Considering Sony Reader and Kindle, I feel authors are going to see big changes in the publishing world and also, royalties. My contract with Hay House, signed in 2000, clearly states percentages based on different sale types but no mention of downloading the book. I feel we're on our way to becoming an almost paper-less society, if not world, and our book stores may become rare and I'm sure, the small local shops will become a wonderful memory. How sad.

Would publishers then become print on demand houses?

Any of you have thoughts on this?

I find it sad too. It's one of the things I believe our grandchildren will say. "Remember how there used to be livraries and book stores?"

When you think about the difference in production cost, it's mind boggling. All that has to be done is the edited manuscript downloaded. They can bag all those printing steps in-between. So if it costs that much less to produce, I'm sure it means even less money for the author, which I find pitiful.

Hardly worth the time or effort to write a book anymore and it will only get worse I fear. Not one thing we can do about it.

One new concept that is new to the market is to be able to go to a bookstore, shop, and pay for the book and have it downloaded and printed and bound while you wait. I believe that will help cut expenses for the publishing market. Bookstores have to have a supply on hand all the time, but this might make it where we'd still have our wonderful paper books to hold, read and cherish.

I like the paperless idea for when you are on the go or need to have it on a reader, but I think we have some time before the paperless era is upon us. At least I hope so because I also agree we don't know how that is going to affect the author's pay scale for a book.

On the other hand, publishers may be willing to publish more writers because the cost will be less along with storage issues. Think about Amazon tho...they have to completely rethink and go to whatever the market, demands and new era predicts. Already, my book can be downloaded and for less than the printed version. Plus, we will be able to download our manuscript for Amazon (for a price and contract) and not depend on a publisher. And...you will be able to download any new thoughts or changes to your original manuscript. It's mind boggling.

I think I'd hate to be in the publishing business right now and try to keep on top of the changes. I'd be worried about my job too.

I have very mixed feelings on this topic. I feel that it may help more talented people get published because the publishing houses will spend less money, but to me, there is nothing like getting a good book, holding it, smelling it, and diving into the read. It also hurts my eyes reading off computer-styled devices and I will read less should that new venue become the substitute for our precious books.

I like to hold a book in my hands, too. But, when I travel, I bring many, many books. I leave them behind for someone else to enjoy, but it takes up lots of space in my suitcase on the way to somewhere.

I am getting a Sony Reader for Christmas, and I will use it for my vacations.

I've put in a request for a Kindle.

I just don't have room for all the books I read so I pass them on to my kids or grandkids and it gets expensive when you're an avid reader.

I still love books, but ran out of room a long time ago. I have had my Kindle for more than a year and have already had to download books from there onto an SD card as I ran out of room. The Kindle display isn't backlit like a computer screen is; it looks just like a printed page with an off-white background and black letters. I did a lot of research on e-readers, and the Kindle was the only one that allowed for wireless downloading of content and the only one that was Mac compatible. The newer e-readers may have the same capabilities, but Amazon just came out with an international version that can be used in many different countries, not just the US.

As for the authors getting less money, I don't know about that. I would think that if more people are reading books because of e-readers, then the difference may not be that much. I also think that because books on ereaders may not be shared (in some cases) because of DRM issues, more people will have to buy the book. And if books are cheaper, more people can afford to buy more books. I pretty much keep all of my books to re-read them at some point; and as I said, I am out of bookshelf space and have been for quite a while. There are some books that I have in hardback and/or paperback and on my Kindle.

And I don't think we will become a paperless society any time soon. The computer was supposed to push us in that direction, but it hasn't. I haven't checked out the paper usage, but I think it's gone up instead of down with the advent of computers.

Amazon may be (notice I said may) forcing writer's to go the E-book/Kindle way by refusing to use them in any other form (for the future).

If this happens, then yes, the writer will DEFINITELY make LESS money. We do now with Amazon as it is. Trust me...I know. If you buy a book from ME or from my publisher, I get more royalties than if you buy from Amazon, a major distributor who discounts them A LOT.

Writer's are hurting as it is...Kindle do NOT help. But hey, progress. And I'm not saying they are a bad thing...so please do not misunderstand me. I'm just saying it makes it even harder for a writer to make a living, unless of course you are in the upper crust. (Stephen King, etc.)