This is going to be a fun blog post to write (and read, I hope). I feel like most people in the book world prefer physical books. I know that I do 100% and see very little reason for me to change that opinion in the future. But, as it so happens, I’m very choosy about what books I’ll actually buy as physical books for myself, and I’ll tell why in another blog post. But for now, let’s talk about the reasons why I prefer a physical book to an E-book.
1. The Smells
There are certain sensations that you get from a physical book that you just can’t get from an E-book.
Whether it is the smell of a new book, or an old book, books do have a smell. I don’t know how to describe it, but I do know that it’s important to me. And you know what’s even better? When you walk into a library or book store and the very air is basically that smell of wonderful books.
2. The Feels
Let’s be real here. A physical book feels so much better in your hands than a tablet or phone. Each has its own unique feel and look. I personally enjoy the feel of a thick hardcover book that fits in your hand.
3. All the Sensations
Tell me, what is swiping compared to the sound and feel of flipping pages? Or that little blue book mark thing in a Kindle versus a real live bookmark? Or shutting off a tablet compared to closing a book that you’ve just finished?
4. It’s not Technology
Technology and I get along just enough for me to do things like write books, communicate with people, etc. But I don’t care for it other than that. It seems that we are always fighting in some way. And it’s super sensitive. And it requires charging all the time. Quite frankly, I don’t care for it and am not interested in all the technological gadgets out there.
Physical books have none of these problems. I can read them wherever there’s enough light to do so. And they won’t malfunction on me. They don’t require wi-fi or charging. They’re not terribly touchy and fragile.
5. It Doesn’t Hurt My Eyes
Another reason I don’t like technology is the blue light it lets off. I wear a pair of blue light glasses nearly all the time when I’m on my laptop, and they do help. But, though I can’t describe it, it’s like technology lets off this aura of sorts that I could honestly do without.
Physical books, on the other hand, don’t.
6. It Is Much More Satisfying As An Author
As an author, there is nothing quite like holding the book that you worked for, with the cover you got for it, the formatting you did, and the words you wrote printed on the pages in real ink on real paper. It can’t be replicated with an E-book, which simply feels like another, fancier version of the document you’ve been working in for months. But holding that print copy in your hand… That, my friends, is where it gets real.
I haven’t yet had the pleasure of seeing my book on a library or book store shelf, but that is what we’re aiming for in the future. There is something about that which is much better than seeing your E-book on amazon, though that’s pretty neat too.
7. IT’S PHYSICAL.
In this world of the internet, where the abstract is portrayed with pictures you can’t touch and words on a screen that you can’t mark up or underline with the utensil of your choice, having something physical matters. The internet is extremely helpful and I am thankful for it. But it is not ‘real’ in the sense that I can’t touch it, smell it, or interact with it physically.
Call me old fashioned, but this matters to me. I don’t like technology, and I don’t trust the internet, in the way that I do a physical book.
E-books are a great option, and I’ll be reading a lot of them. But for these 7 reasons (and probably others I'm not thinking of at the moment) I’ll always prefer a physical book. However, I’m very picky about what books I choose to buy and call my own, and I’ll explain why in another blog post.
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For now, I hope you enjoyed reading this post and maybe found that you related to it. Thank you for reading!
Until the next post,
Abby