If you love to read, here are 10 reasons why you should consider purchasing an e-reader.

Hol’ up a minute. How is a post like this relevant to writing?

I firmly believe that reading makes you a better writer, especially when you read critically. If you’ve ever heard the phrase “read like a writer,” that’s exactly what I’m referring to here. The ability to highlight, annotate, and easily search the text is one of my favourite aspects of having an e-reader. You can do all of this and more without worrying about ruining a physical book.

1. Eliminate Eye Strain

The paper-like e-ink screen of an e-reader typically has an optional front-light and no backlight.

This means that light isn’t shining directly into your eyes; it actually shines onto the screen from LEDs embedded under the bezels.

Some e-readers, like the Kobo Clara HD, also come equipped with a warm front-light setting, which enables you to read at night without disturbing your sleep (blue light, emitted from other electronic device screes, is notorious for interfering with sleep).

Saving my eyes was my first priority when I made the decision to purchase an e-reader.

Eliminating eye strain isn’t really applicable if you’re transitioning from physical books to an e-reader, but the next point certainly makes up for it.

2. Enhanced Portability

E-readers are smaller and lighter than many of the smallest physical books.

8GB can also store up to 8000 e-books.

This feature can be very useful if you intend to start reading your next book right after you finish the current one (or if you have multiple books on the go and don’t want to carry a bag full of books with you!).

3. Remove Distractions

E-readers have pretty much one function: reading.

There are no texts, emails, other other notifications to interrupt you.

This is a definite advantage over reading on your phone, tablet, or computer where notifications can easily pop up uninvited.

Reading an e-book on an e-reader is about as distracting as reading a real physical book.

4. Change Font, Margins, And Spacing

Maybe you’re farsighted but don’t like wearing reading glasses, so you prefer larger type.

Or maybe you just prefer to read sans-serif font.

Well, now you can have both!

I personally prefer slightly larger text when reading. It’s really nice to have control over what I see on the page and how I see it.

You can also download custom fonts to most e-readers these days.

5. Immediacy

Acquiring new books on an e-reader takes little time compared to purchasing a physical book in person or waiting for it to arrive by mail.

You purchase from the appropriate online store, or find e-books elsewhere online, and then simply transfer them to your device.

Alternatively, many e-readers are compatible with programs that allow you to borrow e-books from your local library directly from the device without plugging it into anything.

6. Dictionary At Your Fingertips

You can highlight any word in an e-book and have its definition in front of you within a couple of seconds.

This allows you to learn new words quickly and efficiently (and is how I formulate my vocabulary lists for some of my posts!).

You can also highlight, annotate, and perform searches within e-books using an e-reader.

7. Environmentally Conscious

E-readers and e-books are not made of paper. Enough said.

Also e-readers don’t need to charge very often (see next point).

However, e-readers are electronic devices, so keep in mind that when you decide that the device is no longer of value to you, you should send it to the appropriate recycling program.

8. Long Battery Life

I use my e-reader every day, and I only have to charge it about once per month.

Your mileage may vary depending on how often and for how long you read, but you can easily go an entire week without charging it once.

Can you say that about your laptop or phone?

9. Reading Stats

Many e-readers keep track of statistics such as the average amount of time you spend reading during a single session, how many hours it might take you to finish a particular book, how many hours you’ve spent reading in total, etc.

Many people want to read more books, but very few actually do. A feature like this one helps you remain accountable to your reading goals.

10. Privacy

If you want to read saucy novels in public, but don’t want to draw unnecessary attention to yourself, look no further.

There is no book cover on the back of the device, and the front of the device may only display the book cover when it is asleep or off.

Read whatever you want, whenever you want, and avoid inquisitive glances of passers-by.

Should you buy an e-reader?

That depends. If you are an avid reader and you are bothered by the experience of reading on a conventional screen, then I vote yes! If not, consider some of the other reasons listed in this post and decide if these features are important to you.

As someone who has been using an e-reader for just over a year, I can say that I honestly don’t even miss physical books anymore. Perhaps there is something romantic about holding a physical book in your hands, but e-readers are so practical for my purposes that I’ll have a hard time going back to paper.

If you’re interested in buying an e-reader, check out my review of the Kobo Clara HD, in which I compare it to the Kindle Paperwhite (4th gen).

As always, feel free to discuss in the comments below or reach out via the contact form. I’d love to hear from you!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to my email list by clicking the button below: