11 Reasons I Love My Kindle
March 18, 2025
I don’t talk much about loving physical books versus electronic readers simply because I like and use both—as well as audiobooks. But there are some benefits to using a Kindle (or other e-reader) and some of those benefits can even help you with self-publishing.
I’ve owned a Kindle of one kind or another ever since the e-readers came into existence. My current version is a Paperwhite. I prefer the Paperwhite over the Fire. The Fire is a tablet—the equivalent of an iPad—and I want my reader to just be for reading, with an e-ink screen. More on that later.
So, here we go. Eleven things I love about my Kindle.
1. The dictionary. If you come across a word you don’t know while reading on your Kindle, you can look it up instantly. The mystery is solved in seconds, and another word is potentially learned.
2. Number of minutes left in chapter. This marker, found in the bottom-left corner of the e-reader, can spur you on to finish the chapter or let you know that it’s going to be awhile before you make it to the end. It’s especially helpful when you’re reading in bed and you want to know whether you should tough out the last couple of minutes or allow your eyes to drop closed because it's too far to go.
3. Proofreading ARCs. When proofreading my own books, I always do at least a few rounds on the Kindle because it’s helpful to see the book in a format that’s different from a computer screen. I always catch different mistakes on the Kindle than I do on a printout or my laptop. I don’t know why that is, but it happens.
4. Sharing ARCs. It’s super-easy to make a digital file of your book that you can give away to readers or put up on BookFunnel, BookSirens, or NetGalley to be downloaded to their Kindles. Share as many digital ARCs as you want. It’s free and easy to do.
5. E-books are inexpensive, relatively speaking. While hardcover books average $25-$30 these days, you can sell an e-book at a deep discount. Readers will still spend $12.99 for a brand-new digital bestseller from a well-known author, but they’ll likely be able to get the same book on sale for $6.99 or lower a few months (or a year) later.
Most self-published authors sell their books in the $4.99-$6.99 range, with discounts of $1.99, $0.99, or free. There’s no shortage of low-priced and free titles out there.
6. Fits in my purse or backpack. My Kindle easily slips into my purse. I can take it with me wherever I might find myself in a “waiting” situation, such as doctors’ appointments, lunches, or when I take the kid to the DMV. It’s also great when going on vacation or commuting on a bus or train.
7. Tons of books, always lightweight. You can add a library’s worth of titles to your Kindle. When it’s time to move house, the whole thing STILL fits in your bag.
8. Low blue light, lots of warm light. Blue light is supposedly the “bad” lighting that shines through various types of computer screens and keeps people awake at night. Kindle has a setting for minimizing it.
9. Printed e-ink screen. The screen looks a lot like paper, which is much easier on the eyes than a regular computer screen. It’s also glare-free.
10. Audible and e-reader versions talk to each other. This little perk is so cool. You can listen and read the same book, piece by piece, alternating, if you want, and your Kindle/Audible account will keep track of where you are in both places.
11. Read in the dark while your significant other sleeps. While a paper book requires a lamp in the evenings, a Kindle is self-sufficient. The front-lighted pages and font size are adjustable. No squinting necessary🤓
