Reading YA, Writing YA, and Being Totally Awesome discussion

Yep. Which do you prefer? Personally I just about prefer physical books because I like holding them and looking at them and putting them on my bookshelf. However, I like ebooks a lot too because you don't have to order them online or go out to get them, you can get them instantly in the vacinity of your own home. Also, I find when reading a classic that a ebook is much easier because you can click on the word and find out what it means; in classics there are quite a lot of unrecognized words.
What do you think?!

PHYSICAL BOOKS!!!!!

Layla wrote: "Physical books- though I love e-books too :) Especially since you can take note, highlight, and classics are free :D"

Classics are also free at the library. :-)

There's always interlibrary loan. I use it all the time to gain access to books our library doesn't carry.

Layla wrote: "I know, but my library costs $1 per book :("

Really?! I thought all libraries were free. Hmph.

Just for interlibrary loan, or to check out any books? For my library, interlibrary loan is free as long as the books come from in-state locations.

That's too bad. My library is small, but access to a large network all through the state makes it big, in effect.

PHYSICAL BOOKS!!!!!

Physical. I like smelling books. That's not weird, right?

; D. One and the same.

Let's get PHYSICAL! PHYSICAL! I wanna get PHYSICAL!

Here's the thing (Layla, I put that there for you, as a Monk reference! :-) If the worldwide electrical grid were ever to go down (and sooner or later I think it's practically a given that some disaster will bring it down, either for a long while or permanently), every book one has ever bought and stored in an e-reader will be lost. But no failure of technology can ever steal a real book out of one's hands. In an apocalyptic scenario, when humans will need the indelible shared link of stories more than ever before, it is paper and ink that will endure, long after the harsh glow of electric screens is but a memory.

Also, I've heard authors say publishers are less careful about what is published on an e-reader than they are about what they commit to print. The copyediting isn't as diligent and the standards of writing aren't as high. When words are cheap, and reading a novel feels the same as reading an e-mail, we all tend to take it a little less seriously. I hope humanity will never become so dependent on technology that we can't recover when it eventually fails.

Oh, SO physical! :) I like that e-books are more portable, but there's something fun about trying to fit ALL THE BOOKS into your tiny backpack for a road trip. ;) Plus, physical books don't need to charge. ;)

(And OMG the smell of books?' I'm so making my love interest in my novel smelling like a book. So much better than something like chocolate ore clean laundry.) ;) ;P