I came across a blog by a guy named Jeff Goins that really interested me. The blog features a post about the future of writing. It references The Hunger Games and its success as a novel for young adults. Goins says:
We need more stories like this. We need writing that captures our attention and keeps it- both through form and substance. So go. Write something short that grabs people’s attention. And as you do so, give them hope. That’s what we’re all longing for.
He makes the statement that shorter readings are the future because of our short attention spans. He says that Suzanne Collins, the author of The Hunger Games, purposefully made her writing “pack a punch” and made the chapters of her books short and sweet to keep the attention of readers. I think that this is a smart way to adapt to the needs of the reader. Gone are the days when young adults sat under trees to enjoy a good classic for hours. Readers no longer want to read dense literature. Instead, they prefer stories that are to-the-point and get across the idea in a straightforward way.
Goins also says that young adult fiction is popular right now because youth culture dominates and the distractions that we face in society contribute to people reading at a lower level. Is this truly the future of literature? Will people really stop writing complex, thought-provoking texts in favor of more simple prose meant to steal away people’s attention for as long as possible?
Here is the link to his blog post:
http://goinswriter.com/hunger-games/
The Musings of Jessica Smith 