What I Learned From Blogging About the Kindle

Last month, when I finally decided to “come out” about owning a Kindle, I learned two things. One, after reading some of the comments about my blog entry, I realized that I have always written about “safe” topics, ones that are least likely to stir up controversy, and heaven forbid, make readers think less of me.

Maybe that’s why I was drawn to children’s picture books. Of course, there are some dark picture books, but the majority of mine are definitely on the sunny side, sprinkled with light humor and less-than-deep situations. Writing the blog entry about the Kindle made me nervous. What would people think? What would people say? It turned out that people had a lot to say, and not all of it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, like my children’s books do.

And you know what? Taking the risk of writing something that may not have endeared me to fellow readers and writers was good for me. And any writing worth its salt SHOULD evoke strong feelings in its readers. Writing outside of my comfort level was just the kick in the butt I needed.

The second thing I learned from blogging about the Kindle was that I wanted to learn more about why many authors – and most booksellers (save those at Barnes & Noble, which is ready to launch its own e-reader, the Nook) – are not big fans of the Kindle.

So this past weekend when I was at a children’s writers’ conference, I took the opportunity to sit down with one of my favorite independent booksellers. I asked her to help me understand just why the Kindle is a “bad guy.” My friend said that it’s not just the Kindle, it’s Amazon’s entire bookselling practices, as well as those of Walmart, Target, and apparently, now Sears. Barnes & Noble’s new Nook is also seen as a threat.

From what I understand, the aforementioned are all involved in “predatory pricing,” offering discounts that other bookstores can’t afford to match. And e-readers like the Kindle make it possible to download a new hardcover bestseller for just $9.99 in less than a minute, and without leaving home.

I continued the conversation with my husband, a former music director and disc jockey, that evening. It’s his opinion that what happened in the record industry is now happening in the book world. With Apple’s iTunes online store, customers could buy a CD that might retail for $17.99 at the local record store for $9.99. They also could purchase a single song – or several songs – without having to buy the whole CD. However, to do so meant they had to have an iPod, which is pretty much the same situation as Amazon and the Kindle, and the other e-readers that are bound to follow. Today, the big chain record stores are largely gone, but some really great independent record stores can be found throughout the country, and they’re still going strong. .

Although I enjoy browsing my local chain bookstores on occasion, in reality they are becoming more generic – kind of like a McDonald’s for the average book buyer, at least in the children’s book department. At the children’s writers’ conference this past weekend, a fellow picture-book author told me that when she recently paid a visit to a local “big box” bookstore, she was appalled to see the explosion of toys in the children’s section. Less space was devoted to books, and of these books, many were the mass-appeal series, and the small picture-book display featured primarily celebrity authors.

It’s obvious that the world of bookselling is changing. Just as Walmart has forced smaller mom-and-pop stores to close, there will be some casualties in the bookstore world. Survival depends on facing the inevitable growth of e-readers and online shopping head-on, and finding creative ways to work around these changes – and eventually, with the changes.

As long as there are people who love the bookstore experience, there will be people to support their local bookseller. There’s nothing quite like immersing yourself in a good independent bookstore. It’s like diving into a box of fine chocolates, and the assortment is often one you won’t find elsewhere.

But there’s also something to be said for having an e-reader, especially for people who travel, or who don’t have a bookstore nearby, or who can’t get out at all. For me, being able to browse my local bookstore – and buy books, as well as to click on my Kindle at any hour of the day or night and download a book, or a magazine, or even a blog, is the best of both worlds.

I think that there is space – and a place– for both brick-and-mortar booksellers and those requiring technology. I hope for a future where they can co-exist, “happily-ever-after” as we children’s writers like to say. I may be fooling myself, but time will tell.