SonyaDigital reading platforms have come a long way. Our devices have become portable bookstores and libraries. We can take them anywhere and everywhere. One company has taken the reading experience a few steps further. Legible was created to bridge the gap between the marketplace and reader by offering a more beautiful and flowable online reading experience.
Just think about your current eReading experience. The text is there. Straight forward. Maybe you can choose your font style and size. Adjust the lighting for your eyes. The eReader gives you what you need. Access to the story you want to read and it serves its purpose. But Legible brings the next evolution to the digital reading realm. We’re not talking about another eReader. It’s something more accessible, equitable, sustainable and well, beautiful.
Legible was founded by Kaleeg Hainsworth in Vancouver, BC. He’s known as an author, poet, professor, filmmaker, priest, podcaster and much more. For over 20 years, he’s written and spoken on poetics, literature, Christian history, biblical exegesis, Eastern spiritual traditions, family structure, addiction therapy, and ecology. Together with a team of avid readers, writers, e-book developers and web designers, they wanted to create a system that supports publishers, authors and readers.
The browser-based experience is accessible on any device at anytime. Users from around the world are catching on. By signing on, or logging on, users have access to millions of titles– actually two million by the end of this year. Currently English and French are available and more languages are coming. There are several options on how to use Legible. You can rent or purchase a book on their site. Or a premium subscription also offers ad-free reading. A read for free (with ads) option is coming soon.
The site is filled with classics, bestsellers, and new discoveries. Users can navigate through the categories seamlessly.
Already, I am already a fan of the linkable text that can help easily flip to “pages” or chapters.
And good news for those who have a story they want to tell. Legible offers a space that helps emerging and establish writers to get published. “Our Publishing Platform will be edited and curated by a team of writers and editors who will work with those that wish to self-publish their works on our platform. It’s not a matter of pitching a story; it will be a matter of entering your story onto our platform for global distribution,” said Hainsworth.
It’s not only a publishing space but offering support to writers. He tells us Legible supports writers by giving them a space to publish their works and giving them an opportunity to earn a living through writing by having access to a broad audience, fair distribution and fair royalties. “We provide four revenue streams for each book (purchase, subscription, rental, and ad-supported reading) and because we are the only platform that streams books globally to devices people already have, we are capable of increasing the market for each book to seven billion people.”
What about copyright and ownership of content? He tells us copyright and intellectual property are addressed through a contract that is signed by both Legible and the writer. All rights and ownership of the book remain forever with the artist or publisher.
Does he have any tips for those looking to publish on their platform? “Tackling the blank page is always the hardest part. Begin. Begin writing and submit a finished piece. We will provide you with the feedback and support you need to continue your writing journey,” said Hainsworth.
You can read on at legible.com