Can writers make a living now-a-days

[Laymonfan]

Downloaded The Hanging Tree by David J Paul from Amazon last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. Then I got to wondering how writers can make a living from their books. When you look at the number of cheap/free books available to download (hundreds if not thousands) I wonder where the book industry is going to go.
My question is: Do you still buy books (physical, paper pages books) or do you download more free/cheap alternatives?
I'm about 50-50 at the moment, but with the availability of cheap downloads (and far more choice as well) not sure if I will continue buying so many actual books.
What do you think?

 

[K.S. Crooks]

I only read books in paper form, so downloading is not an option for me. I either buy the books, get them from a friend or go to the library. I like the light coming from over my shoulder, not from a screen and the feel of the paper. I also like the idea of plugging out. When it is possible all I have is my book and sunlight it feels natural. I spend so much time in front of a screen already. This is one area I can be free.

 

[sparkchaser]

Downloaded The Hanging Tree by David J Paul from Amazon last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. Then I got to wondering how writers can make a living from their books. When you look at the number of cheap/free books available to download (hundreds if not thousands) I wonder where the book industry is going to go.
My question is: Do you still buy books (physical, paper pages books) or do you download more free/cheap alternatives?
I'm about 50-50 at the moment, but with the availability of cheap downloads (and far more choice as well) not sure if I will continue buying so many actual books.
What do you think?

I am about 50-50 at the moment. I love the convenience of an eBook but I also love the look of many books in my bookcases. For me the choice has less to do with price and more to do with what the book actually is -- if it has photos and maps, it's going to be a deadtree version I buy. Sometimes I buy both versions because I know that I will want easy access to my notations.

 

[sparkchaser]

...I like the light coming from over my shoulder, not from a screen...

Well, on a "normal" eReader, you read by the ambient light and in some cases it's superior to paper (like reading out under full sun). The Kindle Paperwhite knocked it out of the park with their front lit displays -- eye fatigue is on par with paper, maybe less depending on the ambient light. Back lit displays are horrid for long periods of reading.

 

[sparkchaser]

I guess I should also answer the unasked question implied by the thread title. Writers can make a living but they have to be good at what they do and know what they are doing. This latest iteration of the self-publishing model means that now more than ever it is easier to publish your works but that doesn't mean it's good and will sell. If you're looking for a new author worth reading, the signal to noise ratio is very, very, very low these days.