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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/26/kindle-v-glass-apps-v-text-the-complicated-future-of-books
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Kindle v Glass, apps v text: the complicated future of books | Kindle v Glass, apps v text: the complicated future of books |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| How many e-book consumers realise that some | How many e-book consumers realise that some |
| publishers, writers and distributors know an awful lot about their reading | publishers, writers and distributors know an awful lot about their reading |
| style? They have knowledge about how far into the book you’ve reached, when you get bored, which | style? They have knowledge about how far into the book you’ve reached, when you get bored, which |
| characters you like and those you don’t. | characters you like and those you don’t. |
| Amazon, Apple and Google, along with countless large publishers, embrace the | Amazon, Apple and Google, along with countless large publishers, embrace the |
| idea of providing products that readers are apparently craving. | idea of providing products that readers are apparently craving. |
| It’s | It’s |
| yet another way that our digital footprint is commercialised, marketed and | yet another way that our digital footprint is commercialised, marketed and |
| analysed. Nothing is private anymore. Curling up on the couch with an e-book is | analysed. Nothing is private anymore. Curling up on the couch with an e-book is |
| not a solitary act but instead a way for corporations to learn about your | not a solitary act but instead a way for corporations to learn about your |
| habits and then sell you items you’ll | habits and then sell you items you’ll |
| think you need. | think you need. |
| Novelist Scott Turow told the Wall Street Journal in 2012 that writers still didn’t know who bought their books or why. “If you can find out that a book is too long | Novelist Scott Turow told the Wall Street Journal in 2012 that writers still didn’t know who bought their books or why. “If you can find out that a book is too long |
| and you’ve got to be more | and you’ve got to be more |
| rigorous in cutting”, Turow said. “Personally I’d love to get the information.” | rigorous in cutting”, Turow said. “Personally I’d love to get the information.” |
| The president of publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux | The president of publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
| pithily responded: “We’re not going to shorten War and Peace | pithily responded: “We’re not going to shorten War and Peace |
| because somebody didn’t finish it.” | because somebody didn’t finish it.” |
| Along with the music and newspaper industries, | Along with the music and newspaper industries, |
| the publishing world is undergoing a profound transformation that will affect | the publishing world is undergoing a profound transformation that will affect |
| every book that you buy or write. A 2009 New Yorker article on whether the Amazon Kindle | every book that you buy or write. A 2009 New Yorker article on whether the Amazon Kindle |
| could “improve on the book”, is today a redundant question. The | could “improve on the book”, is today a redundant question. The |
| device, despite its technological limitations and mundane aesthetics, has sold | device, despite its technological limitations and mundane aesthetics, has sold |
| in the millions (not that Amazon ever releases actual sales figures). | in the millions (not that Amazon ever releases actual sales figures). |
| The days of extravagant publishing parties, | The days of extravagant publishing parties, |
| sales reps enjoying spa treatments and wine tastings are almost gone. The result is that author advances | sales reps enjoying spa treatments and wine tastings are almost gone. The result is that author advances |
| have plummeted, Amazon now controls vast swathes of the industry, bookstores are | have plummeted, Amazon now controls vast swathes of the industry, bookstores are |
| closing across the Western world and yet at no time in history have more people | closing across the Western world and yet at no time in history have more people |
| been reading. Publishers in Australia and globally are trying to adapt, recognising that readers want more | been reading. Publishers in Australia and globally are trying to adapt, recognising that readers want more |
| choice in how they purchase books. The Australian industry, while perhaps | choice in how they purchase books. The Australian industry, while perhaps |
| healthier than in years past, remains risk-averse though online opportunities for genre | |
| fiction has never been stronger. | fiction has never been stronger. |
| The reasons for the publishing malaise is both | The reasons for the publishing malaise is both |
| complex and predictable (yes, the internet kills and nourishes all art forms). In | complex and predictable (yes, the internet kills and nourishes all art forms). In |
