Crime fiction readers are voracious e-book consumers

Last month in my post e-books holding steady I commented that about 75% of readers of my blog read e-books in one form or another (on an e-reader, their iPad, or computer). This figure has been pretty consistent for the last 12 months.

The poll I have been conducting for the past few weeks mines a bit deeper and has a few more respondents.

Again the significant statistic is around 75%.
24% of the respondents have bought no e-books, so presumably most of them have either not purchased an e-reader or have abandoned using it.

But a whopping 64% have purchased more than 5 e-books in the last 6 months, with some commenting that they were surprised the poll hadn't "tested" more than 5.  (the post connected to the poll is here)

I read about 1 e-book in every 2 books.
Others confessed

• "I am totally hooked to my Kindle. While it was a slow conversion (about 4 years) I just recently have read solely off my Kindle."
• "I probably purchased more than five each month. I am an e-book-aholic. In fact, I don't buy any paper books anymore."
• "I may have already told you that I read my ebooks only at bedtime for ease of holding." (although this person says she still buys more paper books than e-books)
• "I was surprised that your survey only went up to five. I would say I have read 30-50 ebooks in the last six months"
• " I try not to buy any paper book if it's available in electronic format."
• "I generally alternate, a print book then an ebook, its just the way my schedule works."

So why are we (crime fiction readers) so hooked on e-books?

Let's start with Joe Barone's list (see comments in the poll here)

• (1) Availability. I can download them in two minutes or so; 
• (2) The opportunity to enlarge the type. I have regular old people's eyes with growing cataracts which don't yet need surgery. Easily making the type larger is a real blessing; and 
• (3) Affordability. I buy few ebooks that cost more than $9.99.

then he contributed

• They make books available which might not otherwise be available.

Nan contributed on the weight issue

• I read my ebooks only at bedtime for ease of holding

So here are some of mine (some of them may be just applicable to the Kindle)

• ease of instant purchase: I buy my e-book online and I have it on my Kindle only minutes later.
• if I want to re-read a book, my Amazon library is always available. (although I think taking an occasional backup of the files on your Kindle may be a good idea)
• when travelling I can take my library of several hundred books with me.
• but I don't have to be travelling: my Kindle fits beautifully into my shoulder bag for use in the doctor's surgery etc.
• or I can read on the app on my mobile phone (although it does drain the battery big-time, nor would it be my preferred method of reading)
• people who want me to review a book can send me a Kindle file as an e-mail attachment. That's much much cheaper than postage to Australia.
• Like many of my friends who have e-readers I am convinced that I read e-books faster, probably because, like Joe, I am appreciative of the option to re-size the text.
• I often mark text that I wish to remember for any review I write. On the Kindle I can download those highlighted bits to my computer as a text file.
• I can put the books on my Kindle into categories and it helps me choose what to read next)
• I can synchronise my e-reading across my Kindle, phone app, and husband's iPad, and move "seamlessly" from one to the other, picking up the book on one device where I left it on the other device.
• I can listen to my e-book if I want to - most Kindle books have text to audio. Admittedly it is a computerised voice, but I can also attach it to a speaker system so I can listen while ironing etc.

So what have I left out?
Oh yes, I'm hooked.