For ebook devotees, reading is a whole new experience

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
If you have 10 cents to spare,
They'll sell you two.

There is poetry, and there is poetry. I don't think that the author of the article was talking about the Iliad.

Nor am I.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Nor am I.

OK

[QUOTE]Petrosino doesn't think the prevalence of electronic media would affect the way she writes poetry, either. "Poetry is one of the forms that defies the short attention span. Poetry is a way of paying attention."[QUOTE]

Examples of her work can be found here.

If this isn't because of the prevalence of electronic media, it seems to me that she was writing for people with the attention span of goldfish from the beginning.

[Phogg]

[QUOTE=Sil_liS;1643826]OK

[QUOTE]Petrosino doesn't think the prevalence of electronic media would affect the way she writes poetry, either. "Poetry is one of the forms that defies the short attention span. Poetry is a way of paying attention."

Examples of her work can be found here.

If this isn't because of the prevalence of electronic media, it seems to me that she was writing for people with the attention span of goldfish from the beginning.

Thoughts unconnected
No stanza too short

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

OK

Examples of her work can be found here.

If this isn't because of the prevalence of electronic media, it seems to me that she was writing for people with the attention span of goldfish from the beginning.

I think you have expressed your opinion. You like tomes. You don't care for those who read shorter things. Fine. But that's not reason people read or write short works nor why they read ebooks. Part of it is exactly what is stated in the article, people read when they have time in this multitasking world we live in. The convenience factor of ebooks is what is being discussed and that is true regardless of the 'length' of the subject matter.

[anamardoll]

In my experience, it's so much harder to write a SHORT story than a LONG one.

I'm not upset at all that they highlighted people who can only read in quick snatches of time. Alas, more and more that's the world we live in -- everyone is so busy and there's only so much time we have for ourselves. eReaders are a PERFECT way to keep reading in a busy world, what with being so portable, so easily available, and so easily synced with multiple readers/hard copies.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I think you have expressed your opinion. You like tomes. You don't care for those who read shorter things. Fine. But that's not reason people read or write short works nor why they read ebooks.

I never said that people read and write short works, and read ebooks because I like tomes. But tell me where I suggested that my reading preferences influence others.

Originally Posted by kennyc

Part of it is exactly what is stated in the article, people read when they have time in this multitasking world we live in. The convenience factor of ebooks is what is being discussed and that is true regardless of the 'length' of the subject matter.

You commented on my post that was about the length of the subject matter. Why would you do that if you wanted to discuss the convenience factor of ebooks? Why bring poetry into the discussion?

And this is old, but anyway:

The addictive nature of web browsing can leave you with an attention span of nine seconds - the same as a goldfish.

Consider now what is written in the original article:

Paul Griner, a novelist and professor of English at the University of Louisville, said that he tends to write more flash fiction — very short short stories — because they're easier for grazing online readers to digest.

Why do you think that I was wrong in making my initial comment?

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

In my experience, it's so much harder to write a SHORT story than a LONG one.

Did you read short short stories?
One that belongs to the guy mentioned in the article is here.

I do admit that 200 words or less looks like a challenge.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

Did you read short short stories?
One that belongs to the guy mentioned in the article is here.

I do admit that 200 words or less looks like a challenge.

Fun fact: I hated American literature until I was introduced to American short stories late in college. It turns out that -- for my tastes, at least -- my home country churns out crappy novels but GREAT short stories.

Of course, I'm completely generalizing, as always.

But definitely give me "The Yellow Wallpaper" over "Moby Dick" any day of the week.

Short stories are very difficult because you basically have to convey most of the same information as a "regular" story in a very limited word budget. Every word choice has to be meaningful and economical in the extreme. I don't write short stories myself, but I do admire people who can pull them off well. It's not easy to write a good short story.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

I never said that people read and write short works, and read ebooks because I like tomes. But tell me where I suggested that my reading preferences influence others.


You commented on my post that was about the length of the subject matter. Why would you do that if you wanted to discuss the convenience factor of ebooks? Why bring poetry into the discussion?

And this is old, but anyway:

Consider now what is written in the original article:


Why do you think that I was wrong in making my initial comment?

You seem to want to argue and I'm not going to. I've already addressed your posts.

[Namekuseijin]

For the twitter generation
only haiku suffices
my head aches

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Namekuseijin

For the twitter generation
only haiku suffices
my head aches

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

But definitely give me "The Yellow Wallpaper" over "Moby Dick" any day of the week.

Short stories are very difficult because you basically have to convey most of the same information as a "regular" story in a very limited word budget. Every word choice has to be meaningful and economical in the extreme. I don't write short stories myself, but I do admire people who can pull them off well. It's not easy to write a good short story.

I've just read "The Yellow Wallpaper", and I admit it's interesting. The writing stile reminds me of stories by Kelly Link that I've read a couple of years ago.

But the article mentioned flash fiction, which aren't just short stories, but "very short short stories". I just don't trust that you can have something that can be qualified as literature and be shorter than some jokes. On the other hand, there is this.

[anamardoll]

The first rule of literature is that there are no rules. Seriously.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Some good links/sources in the article:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/product...y-ebooks_n.htm

Hey!!! You're back.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by SCION

Hey!!! You're back.

Shhhh.