Good for Goodreads

With Amazon buying Goodreads, the future could take many roads. But what is safe to say, I hope, is that Goodreads will be more open to encouraging print-centric readers to try reading on ereaders. That will bring electronic books and print books more readily to the inherent characteristics and values of each, clarifying for readers when one is preferable to the other. I think this is predicted by Goodreads CEO Otis Chandler who has spelled out why he's excited about the sale, as explained on Digital Book Week. According to Chandler, the sale is good for several reasons: 1. Expanding the reach of Goodreads with Amazon’s resources. 2. Bringing the Goodreads experience to an e-reader, a frequent request of members, according to Chandler. 3. Amazon will allow Goodreads to continue to operate independently.

Readers choosing

Salon Magazine has a fascinating article on the ebook/print book faceoff. The article by Laura Miller makes many points including: "New self-publishing enterprises are a godsend for traditional publishers because they can take much of the uncertainty out of signing a new author." Inherent in that observation may be a scenario by which many authors are "somewhat" successful at publishing their book electronically, so that a few can rise to the surface and be snatched up by New York publishing companies, like E.L. James ("50 Shades of Grey"), Amanda Hocking and now Hugh Howie ("Wool). The article points out that the growth of ebooks has slowed, and that three times as many people say they prefer print books to electronic books. The one reality the article overlooks is the reality of acceptance that the two media are here to stay -- together -- and there should be no nostalgia for one (print) or euphoria for the other (electronic). Once the two are wedded, so that you buy both the ebook and the print book rights together, reader choice will finally have arrived so that after the book has been consumed the reader can choose the incarnation he or she desires in perpetuity.