Why books aren't going anywhere.

There's a lot of hubbub out there in the grand digital world these days about the [fate of books]. It seems like readers and writers alike are fearing for what appears to be the inevitable downfall of physical copies.

I’m here to tell you that it’s alright.

Physical books will never go away. They’ve been part of human history and routine for millenia now, but human beings are a superstitious bunch. With every new technology a new crop of fears pops up to chase us around. e-Books are no exception.

I feel as though a lot of those fearing for physical media in general are forgetting that people are, inherently, fetishists. We like symbols and objects-we anthropomorphize them; we attach stories to them. Every used book has [two stories]: the one written in words on the pages, and the [one written in wear on the cover].

Readers still want to [see their favorite author sign their books]. Just like with [vinyl records] people will hold onto books, and we’ve had a lot more time to grow attached to our papery friends. The feel of the weight, the smell of the pages, the orderly appearance of favorite titles on the bookshelf.. these are all things no book lover will ever let go. Believe or not, they're even willing to [steal them]. 

Even writers, such as [Nathan Bransford] (who, started out as an agent), [Amanda Hocking] (who started out digital-only), and [Natalie Whipple] (who, from reading her blog, could have just knocked out about a dozen manuscripts to the digital world-that lady is prolific!) are choosing traditional publishing. There are still a lot of benefits to traditional publishing and I feel as though it’s becoming a point of prestige and is still considered “making it” to even the most successful of the [digitally published].

Physical bookstores, libraries, and bookshelves worldwide can rest assured-they aren’t going anywhere.