The other day, I wrote about giving away free chapter samples online. The publishing industry is currently scrambling to make sure it’s part of the coming digital content revolution. Which is certainly understandable. It’s downright ticklish trying to foresee what the publishing industry will look like in 10 years. Did I say 10 years? How about 5?
But, free chapter samples and as-yet clumsy e-readers are just the beginning. We’re heading into some uncharted territory, and I, for one, find it pretty damn exciting. I mean, 10 years ago, who would have thought that the Internet would take down the music industry? And now it’s turned its gaze on the publishing industry, too. I predict that in the not too distant future, books will go the way of vinyl (records). They’ll always be around, but mainly as a nostalgia-niche market.
In fact, this technological revolution has already begun to change the very essence of both reading and writing. For example, I’m not even sure what the word “book” means anymore. What exactly is a “book” these days? Is it the physical object made of bound paper? Is it the words contained within? The other day, I was writing about an e-book versus a…well, this is the point. I was stumped. Do I call it a “regular book?” A “book book?” A “brick-and-mortar book?” Once e-readers (or, perhaps iReaders, if Steve Jobs turns his gaze in that direction) take over in a few years, the very word “book” may lose all meaning. Like “album.” Are we referring to the physical object, or the amorphous material contained within?
I suppose I just think it’s interesting that one of the results of this digital revolution is that we are being forced to question what something is, exactly.
And that’s some deep metaphysical shit, my friends.
