while I'm out and we have to stand in line? (Only half kidding here.) What if the car breaks down?
I'm about to post about reading and writing serials on Substack. Just finished my first one and gearing up to begin posting the second. I have some thoughts. I read a lot on Substack. So much, in fact, I've lately been unsubscribing to some newsletters, not because I don't love them & want to read them, but because it's too much to fit into my life. If all I do is read you people, I'm not writing my own stuff! I feel like a murderer every time I unsubscribe, though. I so appreciate the content on here and I want to support everyone. I need to start with supporting myself, though. Sadly.
I've been toying with the idea of buying a Kindle for years. Haven't done it. This conversation makes me think about again. Would I like it? More screen time, ugh. But still ... one can only fit so many bookcases into one's house! One of the biggest pluses of digital reading is saving trees, which I why I always try to buy used books.
Generally, my reading habits are: Hardback for very favorite authors, paperback for authors who are traditionally published (because traditional publishing houses demand outrageous costs for ebooks); ebooks for most indie authors unless they are my very very favorites; audiobooks for re-reading and trying out new authors via my library.
For a very, very select comfort read authors: I have ebook, audio, and physical copies so I always have a copy with me if I want it.
For years I’ve read ebooks on my phone (had a kindle, but it was one of the first Paperwhite ones, so it quit functioning several years ago) but my husband just gave me an early Christmas present of a Kindle Scribe and so I’ve happily picked back up on reading on a kindle again.
Important question, loved skimming the many replies here! I do my recreational/exploratory reading in the evenings and weekends, in a living room chair. I'm a Kindle reader, usually text-to-speech (with my headset on, to blot out the TV my husband is watching), and a piece of needlework in my hands. For research (I'm a writer), I read on my desktop: Kindle and Internet Archive. I make extensive use of Kindle notes/highlight, and download them to book files. I read to see how/why the writers crafted their work, as well as to appreciate/learn from the work itself.
I love converting my library into ebooks and having them on my tablet. The reasons are manifold:
1. I like big hefty books and the weight of a 2kg monster is hard on my wrists and/or stomach. Plus when you get beyond 600 pages the binding is either so tight you have to force the pages open or so loose it falls apart. If we had multi-volume hardbacks like in the Victorian times it'd be different...
2. I have no space for 1000s of books in my apartment.
3. I need 100s of books for research and general interest. No money as a struggling writer. Solution? ... well, you work it out.
Prefer Kindle. Love it. As many have said, when you read a lot it’s easier to maintain the collection, plus it’s immediately easy to buy the ones you want.
Hardcovers are like buying something on vinyl, like when you really enjoy a book or artist, something you’ve already read, something as a collector’s item.
I will read a book on my phone, but I have found it difficult to do so with Substack serials so I’m working out a way to publish my serial novel in some way beyond Substack.
Will raise my hand and admit to my new addiction to audiobooks while walking, especially a fine RTE 28-hour recording that got me to read the whole of Ulysses AND walk for miles.
I like reading paperbacks, but I barely ever do because I was never going to live permanently where I live right now, and physical books are pretty cumbersome to move. So I read books on a Kindle, and when I don't have my Kindle with me, on the Kindle Android app.
I try and read 5% of any book every day. That's my rule. Can be any book, fiction or non-fiction, and any length of book (which means that sometimes 5% is a lot and sometimes it isn't). This is usually done in a long session somewhere in the afternoon, when I have less energy (I work as a freelance marketer, so I can move things on my schedule around pretty freely).
In terms of location, I read heavy stuff in my office. At night, before I go to bed, I read a little too, but only lighter things that I don't have to focus on very much.
I have no preference. But by default I read most on my phone. It's always with me, and almost my entire library is on it (as well as a couple of massive bookstores), and I love that. And it has a built in light that can be dimmed so I can read in bed without disturbing anyone else there. I keep toying with the idea of an e-reader, and will probably get one eventually. Battery life is the big draw. But, they're bigger than phones so won't necessarily always be with me. Also I think specific models may be tied to specific online bookstores. I still read books. I have always preferred paperbacks because they're physically easier to read held in your hand for long periods. But, I'm definitely not a *physical book* fanatic. I'm there for the story not the object. I really don't understand the first edition or variant cover thing (I read comic books too, sue me).
