Monday, August 22, 2011

On buying books

Sometimes people make fun of me because when one of my favorite bands or singers has a new CD that comes out, I go to the store and I buy the CD.

Yes. I do.

Here is why. Buying the CD is the very best way I can support those bands and singers I love. I want them to keep making music. And although music is going more and more digital every day, CD sales still matter. And so, I want to do as much for them as I can. Buying the CD says - what you do matters to me. I value you as an artist.

The same can be said for books.

Yes, it's true, we may not get the same mileage out of books that we do out of a CD, since we usually are happy to listen to music over and over again and don't reread books like that. Although I will say, I have a lot of girls who have e-mailed me to tell me they've read my books many times. I think one girl told me she'd read It's Raining Cupcakes seventeen times. Wow!! Sometimes a good book feels like an old friend. I know people who pull out Harry Potter, for example, as a "comfort read."

Anyway, regardless of whether I'll read a book once or five times, I try to do my share of buying books. In fact, I have a book budget - every month, there is a certain amount of money set aside for me to spend on books. I don't always buy for myself - books make GREAT gifts. If I max out my budget, then I hold off and buy the books I really want the next month. And I may have to get a couple at the library.

But the important thing is that I'm buying books!

I've heard from so many people who are sad to see Borders go. If we want bookstores to stay in business, we HAVE to support them. That is, we have to go to the stores, and buy books. It's really that simple.

The same can be said for authors. If you want your favorite author to stay in business, to be able to keep writing books, you HAVE to support them. You have to buy their books.

So let's say you are one of those who says - I just don't have the money. And you may not. And if that's the case, then the library is your best friend. But some day, you will have money. And I hope when you do, you'll do as I do and allocate a certain amount of money every month to be spent on books.

Sometimes people complain about the cost of books. And I have to bite my tongue so I don't ask them the following questions:

How often do you spend $5.00 on a coffee drink?
How often do you spend $6.00 on a frozen yogurt?
How often do you spend $10.00 - $15.00 on a pizza?
How often do you spend $40.00 on a pair of shoes because they're "cute", when you don't really need them?

Three less coffee drinks a month, and you could buy a book.
One less pizza a month, and you could buy a book.
One less pair of cute shoes a month, and you could buy two or three or even four books (if they're paperback).

I hardly ever buy new clothes. I mean, I go shopping maybe twice a year, if that, and often, I shop at thrift stores.

That's what I give up in order to buy books. I wear the same things over and over until I can't stand it anymore, and then I try to find clothes that are cheap when I do shop.

So when you meet me, please, be kind in regard to my wardrobe, okay? I can't wear books, or I would be golden! Maybe I should just get a bunch of t-shirts that say "Buy Books" and wear those every where I go. Or something like this one would be good too.

I know I'm probably singing to the choir here, but every once in a while, I feel the need to do a post about buying books. Thanks for indulging me!!

And thank you to everyone who has bought my books - I appreciate it!

8 comments:

  1. Aha! Someone like me who would rather buy a book than clothes :)

    This is the very same reason why I buy printed books. I want to support not just the author but the bookstore as well. I'll be picking up The Day Before tomorrow! I had it reserved last week ;)

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  2. As an author, do E-book sales make the same impact for you? I love my Kindle, and I buy everything in that format now, if it's available. I'd hate to think that the switch to e-books is hurting authors - but as long as I'm buying (and not pirating) the book it's still a sale. Right?
    Yes, I know I'm not helping the corner book store by doing this, so I do still buy occasional printed books.

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  3. Hi Krista, E-books are here to stay and sales continue to rise, so we just need to embrace them! Yes, absolutely, if you're buying e-books, that is helping the publisher and the author.

    Sasha, yay, another poorly dressed book lover. haha, just kidding. I'm sure you look fabulous. And thank you for ordering The Day Before - hope you enjoy it!!

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  4. Amen sista! yes, you are preaching to the choir, but it makes us better singers.

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  5. I perfer to go to the library for books for two reasons 1. I don't want to buy a book and then hate it and it would wind up in the library anyway and 2. my mom works at one -shrugs-

    I'm picky about books like really picky if I have a gut feeling about a book I'll go by that feeling and buy the book out of the 6 hard cover books in my room I bought all but one Shiver was the first book I was positive I liked never more was a second And I ended up buying your book the day before becuse I know I like them

    See with me if I'm "oh this sounds good" but am not sure I'll go to the library for it (or if it's old like from 2008 or sp) but if I am drooling and fangirling hard about a book (like nevermore) I will buy it easy

    for me it's all about going by my gut feeling on books which is normally right...normally sometimes like with angel star I wanted to barrow it but the library didn't have it so a family member bought it for me my mom bought me book two I loved them both

    so yeah...sorry long ramble

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  6. Really good point. I bought two CDs last month. And four books.

    BTW, I LOVE Lifehouse. :)

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  7. Yes! I love book shopping and absolutely despise shopping for clothes.

    I'm one of those people who gets books out from the library. Then when I know I like them, I go and buy them. I am a re-reader. And when I finish a good book, I know I have to own it so I can go back to it any time I want. (I read all of your books as library books and then went out and bought them.)

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  8. I buy lots of books, new (from Amazon) and used (from Powells). But I check out hundreds more books from the library than I buy.
    And for my birthday I'm getting a Kindle, so I can buy even more books.

    The only way I justify a hardbound book's expense is if I get the author to sign it for me. Those are collectibles.

    I think it's important to recognize that people don't usually act against their self-interest, economic or otherwise. The shift to e-books could save authors (especially those who self-pub). Spending three or four bucks on a novel puts it in the same economic category as buying a latte -- a cheap indulgence. Once those Kindles get in the hands of teens this Christmas, it's a short jump to the majority of books being sold this way.

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