Any way to get "eBook Only" releases in paper form?

[chrinFinity]

Pocket has released certain Star Trek fiction only in eBook form. I know they've put some into anthologies (SCE etc) and I already have those, but I'd like to get my hands on some of the ones that have never been printed, and I want them in book form, in paper, with a binding like a regular book.

Is there any way to do this? Maybe a Print-On-Demand service or something?

 

[Thrawn]

Nope. Sorry.

 

[Nathan]

Thrawn, are you sure?? I've been wondering the same thing as I want to read TNG: Slings & Arrows, but I don't have an Kindle/E-reader --and yeah I still prefer the old fashioned way of a book, but I digress.

Guess I've been hoping that one day it would be in hardback.

Can you buy the book say on PDF file and then print the thing out. Yeah, I suppose that sorta redneck of doing it, but it better than nothing.

 

[Daddy Todd]

All versions of the ebooks have DRM which prevents them from being printed.

Someday they may appear in "dead tree" editions, but we have no way of knowing when.

It is possible to read ebooks in a browser window or in a dedicated app on most PCs or Macs. Kindle for PC is useful when I want to read one of my ebooks on my PC.

 

[bfollowell]

The only way that I'm aware of, and certainly illegal in most countries, would be to purchase the ebooks, remove the drm, then print them out in whatever form you wanted. All legality aside, it seems like a whole lot of work for the very few that are available only in ebook format. At last count there were, what, about 18-20 that are available only as ebooks and they're all novellas, not full novels.

Other than that, I'm sorry; I am not aware of any options.

- Byron

 

[Paper Moon]

All versions of the ebooks have DRM which prevents them from being printed.

Someday they may appear in "dead tree" editions, but we have no way of knowing when.

It is possible to read ebooks in a browser window or in a dedicated app on most PCs or Macs. Kindle for PC is useful when I want to read one of my ebooks on my PC.

Yeah, I don't read my eBook-only releases on a tablet (or even my phone), only on my laptop. Works pretty well, since these aren't long stories, so you won't be looking at your screen for that long.

But yeah, there's no way for you to legally get eBook-only release in paper form until and unless a publisher decides to do it for you.

I'm moving into territory that's less my field at this point, but my understanding is that the costs of printing and production are only manageable when they can be sure that they'll sell enough copies. Most eBook-only releases thus far have either been too short or too niche-y for that to be practical. (Though they seem to be upping the number of eBooks lately; eventually, I would bet on us seeing a reprint. But not for a long time.)

 

[JD]

I've been wondering if they might eventually do what a lot of publishers do, and include them as extras in regular paperback releases. That seems to be pretty common for ongoing series with a e-book and paperback releases.

 

[Elias Vaughn]

Laptop screen. Xerox machine.

Unwieldy but doable.

 

[Sakrysta]

Print-on-demand seems to be becoming a more common practice, and more economically feasible. I would hope that someday soon, the publishers will start offering their ebooks thru existing POD services, or establish their own.

As a collector, I feel somewhat cheated that there are titles that I cannot actually own copies of. It's very annoying.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

How to get "eBook Only" releases in hardcopy?

One simple word in the English Language.

Boycott.

If enough people make it clear that "eBook Only" is not acceptable, publishers will stop foisting it on their readers.

(When I bought my tablet, I refused to buy anything that was built on an uprated e-reader platform, and I refuse to accept eBooks [other than the tablet's own user manual] even as gifts.)

 

[EliyahuQeoni]

As a collector, I feel somewhat cheated that there are titles that I cannot actually own copies of. It's very annoying.

But you can own a copy. An electronic copy.

 

[Sakrysta]

^Ah, but that's actually a lease, only as good as long as the company and/or format lasts.

 

[Christopher]

^Depends. Tor e-books are now DRM-free, which I'm pretty sure means you actually own them.

And there are usually provisions made for when a company goes out of business. When eReader went under, I got an e-mail with instructions on how to convert my e-books in their format into the Nook format -- although I was preoccupied with other stuff and put it off too long and missed the window, but I only have myself to blame for that.

 

[ATimson]

^Depends. Tor e-books are now DRM-free, which I'm pretty sure means you actually own them.

Effectively, yes - you're not dependent on the company's good graces to keep a copy. Legally, it's still a license, and you aren't allowed to exercise the Right of First Sale and resell your copy.

And there are usually provisions made for when a company goes out of business. When eReader went under, I got an e-mail with instructions on how to convert my e-books in their format into the Nook format -- although I was preoccupied with other stuff and put it off too long and missed the window, but I only have myself to blame for that.

That's rare, and only happened because Barnes & Noble (who had bought eReader/Fictionwise previously) wanted to transition everybody to Nook. I've had purchases from at least three other retailers (Powells, Amazon, and Random House) decide that they didn't want to bother selling ebooks anymore and just drop them, without any similar transition plan.

 

[JD]

How to get "eBook Only" releases in hardcopy?

One simple word in the English Language.

Boycott.

If enough people make it clear that "eBook Only" is not acceptable, publishers will stop foisting it on their readers.

(When I bought my tablet, I refused to buy anything that was built on an uprated e-reader platform, and I refuse to accept eBooks [other than the tablet's own user manual] even as gifts.)

But for a lot of people, myself included, it is acceptable since it's a great way to get smaller shorter stories that we probably wouldn't be able to get as often otherwise.

 

[BrentMc]

I like paper even though I have a nook that I mostly use for library e-books or free e-books. I still enjoy paper and don't like it being called "dead tree edition." With proper forestry trees are a renewable resource. Electronic devices use electricity which causes pollution (unless solar/wind etc.) The creation of electronics and the disposal/recycling of electronics also causes pollution. Either way you go there is going to be an environmental impact. I think the best option would be to use your library. That way the book is getting used repeatedly. I am trying to break the habit of feeling I need to own things.