I like physical books, but they are so expensive. I usually opt for the ebook for financial reasons (I do ask for books as Christmas gifts.) So I mostly read on my iPad (Kindle, Apple Books, and Substack apps.) In bed. And I like the convenience of not having to store books on a bookshelf (which is full) to collect dust and take up space. I know that statement is heresy for book collectors. But I would rather have a room full of guitars, and basses, and keyboards that I use regularly than books I no longer read. Hey, you asked. 🤓
Real book whenever possible ✌️
I'm very much a hard copy kinda guy. If I can get a book in hardback, that's my preference, but paperback in a pinch. However, I own an extensive ebook collection, because I follow a lot of indie authors who don't do print editions. My preference toward print copies probably stems from my love of libraries, and how books feel, smell, and sound when you handle them.
As for reading, I try to fit in around 30-90 minutes of reading right before bed. And most of the time that's from hard copies, so that I'm not distracted by notifications on my laptop/phone as I wind down for the night.
I usually have one audiobook and one print book (or e-book) going at all times. Of course, the latter has changed now that I'm following multiple serials here on Substack. I also tend to sit and read just before bed.
I like to say I’m “anti-ebooks” but I have been forced to read the current Oz book via Substack on my phone because my books are still packed and will remain that way till some time in February after my office/library in the basement is finished.
With that confession out of the way, I prefer print books. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with collecting complete series of books, especially if they are special editions. I own about 6 different editions of all 7 HP books. The moment I have enough money I’m going to start collecting a second set of the Discworld series in hardback.
If it’s a new release then I get hardback and keep watch for the paperback edition if it’s a different cover. I also like to check the UK cover vs US cover for options.
I try to read sitting up at my desk. The past couple years working permanently from home has made it difficult to get in proper reading time. When traveling to work by public transportation I had a dedicated hour or more each way, each day. Those were times I could get through a several hundred page book a week!
For some reason, trying to find that kind of time now is difficult and non-existent. This is the only thing I truly miss about traveling to work five days a week.
Reading Oz on my phone means I can do it just about anytime I have my phone with me and the time to do it. That’s usually in the middle of the night or early morning when the house is asleep. I will even cheat and listen to the audio while I follow along. I know that’s not cheating but if there’s anything I do less than ebook reading it’s listen to an audio version.
I find audio books to be like podcasts, if I’m listening I’m distracted by it and I can’t multitask. It’s no different than just sitting with the book in hand. So doing it would mean while the house sleeps and sometimes I want to sleep too! lol
Sorry for the long answer...
It depends what I am reading. If it's fanfiction then on a website on incognito so that no one can see my guilty pleasures.
However, I try to force myself to read books from the library to take me eyes off the screen, and if I can there's a really nice spot at the local lake, or the local waterfront in the city where I try to read. Depending on how much I am enjoying what I am reading, it can go from 30 minutes to hours on end.
Also, I don't know if this is weird, but if I was reading manga online, I always listen to anime music or Japanese pop. It just helps fit the mood I guess?
"How do you like to read your fiction?"
I like books, not just for the words within but for their aesthetic. I like old books too, better with other people's notes in.
1. I like paperbacks, preferably the old Penguin pocket sized ones. Shame most books now are gargantuan, great at home but a pain when out and about even just going to a local cafe.
2. No to phones. Too small and cramped. I read a lot on my desktop and laptop, mostly SubStack and PDFs of old, out-of-print/impossible to find books. Oh and articles, academic or otherwise.
3. I read everywhere and much prefer long stints. With short stories I will read one after another over a morning.
This year I have read, and listened, to far more than last year but because most was digital it doesn't feel like it which is quite strange to me.
Hello, Simon! I enjoy your newsletter immensely. And I find your how-to posts on using Substack valuable as I'm a fiction writer contemplating creating a platform. As to your question, my bookshelves have been stuffed to capacity; so, I read paper-less. I usually *read* fiction on Audible and non-fiction with Kindle. All the best, Lou.
I'd wager over 98% of my reading is done out of books, and most of those paperbacks. I do a small amount of reading on my desktop or phone, usually when sent an ARC for reviewing purposes, rarely for pleasure.
I read both paperbacks and ebooks. Ebooks for the reasons that were mentioned above (space, cost, convenience). BUT: I noticed recently that I engage much more superficially with digital books, to the point that, even when I enjoyed that book, I rmember very little about it some time later. I was shocked to see in my Goodreads account books “read” that I didn’t even remember reading at all! I have switched back to paperbacks now, also because in the past months I was sick of engaging with a screen. I felt I needed some grounding.
Graphic novel or something with illustrations - physical always. However having the digital version is great for when I want to review it.
Novels, non-fiction books - epubs on the phone or iPad. I like having the portability and not needing to carry a book around.
Timeframe - I like longer sessions when I can squeeze them in, but these days I treat it like my writing and take what I can get.
I really like how Derek Sivers thinks of this and pricing for his books: https://sive.rs/bp
I mix it up a lot.
Most recently audiobooks have worked better for me while commuting on busy buses. I tend to get about an hour or so in each way. Then do incremental bits during the day at work. Also good if I'm doing something with my hands and want a book, such as knitting or gaming.
If I can't deal with sounds then I will read on my phone.
I do love the feel of a book though. I have a rocking chair that I don't have space to use properly, but I'm looking forward to having that space in the next move, and being able to curl up on it with blankets and a good book.
If I can read/listen in big chunks, that is my preference. I love getting sucked into the story and escaping the real world for a while.
I've used it as a way to recharge after being sociable and such, which is probably why I prefer longer chunks of time.
I prefer longer fiction reading sessions and I like reading on the Kindle app on my iPad the best, highlighting with my Apple Pencil, and I use no case on my iPad cause I’m a rebel. ❤️
I’m a Kindle convert from way back - although I read on the Kindle app on my iPad mini to avoid having so many devices.
I read a LOT of fiction and at first it was to save money because eBooks were so much cheaper. Not so much nowadays, but now it’s to not have a ton of books I know I’ll never read again laying around, or having to go to the effort of reselling or taking to a second hand store.
If I absolutely adore a book and know I’ll read it again or want others to read it, I buy a hard copy to add to my library, but my fiction library is small - I devote most of my space to non-fiction because of the way my brain works in remembering content (where on the page and how far into the book).
In an ideal world I have a huge room dedicated just to books and every book I ever loved is in there.
Print is preferred, although I do a lot online lately.
I prefer a trade paperback. I'll read a hardback, sure, and a regular paperback, but I like the bigger paperbacks, and those looks best on my bookshelves. Kindle books are fine, but if there's a book I really enjoy, I want it on my bookshelf. Can't do that with an ebook; that said, I have a ton of them, and I've read a lot of them. Most often, I'm in bed at night with my wife, while she's also reading, and it's our little quite time away from the world.
I’ve adopted ebooks as sort of a “try before you buy” system when reading. Ebooks tend to be much cheaper than a paperback, and since I don’t keep all the books I read, reading an ebook first was the more economical option (along with the library, of course). So I’ve definitely shifted from physical copies to ebooks over the years. That doesn’t mean I don’t have physical copies. I have PLENTY. And if I like an ebook I read enough, I’ll buy that physical copy to have.
Paperbacks! I do have a kindle but just favour the warmth of a book
I think that if there's a way to read something, then somebody, somewhere is doing it.
I like reading in my inbox thanks to substack subscriptions, has me reading for pleasure a lot more. Aside from that I generally have a preference for physical media, including books. But I am thinking that for research books digital copies might have an advantage in being easier to reference and grab quotes from, this is hypothetical though, haven't really tested it.
My tablet is my book! I read all books I can get on it and if I find one that isn't available on it I go check out my library to borrow one! (They have Libby which allows you to borrow online too! Never without reading material!
