Lately books have been getting less and less attention. In the last two decades, book sales have not only gotten low but almost zero in many parts of the world. People aren’t as keen on reading as they used to be and that’s not just because of eBooks. Most people dread having to read, and they only confine that to their schools and avoid it in their free times.
In today’s world, however anyone from Jane Doe to Graham Bolt can put up a book online with Smashwords, Lulu, Kindle Direct and bypass publishers — and bookstores — all together. Kindle and iPad are game-changers. When you read books on a device, a few things change. You’re moving into an environment where you typically don’t pay for content; almost everything online is free. So publishers won’t be able to charge $10 or $12 for an entire book when people only want a chapter’s worth of information. So much for ebooks as a revenue stream for the publishing houses. Publishers could also blame Amazon for the collapse of their industry. When you went into a store, you’d browse, explore and find not just one but several similar book as well and maybe end up buying five. But with Amazon, you’d search the one you want and just be done after buying it.
Reading in today’s world
I, myself love reading because I believe it is what has made me a great writer. With that said, I’m also not blind to the sad fact that reading books has gotten out of fashion, and it is not as mainstream as it used to be at one time. I remember when I was young, my parents bought me all seven parts of the Harry Potter saga. I used to be up every night, wanting to finish it as soon as possible because just the mystery alone was enough to keep me intrigued. As I grew older, I got busy but I continued reading and that’s one of the reasons my vocabulary is so good today. I think people in my generation can relate to that feeling when they were younger, that amazing feeling of finishing an unbelievable story and just wanting to continue it, to read more.
Flash forward a few years and most people say they hate reading. I don’t think they actually hate it. It’s more like, with today’s culture and with everything going on, they just don’t get the time or mental strength to read. Reading has mainly become associated with school now. In the time you’d usually be reading, people are mostly occupied with social media, TV shows or something like that. I think printed books just for plain old reading will, in 10 years from now, be unusual. Not so unusual that a kid will say, ‘Mommy, what’s that?’ but unusual enough that on the train you’ll see one or two people reading something printed, while everyone else is reading off of a device.
The Effects of Digital Media
According to research findings, electronic reading can negatively impact the way the brain responds to text, including reading comprehension, focus and the ability to maintain attention to details like the plot and sequence of events. Findings are also mixed about how digital reading impacts children. Illustrated children’s e-books often include enhancements, including movement, music and sound. But the effect these additions have on reading varies depending on how they are executed. If done well, “they can be a kind of guide for children,” says Adriana Bus, a professor at Leiden University in the Netherlands who conducts research into reading, and reading problems. No one gives importance to books anymore and that is highly sad. But honestly, there is nothing better than sitting at home, a book in front of you and a cup of coffee in your hands.
Why you should read book?
In the end, if you don’t read books, you will have little knowledge about most things in the world. You might not be able to correlate the relations between many things happening around you in the world. Your thoughts may not get the right direction. Do I believe books will become extinct? No, I think paper books will continue to be printed, alongside other technologies.
Electronic books have any number of advantages, they take up less room, it’s lighter and easier to carry one device than a dozen physical books, can be easily updated. But they aren’t good for everything; You’re reading a book as you lay in bed at night, you turn over the pages, you stay intrigued, you sip your coffee and continue enjoying it, and one of the best part is how a new books smell! Don’t you just love that?
Books will for, a long time continue to be with us and sure, we may have lost a lot of readers, I believe there will come a time when people will return to the books, sit back and enjoy it.
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