| a seminal 2009 essay on the subject, by Elizabeth | a seminal 2009 essay on the subject, by Elizabeth |
| Sifton, senior vice president of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, a litany of figures | Sifton, senior vice president of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, a litany of figures |
| are blamed, including the industry itself. She worried about the | are blamed, including the industry itself. She worried about the |
| commodification of books, the “internet | commodification of books, the “internet |
| types” who | types” who |
| see books as items to be shifted as opposed to critical cultural artefacts in a | see books as items to be shifted as opposed to critical cultural artefacts in a |
| healthy democracy and “lucrative | healthy democracy and “lucrative |
| junk”. Sifton laments “booklike objects created by the teams working | junk”. Sifton laments “booklike objects created by the teams working |
| on, say, famous generals in televised wars, cooks, telly dons, ballplayers, | on, say, famous generals in televised wars, cooks, telly dons, ballplayers, |
| realty-show contestants, famous pats. These flashy items dominate shelf space, | realty-show contestants, famous pats. These flashy items dominate shelf space, |
| ad budgets and public attention; they leave nowhere near enough air, space or | ad budgets and public attention; they leave nowhere near enough air, space or |
| money for true literature.” | money for true literature.” |
| I would counter and say a healthy market should | I would counter and say a healthy market should |
| sustain all types of books, from the literary masterpiece to the quickie title | sustain all types of books, from the literary masterpiece to the quickie title |
| based on an instantly forgettable TV show. | based on an instantly forgettable TV show. |
| Despite it all, the book will survive and | Despite it all, the book will survive and |
| perhaps thrive, though our understanding of what a book can do and how it | perhaps thrive, though our understanding of what a book can do and how it |
| relates to the reader must change. Amazon remains a behemoth and yet a recent New Yorker feature on the company painted a picture | relates to the reader must change. Amazon remains a behemoth and yet a recent New Yorker feature on the company painted a picture |
| of multinational disinterest in building a quality collection of books and | of multinational disinterest in building a quality collection of books and |
| literary culture (perhaps because they’re | literary culture (perhaps because they’re |
| too busy selling garden tools, dildos and toys on their website). | too busy selling garden tools, dildos and toys on their website). |
| Books, like newspapers, aren't just products to | Books, like newspapers, aren't just products to |
| be bought, discarded and forgotten; they contribute to the necessary exchange | be bought, discarded and forgotten; they contribute to the necessary exchange |
| of ideas, policies and dreams in any stable nation. Simon and Schuster CEO | of ideas, policies and dreams in any stable nation. Simon and Schuster CEO |
| Carolyn Reidy urged her colleagues this year to strongly promote the “marketplace of ideas” | Carolyn Reidy urged her colleagues this year to strongly promote the “marketplace of ideas” |
| that they create. Books can inspire fear and hope, love | that they create. Books can inspire fear and hope, love |
| and pain. They allow any individual to shut out their own lives and imagine a | and pain. They allow any individual to shut out their own lives and imagine a |
| different reality. Whether this is fiction or non-fiction and in print or | different reality. Whether this is fiction or non-fiction and in print or |
| online, we should celebrate, nourish and support the realisation of creative | online, we should celebrate, nourish and support the realisation of creative |
| works. This takes time, money, patience and a diversity of views. Never forget | works. This takes time, money, patience and a diversity of views. Never forget |
| that only six corporations control 90% of media in the | that only six corporations control 90% of media in the |
| US. Smaller, independent presses have therefore never been so important (along | US. Smaller, independent presses have therefore never been so important (along |
| with challenging the idea that a company like Google can digitise every book ever written, handing one firm | with challenging the idea that a company like Google can digitise every book ever written, handing one firm |
| unimaginable and dangerous cultural and financial power). | unimaginable and dangerous cultural and financial power). |
| So what will the reading future look like? It | So what will the reading future look like? It |
| may be dominated by new ideas around wearable technology such as Google Glass. | may be dominated by new ideas around wearable technology such as Google Glass. |
