Because my novel Seed will be published exclusively as an ebook, the question will inevitably arise–“how am I supposed to read your book if I don’t have an e-reader?” Silly rabbit, you don’t need a Kindle to Kindle.
Many people are under the impression that to be able to buy and enjoy ebooks, you need to shell out a pretty penny for a fancy e-reader. Not true. Now, I do believe that you need an iPad or iPhone to read books from the iBookstore, but Amazon isn’t that, um… exclusive. Let’s just leave it at that.
Amazon allows you to read ebooks in a bevvy of different ways, from flipping e-pages on your android phone to reading them on your desktop or laptop computer–all without spending a penny on a Kindle device. Granted, the Kindle is awesome, and I’d recommend it to anyone who’s interested in exploring the world of ebooks.
Now, I hear you screaming over there–“I’ll never read books on an E-reader! I love that new book smell!” Honestly, that’s what I was screaming too… until I got my hands on a Kindle. Once I did, I was overtaken by an almost childlike fascination. If you’ve never played with a Kindle before, you don’t understand the awesome feeling of having nearly a million books at your disposal, all with the click of a button. Well, let me tell you, it’s pretty amazing. Not to mention that most of the books you buy in an e-format are half the price of those at a traditional bookstore. That, and you don’t have a five pound hardcover monster to lug around the airport.
But this blog post isn’t meant to be a Kindle sales pitch. This post is about the fact that if you don’t own a Kindle, you can still enjoy an Amazon ebook on your phone while waiting out a flight delay. I know I’m going to hear it (and I’ve already heard it) a billion times–“I guess I’ll just have to wait for the print version of your book to read it.” No, you don’t. If you have a computer (and you obviously do if you’re reading this post), you have just as much access to Kindle ebooks as anyone else.
Here’s how:
Go to Amazon’s Kindle For PC app download page. This will install the Kindle for PC app onto your desktop or laptop. After you install the app, Amazon will ask you to sync the app with your existing Amazon account. This will allow you to buy ebooks on the Amazon website, and they’ll magically be transported to your Kindle for PC app on your computer.
The app is free. You have nothing to lose.
If you want the Kindle app on your android phone, simply go into your app marketplace and search for ‘Kindle’. Again, totally free, and it syncs up with your PC version, or your Kindle if you own one.
Yes, all your Kindle apps sync up together. They remember what page you were on in which book, so you can read virtually anywhere. It’s seamless, and again… even if you don’t own a Kindle, you have access to this pretty fantastic technology.
And if all of this sounds cool, you very well may want to invest in a Kindle. I’ll vouch for the fact that they’re awesome. You can buy a Kindle for $114 on Amazon. Once you get your hands on one, you won’t want to buy books any other way.
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And not to mention that that ereaders like the Kindle open the reader up to an enormous new world of fiction that their book store could never hope to offer. Were it not for kindle I would not have the opportunity to read some wonderful stories by some amazingly talented authors – that aren’t the huge names that occupy the shelves of the bricks and mortar stores.
I doubt that I’ll ever buy a Kindle, mainly because I dislike its proprietary attitude that refuses to accept ePub. But the desktop app is a joy to use, both for reading samples, and buying books instantly.
I was similarly hesitant but once I got the Kindle home and started reading. Oh my!
I’m not hesitant about the Kindle, I just don’t like Amazon’s proprietary jail. I can’t afford a reader right now, anyway, but when I do buy one, it will probably be a Nook. In the meantime, my computer works just fine as an ereader.
I was planning on investing in a Kindle, but then I bought an Android phone – and discovered the Kindle app! Look forward to reading your book 🙂
A x
I have a Kobo, I ♥ my Kobo
that is all
I don’t really care if I have a million books at my fingertips or if I can download a book in under a minute, for me it’s the experience of reading and only real books offer that experience. Yes, it’s the smell of books, the feel of them, bookshelves lined with books, but it’s so much more than that, also.
One day I may get a kindle but only when I’m forced to. lol. Hopefully that day will be far in the future.
Hi Mike,
There will always be those that are diehard resistors, but the fact of the matter is this: 100% of newly published books will also be available for purchase as ebooks within a year; ebooks are cheaper, faster, and more convenient; the ebook market will continue to expand with new innovations while the paper book market will continue to dwindle–and because the publishing industry is currently failing, paper books will be printed in less volume and will, in turn, become more expensive to purchase.
I understand the knee-jerk reaction to say ‘I’m never going to go digital’ when it comes to books. Believe it or not, I used to stand on the same soapbox. I’m the girl who walks into Barnes and Noble not to shop, but to inhale the smell of books. So believe me, I get it. But then I got a Kindle. With my bookshelves packed to the gills, it was a revelation. I love the smell and feel of a physical book, but in the end, that isn’t why I buy books. I buy them for what’s inside, and that’s exactly what the Kindle offers–content without bulk, words without a ridiculous price (publishers are still trying to gouge readers in the e-market, but I guarantee that won’t last long), and a book that you can access anywhere.
At this point in the game, refusing to give ebooks a chance isn’t hurting the ebook market, but it’s limiting your own options. When big name publishers start stocking shelves with books written by the Jersey Shore cast, that’s a sign of desperation, and that’s all you’re going to find in brick-and-mortar stores: big name publishers.
This is a revolution, Mike. It’s also the future. Resistance is futile. 😉