I prefer physical copies, hard or soft cover doesn’t matter (though price is often a factor). I love a beautifully designed book, I like to see my reading progress, mark pages, and be able to easily grab it from a shelf and reference it again. Having said that, I do gravitate toward ebooks for nonfiction lately so I can highlight and take notes in the text (it’s sacrilegious for me to write in paper books!)
I’ll also buy bargain ebooks when I’d otherwise not take a chance on a pricier physical book. But I tend to easily forget about the many ebooks in my Kindle (can we agree Kindle’s sorting system sucks?) and end up never reading them unless I’m in a waiting room or on a plane, so it’s a double edged sword. Out of sight, out of mind. Books on shelves are hard to ignore, so they get most of my attention…
I read ebooks or paperbacks - the price makes the choice. I read paperbacks in the morning - when I don't work I try to read at least an hour in the morning first thing. I read in bed before sleeping on my kindle, and I always have one in my bag when I go out of the house, just in case...Otherwise I read during the weekends, and it can be all day if you let me. I read everywhere and anywhere.
I sometimes read on my phone- if I forgot my kindle at home.
A day without reading is a day wasted for me.
I read both on my phone and hard copies - never an e-reader (my phone does what an ereader does just as well, i guess). I have had 3 babies in 6 years, so I am often holding a baby for naps where a book is too heavy and hard to maneuver with one hand. That's why I've gotten so used to reading on my phone. Its so easy and I like that I can use my my phone reading to escape social media. Instead of clicking on a social media app, i pick up where I was reading and its a huge relief. It also means i have two to four books on the at any time, two on my phone, two in paperback or hardcover. Whenever i have a free minute, i am reading (that could be 10 mins or could be an hour, all depends on life!)
My favorite way to read fiction is from a well-crafted paper book, in a cozy chair. I prefer to read in long sessions, but normally only have short bursts of time available.
I prefer paperbacks. I have a Nook but never use it and would never read anything on my phone. There's just something about holding a book in your hands. As for when I read, sometimes it's while I'm eating dinner. Most of the time I read in bed, before I call it a night.
I must say I am incredibly inconsistent, except I prefer NOT to read hardbacks.
Thankfully, living in Germany, instead of hardbacks we get larger paperbacks for new releases in English, which is a win in my book (pardon the pun.)
I do read on the Kindle as well and try to alternate. I prefer nonfiction on the kindle so I can highlight bits I want to reference later. (I use Readwise to keep track of my highlights and send them to Notion and other places). I also use kindle when I have insomnia, which varies by season and is ok at the moment, as it's winter here.
Fiction, I prefer in hard copy, with a soft cover as mentioned above, but I do check books out from the library on Kindle as well, so this is not 100%.
I do listen to audiobooks, but I am either all in or ignore them entirely for months on end. I had barely touched them until I finished Freya Marske's trilogy last month and wasn't ready to leave that world, so I'm going all the way through a second time on audio and it's excellent. I also think it's a crime to read the Rivers of London series rather than listening as the narration is so brilliant.
This feels like a crazy convoluted answer, but perhaps this is like a reading fingerprint, hearing everyone's replies?
1) Hardback but usually if found in 2nd hand bookstore due to the price. 2) Paperback - I want to hold the book. 3) via Kindle, either on dedicated Kindle or my phone. Husband = 100% phone. I think he's forgotten how to hold a physical book.
Three methods on the go
- Audiobook in background for (mainly) non fiction, for work or commute.
- A paper book in the toilet for "comfort" reading in short blasts.
- Kobo ereader / big honking fiction book for bed / couch / long journeys.
- Kobo app on mac and phone if I want to revisit bits.
For books I like a paperback, for comics I have switched tom pdfs driven mostly by the absurd cost of shipping. Writing has eaten into my reading time a lot, in general I seem to be far busier now that I am retired. Finding time to do anything is hard.
I read novels on my phone a lot, it means I can read everywhere and anywhere as I always have my phone on me. If I can’t find the novel I want as an e book I buy second hand paperbacks off eBay. Thanks for asking!
