How will writing look in the future?

[Nik]

You know, when I'm thinking of the rapidly changing ambience, habits and behavior especially with the availability of different electronic gadgets, I can't help thinking that writing may too become extinct in its current form. In my childhood I had two tv channels, not more than 2 kids programs a day and no cells, playstations, comps, etc. So it was only outdoor activities and reading as escape and opportunity to acquire new knowledge, scenery, etc. 30 years later - it's a totally different story. For many millennials a book would be one of the last choices (and I don't mean places where there is no internet, tv & stuff like that). I don't want to judge them whether it's good or bad, it simply how it usually is.

Another thing that looks like the current trend is going towards is visualization. A friend of mine works for a company, which offers visualization of previously written materials - your electricity consumption, for example. Instead of receiving boring reports, which no one reads, your electricity provider sends you a cool clip, adapted especially for you that you can watch and have some fun. Can't say that I'm too excited about the concept, but I guess it reflects the tendency.

So what I'm thinking is that writing may also go into 'visualization', especially when the technologies will avail such tools. Instead of writing words, maybe the writer would create video images sequences - something like symbiosis of film director and a writer, Tarantino & Ludlum in one person, if you like. I'm not sure Tiesto or Paul Oakenfold play fiddle or drums, yet - they create music.


What do you think?

[Nik]

And how do you see writing a decade or two from now?

[Graeme]

What Tim said. :-).

[Ian]

I think predicting the future is a very flawed occupation :-) The future usually refuses to comply. However, we have had one major change to publishing in the last decade - Amazon and a few others have permitted self-publishing. Whenever a new opportunity opens, quite often the hordes rush in to fill the vacant area, and the net result is we get a lot of good stuff that would not have been available before, and a lot of derivative rubbish that does not help. Eventually the market will sort this out.

However, with every "rule change", there are a number of options to be tried. Tim's 40,000 word novels are in part response to the opportunity to take a normal novel and break it into three parts, and sell them for 99c. (Some are cheekily trying $2.99.) I think this will not be the prevalent way of doing things, but I could be wrong.

As Tim said, the markets are changing, and we shall have to wait and see what will prevail. However, I think that the text novel will prevail in some form or other.

[[deleted user]]

I just can't see either audio-books or video stories replace completely the written books (either ebooks or printed books). Very few people have the skills today to make good video stories. Besides, one reason we read books is to get away from the video screens we spend too much time in front of at work. Also, would you go on a nice camping or nature trip, only to bring along your tablet or computer, especially if you plan for a week-long or more trip?

[Eldon]

Tim wrote: "One thing I am sure of is that every creative project, be it book, film or game, begins with a blank page and writers are fillers of blank pages. A film or TV project has to start with the creator ..."

Well said Tim :) I can add nothing to it!

[Nik]

Just seen now this article on LinkedIn:
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...
Unknowingly, I too thought with digital formats they'd insert more and more visual illustrations, although the 'weight' of the file in kilobytes may become prohibitive to publish through retailers.... But an author can offer it on his/her own site, right?
What do you think?

[Ian]

Once you insert visuals you need a big reader to make sense of them - with many useful e-readers like Kindle pictures are very difficult to make sense of sometimes. Then if you are going to make visuals, someone has to make them. Unless the author is a brilliant artist as well (rare) and can compile them into ebooks (tricky) then the author starts generating big costs. And with limited suitable readers, will these really make any money?

[Scout]

I have no interest in visuals. I create my own when I read, and that's the way I like it.

[J.J.]

Ian wrote: "Once you insert visuals you need a big reader to make sense of them - with many useful e-readers like Kindle pictures are very difficult to make sense of sometimes. Then if you are going to make vi..."

I've been doing graphic novels lately and it is...interesting thinking of the projects in terms of e-readers. Certainly as Nik says, the file sizes become an issue...I now understand why you would choose the 35% royalty rate when pricing between 2.99 and 9.99.

As for the ereaders, you'll encounter something called panel-view, which I didn't know about until it came time to put my books together into mobi files...basically it allows the reader to click on individual pictures and magnifies them so they don't get lost on the small screen. It was also helpful with the text since I put it right in the image and the characters end up impossibly small on the screen. But click on the "panel" and text bubble expands. If you want to check it out, there are a lot of free comics on Amazon. I'm not sure all use panel view, but you can readily find examples that do.