Word Branch Media, LLC
​
  • Home
    • Who We Are
    • What We Do
    • What People Are Saying
    • How to Contact Us
  • Creative Services
    • Editing and Writing
    • Book Design and Publishing
    • Art and Illustration
    • Book Marketing
    • Authors' Websites
    • Publishing Package
  • $799 Publishing Package
  • WordWeb Blog
    • Free White Paper
  • B2B-B2C
  • Pricing and Financing

Wordweb Blog

Everything you want to know about writing, reading, publishing
and creating books.

The Value of Words

10/12/2012

2 Comments

 

by Catherine Rayburn-Trobaugh: President, Word Branch Media

Picture
Not too long ago I was at a book signing for GY Brown, and a very nice person engaged me in conversation.  When she found out Word Branch Publishing published e-books, she wrinkled her nose and stated that she preferred real books.  Good naturedly, and without thinking, I replied, “But these are real books.”  She looked a little sheepish and agreed.

The incident was thought provoking.  How do we define a book?  Is it the paper and binding or is it the configuration of the words inside?

As I’ve said in other blogs, I’m a pretty big fan of physical books, and anyone who has ever been in my house could attest to that.  I’m also a big fan of e-books.  I love the portability and the instant gratification.  I also love the feeling of holding just the words in my hand.  It brings a book down to its purest element.

A quick Google search reveals that many people are adamant about only appreciating physical books, but how does that account for e-books outselling paperbacks and publishing companies making major changes to their catalogs and marketing?  And doesn’t that mean that they appreciate the paper more than the words?

I get it; I really do.  I grew up surrounded by books, and some of my favorite memories are haunting libraries and bookstores.  I love the smell of books, the feel of books, and the history of books.  But what I really love are the words.  It wasn’t the paper of my battered copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare that made me weep over the betrayal Falstaff.  It wasn’t the binding that kept me breathlessly glued to Dean Koontz’s Intensity or charmed by Wind in the Willows.  It was the words-those beautifully formed, skillfully constructed, lovingly created words that I have fallen hopelessly and helplessly in love with.

My message to the writers of the world is that it isn’t the physicalness of a book that we find irresistible; it’s your magical ability to turn meaningless symbols into stories.  It’s the pure talent and imagination that goes into transferring what is in your head and heart into ours.  It’s your willingness to offer a piece of your soul to the masses so that our lives can become a little bit richer. So here’s to the words in whatever package they come in.

Thank you, Writers.

2 Comments

    About

    The WordWeb Blog  brings to you information, tips, trivia and more about writing, reading, editing and books written by experts in the field. 

    Feel free to share these blogs, but be sure to give us credit by including the original link. 

    Archives

    October 2015
    September 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    September 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    October 2009
    May 2009
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008

    Categories

    All
    Books
    Business
    Communication
    Creativity
    Editing
    Etymology
    Freedom Of Speech
    Grammar And Usage
    Media
    Plagiarism
    Publishing
    Reading
    Trivia
    Writer's Block
    Writing

    RSS Feed

Subscribe
Word Branch Media
PO Box 41
Marble, NC  28905
Picture

828.837.6135
Word Stream Book Market
Photos used under Creative Commons from Patrick Feller, JoshArdle Photo, Walt Stoneburner, Patrick Feller, danielle_blue, PhoTones_TAKUMA, Helga Weber, TAKUMA KIMURA, cdsessums, denise carbonell, Abode of Chaos, @CyprusPictures, MRBECK, Amy Loves Yah, M$$MO, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, gags9999, slightly everything, andycox93, {Amy_Jane}, jeronimoooooooo, woodleywonderworks, Tim Green aka atoach, Ninha Morandini
  • Home
    • Who We Are
    • What We Do
    • What People Are Saying
    • How to Contact Us
  • Creative Services
    • Editing and Writing
    • Book Design and Publishing
    • Art and Illustration
    • Book Marketing
    • Authors' Websites
    • Publishing Package
  • $799 Publishing Package
  • WordWeb Blog
    • Free White Paper
  • B2B-B2C
  • Pricing and Financing