Two Reasons I Bought A Kindle Paperwhite & A Big Thank You

BIG NEWS THANKS TO YOU!

I have some big news to share thanks to you. This past week I sent off my manuscript to my editor. Just that sentence alone feels like a milestone worth celebrating!

Getting an editor costs money, and thanks to you guys who have bought me digital coffees and others who have supported me through other avenues, I was able to send this thing off to be combed over and red-penned. I just want to give a huge shout-out to those who have supported me this far. I have had a dream for a long time to finish a novel and put it out there. So, thanks for every kind word and cent you have sent my way. Your generosity means more than you can even know!

I said it on Instagram already, but I have never been more excited to be told what I have done wrong. I am eager to get these edits back, make the story better, and take on the next steps to get it into your Kindles, phones, and hands.

THE AMAZON KINDLE PAPERWHITE

Speaking of Kindles, I mentioned a few emails ago that I would give a few reasons why I bought a new Kindle Paperwhite and how it has been using it.

When we were dating, Lauren bought me a Kindle 3G. She is a good gift giver. (I gave her socks and a candle. So, yeah.) This device is a beast with its built-in 3G network and physical keyboard. I used it lightly but never committed to buying and reading ebooks that often. And now they are phasing out the 3G network for these devices. (We all get old.)

During the first part of the Covid lock-down, I bought a new battery for this Kindle 3G and started reading ebooks on self-publishing. The experience was fresh for me and I loved the novelty of reading on the eink screen. I noticed that my motivation to read increased alongside my actual reading speed. I found myself wanting to pick up the device and use it. Once I started reading, I stuck around longer and longer, getting through books faster and faster.

I am a slow reader. On top of that, I was recently diagnosed with a mild case of OCD, which I will hopefully share more on in the future. This OCD causes a lot of weird ticks for me while reading, slowing me down incredibly sometimes. When we had our baby, my ability to read at night got shortened and my book light felt way too bright and awkward with a fresh baby in the room. With all of that in mind, here are my two main reasons for buying an e-reader.

Side note: If you are interested in e-readers, but don't like supporting Amazon, there is also Kobo. Kobo is a Canadian company producing high-quality e-readers and has a great online book store. Had it not been for the amazing deal Amazon sent my way, I probably would have made the switch.

1. NIGHT READING

If you are unaware, most Kindles and Kobos come with a back-lit screen that lets you read in dark places. The Kindle Oasis, the top-of-the-line Kindle, even has a warm light feature that reduces eye strain at night. Super swanky. I went with the Paperwhite because it would allow me to read at night at a way cheaper price. The Paperwhite starts at $129 while the Oasis starts at $279. While the Oasis looks and feels like a premium device, my goal was to read more books, primarily at night, and I could do that cheaper by going with the Paperwhite.

2. FASTER READING

Once I received the Paperwhite, I immediately bought Klara and The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro and read it in a week. (Such a good book. If you have read it, please tell me what you thought of the ending.) On the first day, I read 84 pages. Some of you are way faster readers than me, but for me, these were signs I had made a good investment. I am now reading faster and in a more ideal setting. WIN-WIN

I've mentioned this before, but I think the best tool, a lot of times, is a new tool. A new tool is begging for us to pick it up and learn how to use it. While I think paper books are wonderful and here to stay, I think there is something special about this tiny electronic device with its E Ink screen that makes me want to use it.

So, if you have been on the fence about snagging an e-reader, I say go for it. Save up a little money or add it to a Christmas list. Amazon runs sales often, so maybe wait until it drops and then jump on it. If your goal is to read more and buy books at a cheaper price, you can't go wrong. Hope this helps and happy reading!