tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post7673353981884450446..comments2024-01-12T00:32:05.481-06:00Comments on A Continuity of Parks: Paper Vs. ComputerJamie Eyberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05875759697016701358noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-67306502598442689492009-06-03T22:15:59.927-05:002009-06-03T22:15:59.927-05:00I still much prefer paper...if I had a Kindle-type...I still much prefer paper...if I had a Kindle-type thingy, I would probably be on the fence between the two media, but I just don't think of a monitor as a reading device.Jeremy D Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16014827537536982326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-40214722652189731842009-06-02T05:45:01.239-05:002009-06-02T05:45:01.239-05:00Thanks for the insights into paper vs. computer. ...Thanks for the insights into paper vs. computer. That was well done. I'm with you. I prefer to have a paperback in my hands but I think ultimately we are along for the ride. An old friend published his first novel through Lulu.com and I had no problem downloading (for I think 6.95 US) and reading at my computer. It's not so hard for me to read in small burst during the work day as I have to sit in front of a screen in my office...but I wouldn't want to do it all of the time. Perhaps if people are going to be forced into the download route, all they will have the patience for is short/flash fiction?Alan W. Davidsonhttp://conversationsfromlandsedge.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-25139724429306260222009-05-29T07:53:03.082-05:002009-05-29T07:53:03.082-05:00BT- I think we are on the same page. I see a lot o...BT- I think we are on the same page. I see a lot of that coming around too, either that or companies like Random house or Simon and Shulster selling them (e-readers) in packages with 15 books for free or possibly a subscription service.<br /><br />Carrie- I can't read a book online. I have to print them out. Short stories I can handle, books not.Jamie Eyberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05875759697016701358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-29215006968289692232009-05-29T07:11:12.056-05:002009-05-29T07:11:12.056-05:00And part of the issue is that I think that a lot o...And part of the issue is that I think that a lot of readers are polarized by it all. I don't know about the rest of you, but I know people who are rabidly opposed to reading online, so much so that when I sent them a copy of my manuscript to read, they printed the whole thing off. There are others that prefer to read online and haven't picked up a book or magazine in years. I straddle both sides because it seems silly to buy a newspaper that I'm only going to throw away, so I read news online, but I like print books.<br /><br />It would be great to provide both options, but in most cases I think it's just not feasible. Or have supporting content in each medium to try to induce people to cross the Great Divide. ;)Carrie Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14893023777471521703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-36765811469316103672009-05-28T21:50:30.088-05:002009-05-28T21:50:30.088-05:00Make that at least 40+ of us as I'm sure all the c...Make that at least 40+ of us as I'm sure all the contributors will want one.<br /><br />I think I read on Aaron's blog that he's getting around 250 hits a week so it could be a lot more.<br /><br />As for the current debate about print v online. I think the major changes are a little way off yet. The rules are still being considered as are the tools the game is to be played with - and, of course, how business can still make a dollar out of it.<br /><br />I'm still waiting for the ereaders to go global, and to be almost free. I expect them to go that way at some point and for companies to make their money through the content - which will be better for us writers anyway.<br /><br />The whole industry will contract as there won't be so much money to go around. It will be like the beginnings of the computer age where lots of little companies did bits and pieces but then someone will practically give away the tool and everything will follow - Bill Gates and DOS.<br /><br />Money will be made on volume sales, and content.<br /><br />Writers will no longer receive huge advances - not even the celebrities, and options for print runs will become an add-on to a book contract rather than the central point. POD will become king in the paper world.<br /><br />But I stress, I think this is still a little way off yet.BThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15170193722932454605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-6464946713401802172009-05-28T20:17:43.839-05:002009-05-28T20:17:43.839-05:00That makes two of us.That makes two of us.Jamie Eyberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05875759697016701358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-81108550231031988852009-05-28T20:14:48.520-05:002009-05-28T20:14:48.520-05:00I am so buying the printed copy of 52 Stitches.I am so buying the printed copy of 52 Stitches.Benjamin Solahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10657105522335752577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-58196399869487883972009-05-28T20:13:35.556-05:002009-05-28T20:13:35.556-05:00Danielle- there do seem to be more pro's, from all...Danielle- there do seem to be more pro's, from all angles for the online right now. I find this a little sad but not unlike the experience that they had in the early part of the last century going from horses to cars. Riding a horse is a much more organic experience but the car is much more expedient. People still ride a lot of horses around here, but not in a utilitarian way. <br /><br />Benjamin- I like what 52 Stitches is doing because we can sample them online this year and, if I remember correctly, we can have a hard copy next year to relive the stories away from the computer.Jamie Eyberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05875759697016701358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-76156218993340533632009-05-28T19:22:47.611-05:002009-05-28T19:22:47.611-05:00This debate has really got me thinking. Thanks to ...This debate has really got me thinking. Thanks to you and Aaron, mostly.<br /><br />Logically, online seems better because you're more likely to get read but the romantic side of me doesn't want the opportunity of reading something in print (not an eReader) to go away.<br /><br />Flash fiction and online fiction seems to work well. 52 Stitches I think is a promising example of this.<br /><br />Whereas novels are the other end where I'll only read them in print at the moment.