Are printed books worth the effort?

Printed books are absolutely worth the effort. Many readers, myself included, vastly prefer a real book.

Hi,  all of my books are available in both eBooks and printed form.  Keep in mind printed books can be rack size (like the ones you'd see in the airport) or trade size, which are more textbook size.  I've found after this many years that it's totally up to the reader, plus some other options.  We had a booksigning and one of our favorite readers got numerous books then came back and with her head lowered in embarrassment, said she didn't want them because a friend reminded her that she was going on a long cruise and they'd be in the way, when she could get eBooks.  Lots of reader like to collect signed books, so that's a no brainer.  Most authors have extra copies of their books that were sent free from the publisher.  I'm with a big house, so I have books available for signature.  Also, the newest thing to look for and getting to be a fan favorite is audio books, particularly if you travel.  I know I'm long winded but I wanted to answer all of your questions.  Just an FYI, per capita Amarillo has the largest publish writer community in the USA.  Very interesting.  Have a wonder and blessed day, Phyliss

PS:  My message was proof read by my assistant Miss Kitty, so I'm not responsible for any typos!

I'm old fashion. I love the feel of the book.  E-books are cheaper and may sell faster, but to be honest, it was the BOOK that started it all. 

Yes - print books are worth the effort. I have lots of readers who prefer print over digital. 

Absolutely. They open the door for more opportunities than only ebooks. 

Absolutely I want a printed, hard-copy book. Books are a technology that has stood the test of time. Books are tactile, sensual, objects you can hold in your hand.  They are easy to navigate ("that quote was about a third of the way through..."), easy to read, easy to share, easy on the eyes.  We spend far too much time staring at screens.  

I feel it is always good to have printed books because of their historical value.  Digital books are great too because of present and future signifigance.  However, keeping the original format (next to oral) is essential.  

I need print because my books are all sold in bookstores and available in libraries. I do public presentations (mostly based on my books) and sell them there, as well as at conferences. It's really more about how my readers like to read. They've always been pretty evenly split between print and electronic. With my first audio book release last week, I'll find out how that percentage changes.

It really depends on the goal of the book you're writing. If your goal is to leverage speaking engagements, then selling a hard copy at those events is important. However, if you're trying to develop a lead magnet, or drive website traffic, then digital format is the best.

I always keep a dozen or so around to sell or give to friends, anything to impress a new one! (ha) An author in my weekly read/critique group almost exclusively did eBooks until he did authors' events. Now he's gotten printed copies.