I prefer a hardback but will settle for a trade paperback. I don’t like the mass market paperbacks. I started reading my fiction on an e reader last year and that’s been fine. But it’s hard for me to write fiction and keep up my reading at the same time so as I’ve written my serialized novel this year, I’ve not read a lot.
Hey Simon, this is one of the questions I asked in the Lunar Awards readership survey. I got 59 responses and 54 percent said print (paperback or hardback). Then ebook and online were tied at 18 percent. Audio book came in last. As for me, I absolutely prefer a paper copy, mostly paperback. It's easier on the eyes, not distracting like a phone and most importantly I own it outright without it being tied to a platform, service, app or file format.
Every non-writer casual fiction reader I talk to prefers a printed copy. Several I've talked to say they will only buy an ebook if they can't get the paper copy and really want to read it. Out in the wild, I actually hear audiobook come in second place more. People like to listen while driving, at work or while relaxing. Hope that helps in your research! Don't lose any sleep over it. 😉
I like reading paperback books and books on my phone.
Good question and wonderful conversation! I prefer a real copy. I have books in every shape, age, and condition in my collection. I buy second hand whenever I can, so I have discarded library copies rubbing shoulders with Folio editions. I don't care about hardback or paperback, I just get what's available. Several of my old paperbacks are in 2-4 pieces and held together with a rubber band. I also love audio books, especially if the book has a lot of foreign language. Diana Gabaldon's books, for example, or Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha.
I always have a book. Always. In my locker at work I have an old hardback of Du Maurier short stories. I read something soothing and well-loved in bed before I sleep, usually a reread so I don't wind up sitting up all night with something I can't put down. Agatha Christie is good for that, or Maeve Binchy, or Rosamunde Pilcher. I reread a lot, but I also have a stack of new things to explore. I have a reading pile of nonfiction and research for my writing. I usually have a volume of poetry I'm rereading. I never leave the house without a book. What if the apocalypse comes while I'm out and we have to stand in line? (Only half kidding here.) What if the car breaks down?
I'm about to post about reading and writing serials on Substack. Just finished my first one and gearing up to begin posting the second. I have some thoughts. I read a lot on Substack. So much, in fact, I've lately been unsubscribing to some newsletters, not because I don't love them & want to read them, but because it's too much to fit into my life. If all I do is read you people, I'm not writing my own stuff! I feel like a murderer every time I unsubscribe, though. I so appreciate the content on here and I want to support everyone. I need to start with supporting myself, though. Sadly.
I've been toying with the idea of buying a Kindle for years. Haven't done it. This conversation makes me think about again. Would I like it? More screen time, ugh. But still ... one can only fit so many bookcases into one's house! One of the biggest pluses of digital reading is saving trees, which I why I always try to buy used books.
I love paperbacks for reading, hardcover for keeping in the library, and ebook for reading on the go! I usually buy multiple copies of books I love.
Generally, my reading habits are: Hardback for very favorite authors, paperback for authors who are traditionally published (because traditional publishing houses demand outrageous costs for ebooks); ebooks for most indie authors unless they are my very very favorites; audiobooks for re-reading and trying out new authors via my library.
For a very, very select comfort read authors: I have ebook, audio, and physical copies so I always have a copy with me if I want it.
For years I’ve read ebooks on my phone (had a kindle, but it was one of the first Paperwhite ones, so it quit functioning several years ago) but my husband just gave me an early Christmas present of a Kindle Scribe and so I’ve happily picked back up on reading on a kindle again.
Important question, loved skimming the many replies here! I do my recreational/exploratory reading in the evenings and weekends, in a living room chair. I'm a Kindle reader, usually text-to-speech (with my headset on, to blot out the TV my husband is watching), and a piece of needlework in my hands. For research (I'm a writer), I read on my desktop: Kindle and Internet Archive. I make extensive use of Kindle notes/highlight, and download them to book files. I read to see how/why the writers crafted their work, as well as to appreciate/learn from the work itself.
Kindle.