<br /><br />The medium short stories can sometimes be read online, and print on the rare chance I get hold of one but there is always the option to print out something you find online.Benjamin Solahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10657105522335752577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-53495122865335526552009-05-28T17:39:55.978-05:002009-05-28T17:39:55.978-05:00There are so many more pros for online but I still...There are so many more pros for online but I still prefer print. I love buying books and love curling up on the lounge to read a book. I hate reading from the screen, but I will go that way if its the only option.Danielle Birchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11796467053451208102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-38953031743633397302009-05-28T13:09:17.560-05:002009-05-28T13:09:17.560-05:00Cate- Very cool machine. Thanks for sharing the po...Cate- Very cool machine. Thanks for sharing the post about it.Jamie Eyberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05875759697016701358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-70548706478936781782009-05-28T12:39:11.150-05:002009-05-28T12:39:11.150-05:00Excellent post, Jamie. I'm sure the price of eread...Excellent post, Jamie. I'm sure the price of ereaders will come down very fast in the next couple of years, plus they'll improve the technology and thus make them more tempting. I'll be interested to see what then happens. <br /><br />Plus, wouldn't it be wonderful if all magazines went online but you could pick up a print copy if you wished on one of these:<br /><br />http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/kit-eaton/technomix/blackwells-book-demand-printer-retro-kindle-rivalCate Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634397106201021055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-2440634848833154022009-05-28T12:33:16.893-05:002009-05-28T12:33:16.893-05:00Mr. Polson, we are all ears.Mr. Polson, we are all ears.Jamie Eyberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05875759697016701358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-632943242955657122009-05-28T12:31:13.495-05:002009-05-28T12:31:13.495-05:00Jamie - I agree - the small press will lead us the...Jamie - I agree - the small press will lead us there because they can afford to take risks (not so much capital riding on it). I'm ready to try something...Aaron Polsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15173267932358617304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-20196715675958488792009-05-28T12:23:54.443-05:002009-05-28T12:23:54.443-05:00Nat- Sometimes I wonder if I was born in the wrong...Nat- Sometimes I wonder if I was born in the wrong time period.Jamie Eyberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05875759697016701358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-46342701646790390732009-05-28T12:19:42.700-05:002009-05-28T12:19:42.700-05:00From a purely selfish level, its nice to have both...From a purely selfish level, its nice to have both since I can't afford more than two magazine subscriptions (Shroud and now, Necrotic). <br /><br />That said, it would be nice to make more than "Happy Meal" money. Or, in my case, Korean Boy Band cd money.Fox Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05487359877190292039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-38049414682955412042009-05-28T10:59:07.784-05:002009-05-28T10:59:07.784-05:00K.C.- So many print magazines, literary publicatio...K.C.- So many print magazines, literary publications particularly, survive solely on donations, not subscriptions. Others are what is known as a loss leader for the book imprints that they have. They are willing to publish the magazine at cost or little profit as a vehicle to sell the higher profit books (and not much more profit at that) that they produce. <br /><br />I think you are right that it will probably go in directions we haven't thought of yet, and I think it will be the small press that leads us there.Jamie Eyberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05875759697016701358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-58417931369612400292009-05-28T10:52:48.525-05:002009-05-28T10:52:48.525-05:00Excellent post! I think a large part of why big pr...Excellent post! I think a large part of why big print magazines aren't making the move to online so successfully is that they can't figure out a good way to make money online. ereaders will definitely be a help to them when they come down in price, if they're smart enough to make issues available in good, readable formats (my Sony will let me read pdf files, but often the text is very small). Smaller publishers have less to lose/less overhead so they can afford to take risks, usually.<br /><br />It's going to be very interesting in the next few years, just seeing how much things change. I'm willing to bet that magazines are going to go in directions we can't even imagine right now.K.C. Shawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12467201304235217944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-70920519851547902872009-05-28T10:20:46.593-05:002009-05-28T10:20:46.593-05:00Katey- I hope there is a happy medium where pay an...Katey- I hope there is a happy medium where pay and profits and readers can come together.<br /><br />Aaron- the mag I worked at put out two issues a year. It was 108 pages per issue and took four months an issue to put together on student time (and an un-godly amount of time from James Reed and the main poetry editor). I couldn't imagine doing that every month, or week as the newsweeklies do. <br /><br />I think, in the end you are right, it is the legacy and not the medium that we are leaving behind. good point.Jamie Eyberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05875759697016701358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-26289219042992360602009-05-28T10:03:51.295-05:002009-05-28T10:03:51.295-05:00Thanks, Jamie, for articulating the debate with so...Thanks, Jamie, for articulating the debate with some very fine examples. <br /><br />While <I>Sand</I> is put together in the simple, old-school way (photocopies and staples), it takes sooooo much time to put out an issue. We're just a small-potatoes operation, too. I can't imagine the effort to put out <I>Cemetery Dance</I>. No wonder publication schedules fall behind.<br /><br />I know I'm not going to make my living as a writer. My focus now: write well and be read well. That's the real legacy, after all.Aaron Polsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15173267932358617304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125812643147867559.post-49661237939979242632009-05-28T10:01:12.329-05:002009-05-28T10:01:12.329-05:00A very well thought out post, thanks for that. I t...A very well thought out post, thanks for that. I think your final sentence strikes at the heart of the dilemma. When we really sit down and ask what matters most, that's it. <br /><br />It's taking some trial and error-- and as you say the small presses are really taking care of it-- but we'll get to the happy medium. Kind of exciting times we live in, really. <br /><br />Just that it's a pain, too. Ha!Kateyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05727622678452936037noreply@blogger.com