| Wired magazine claimed in January that these devices “will be as big as the smartphone”. It’s entirely conceivable that people will want innovative ways to read | Wired magazine claimed in January that these devices “will be as big as the smartphone”. It’s entirely conceivable that people will want innovative ways to read |
| content as they live, work and sleep. Publishers will need to be ready or the | content as they live, work and sleep. Publishers will need to be ready or the |
| public will simply bypass them and design their own methods of reading. As an | public will simply bypass them and design their own methods of reading. As an |
| author myself, I’d love a book that | author myself, I’d love a book that |
| can be accessed on multiple devices, each giving the reader a different | can be accessed on multiple devices, each giving the reader a different |
| experience about my journalistic work, some static and others interactive. | experience about my journalistic work, some static and others interactive. |
| Perhaps the most interesting interventions in | Perhaps the most interesting interventions in |
| this debate over narrative are coming from gamers and digital storytellers. Sydney based Guy | this debate over narrative are coming from gamers and digital storytellers. Sydney based Guy |
| Gadney, group executive director of The Project Factory, blogged this month – under the headline, Why Ancient Stories Bring Transmedia | Gadney, group executive director of The Project Factory, blogged this month – under the headline, Why Ancient Stories Bring Transmedia |
| Inspiration (Or Why Books are Shit) – that consumers should no longer accept | Inspiration (Or Why Books are Shit) – that consumers should no longer accept |
| the rules set by publishers. “Books | the rules set by publishers. “Books |
| are now centralised and controlled by monolithic publishing houses which make | are now centralised and controlled by monolithic publishing houses which make |
| the decisions over what we should read and what stories will never see the | the decisions over what we should read and what stories will never see the |
| light of day”, Gadney argued. “But behind this corralling of story form | light of day”, Gadney argued. “But behind this corralling of story form |
| and structure, a new wave of storytelling has recently been emerging that will | and structure, a new wave of storytelling has recently been emerging that will |
| challenge the orthodoxy.” | challenge the orthodoxy.” |
| He advocated a “dialogue not monologue” around engaging audiences and used one example of a project that | He advocated a “dialogue not monologue” around engaging audiences and used one example of a project that |
| will assist Australian Indigenous cultures in sharing their stories to a wider | will assist Australian Indigenous cultures in sharing their stories to a wider |
| audience via an app, Ringbalin: River Stories. A normal book simply | audience via an app, Ringbalin: River Stories. A normal book simply |
| cannot fulfil this mission. | cannot fulfil this mission. |
| I don’t | I don’t |
| see this project as replacing traditional books but a direct challenge to the | see this project as replacing traditional books but a direct challenge to the |
| failure of the written word to publish or even acknowledge so many Indigenous | failure of the written word to publish or even acknowledge so many Indigenous |
| stories. With the public increasingly consuming information on countless | stories. With the public increasingly consuming information on countless |
| devices and screens with limited time to read and reflect, | devices and screens with limited time to read and reflect, |
| non-linear forms of storytelling must be considered by any serious producer of | non-linear forms of storytelling must be considered by any serious producer of |
| content. | content. |
| Books will exist in 100 or 500 years, and not | Books will exist in 100 or 500 years, and not |
| just in museums. How we as a society manage the online disruption to | just in museums. How we as a society manage the online disruption to |
| traditional forms of publishing will determine how we want to tell our own | traditional forms of publishing will determine how we want to tell our own |
| stories and how they should be remembered. Are we no more or less than what is | stories and how they should be remembered. Are we no more or less than what is |
| recorded on a retrievable device? Memories fade. History has been traditionally | recorded on a retrievable device? Memories fade. History has been traditionally |
| written by the elite so I welcome the ability for anybody today to document | written by the elite so I welcome the ability for anybody today to document |
| their lives, every intimate detail, on equipment of their choosing. Books need | their lives, every intimate detail, on equipment of their choosing. Books need |
| to adapt to this changed reality or face being principally embraced as | to adapt to this changed reality or face being principally embraced as |
| nostalgia. | nostalgia. |