Ebooks and audiobooks didn't exist when I was a kid; or if they did, they weren't as popular as they are today. Beyond that, I don't think that the culture of reading, and books in general, has changed too much. I personally have become more interested in online fanfiction than I am in actual books. I also have an interest in ebooks for the convenience.
I don't really see the culture of reading changing. There always has been, and always will be, those who enjoy reading and those who don't. I don't see schools changing how they approach reading. I imagine that physical books may become slightly less common in schools, if textbooks and class materials become available digitally.
I see big house publishers slowly being replaced by small-time publishers and self-publishing authors. E-Publishing will likely also continue to rise.
I echo some of your sentiments about the fundamental love of reading not really changing as much as the technology has. I have yet to delve into the work of fanfiction, but I applaud the communal way in which it encourages people to gather, read, and write, over a common love of a book or genre. I think this can actually be a fine example of how expanding into the online world is beneficial for the reading culture and supports growth, change, and innovation!
ReplyDeleteBrittany,
ReplyDeleteI agree that the publishing circle is expanding to include previously excluded materials [self-published, smaller size novellas, etc.]. By broadening the scope of materials published, readers have greater access to diverse texts.
I see in my sons' paperless middle school how schools are gravitating completely toward all digital [readings/ assignments, everything]. This week, my 6th grader had ISTEP testing and the teacher said to bring a "paper book." I thought she meant a paperback book [easier to fit in your laptop case?], but my son corrected me and said she meant a print book, not ebook.
I think I read that all the elementary schools in my community are giving students a tablet to use for school work. I can see schools putting books on there to give them a different experience, and I can support that even though I prefer physical books.
ReplyDeleteI think the evolution of fanfic into a widely accepted genre is a really important sign for how people will consume writing in the future. The ability to self publish is so awesome, it has really opened the doors for a lot of writers to develop communities around their work that may have never existed if they had to rely on a big publisher.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way that overall print books will still be around just maybe a little less of them. I feel that if people want to read they will. I think the only thing that will bring down the publish industry is if more people stop reading because they are to busy and have no spare time to read for fun and only read work related things. I hope that this never happens but there is always a chance of this happen.
ReplyDeleteFan fiction is something I haven't really explored, so I did not think of it for this prompt. I have seen some pretty out there Smurf fan fiction though. It seems fascinating though. Fans are pretty outspoken about their favorite properties. I wonder if there is every any conflict like, "Ummm, that character would never do that."
ReplyDeleteI also have been reading a lot more fanfiction than books, its great to when you find a writer that can successfully express characters that you love and continue on a story that might have ended or went in a different way than you would have liked.
ReplyDeleteAlso I agree, the physical book isn't going anywhere. It might become less common to see, but there are plenty of people that love to open a book and sit down and read.
Its so interesting you bring up fan fiction. I recently read a Game of Thrones Season 8 fanfic, and it was pretty good and very satisfying. The potential for fan fiction and self-publsiehd e-book writers to find their audiences gives me hope as an aspiring writer. As Ursula LeGuin noted, publishing houses are corporations driven by profit. The profit motive doesn't seem to me likely to facilitate the discovery of radical new talent or to nurture outliers who may have much to offer but none of the credentials or traditional contacts to get attention.
ReplyDeleteGreat sentiments and response. Again though, prompt response is too short.
ReplyDelete