The Final Frontier!
I just finished my first novel read almost entirely off the computer screen.
I feel like I have conquered the wild west or something. Even with all my spruiking for electronic reading, submission for review and awards copies, I still always thought that novels are better read in print. Don't get me wrong, I am totally going to buy myself a hard copy version of the book in question, I liked it that much. But! I also ate it up in soft version. I didn't care about eye strain or whatever it is that we normally complain about reading on screen. Every chance I had free, I opened up the document and mainlined another chapter.
I think in truth, the problem with onscreen reading is not that it is hard to do for the reader, it's that the format is more demanding of the material - I will spend less time on a piece online that I am not enjoying - the copy is disposable so I feel less guilt dismissing it and there is an element of eye strain that I would rather spend more time reading onscreen something else.
After all, I read "The Alchemist's Gate" onscreen too. Didn't change my experience and love it.
There is nothing better than holding a nice solid book in your hands. Of smelling the print of a fresh, new book. Of opening an old musty copy of your favourite book and finding a coffee stain from 4 readings ago when you got a fright and spilled your drink on it. But ... I now think I am ready to ALSO enjoy reading GOOD novels off the computer screen.
I feel like I have conquered the wild west or something. Even with all my spruiking for electronic reading, submission for review and awards copies, I still always thought that novels are better read in print. Don't get me wrong, I am totally going to buy myself a hard copy version of the book in question, I liked it that much. But! I also ate it up in soft version. I didn't care about eye strain or whatever it is that we normally complain about reading on screen. Every chance I had free, I opened up the document and mainlined another chapter.
I think in truth, the problem with onscreen reading is not that it is hard to do for the reader, it's that the format is more demanding of the material - I will spend less time on a piece online that I am not enjoying - the copy is disposable so I feel less guilt dismissing it and there is an element of eye strain that I would rather spend more time reading onscreen something else.
After all, I read "The Alchemist's Gate" onscreen too. Didn't change my experience and love it.
There is nothing better than holding a nice solid book in your hands. Of smelling the print of a fresh, new book. Of opening an old musty copy of your favourite book and finding a coffee stain from 4 readings ago when you got a fright and spilled your drink on it. But ... I now think I am ready to ALSO enjoy reading GOOD novels off the computer screen.