Smartphones seem to be everywhere. The number of tablets on offer is soaring. This is not going to stop any time soon. I imagine that in the next few years there will be more and more ways to connect to the web and each other.
This is really good news for writers.
We all know about e-books and the opportunity for just about anybody to be published and have readers appreciating the product of our imagination. This is excellent news for readers as well. Whilst there may be issues with curation I believe the current state of play provides many more ways to find a good story. The best writing will 'out'.
But the publishing revolution does not stop with e-books.
I love stories, whether in a book (printed or digital) on screen or in game form. One particular type of story is that the remakes of the 1980's and 90's gamebooks. The fighting fantasy series is being remade by an Australian company (Tin Man Games) and there are other ventures out there attempting to do something similar with other series. Gamebooks and other forms of interactive fiction are ideal for the mobile world we live in.
Whether the product is book, a game, or something in between, the bottom line is that the story is king. If I choose to design a gamebook I could produce an e-book version (for mass market appeal) an app (for gamers) or a high quality print edition (for those of us who love the physicality of paper and ink) Each would contain common elements but the story would be implemented differently in each case. I could keep things simple with the e-book. I would introduce all kinds of additional functionality for the app and the printed version would be made to look and read beautifully.
There are lots of opportunities out there for writing wonderful stories. I think an open minded approach is the best way to appreciate the continued evolution of 'the book.' Lets see what happens...
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