The Hunger Games Is The Future of Writing

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/

 

Libraries

I remember the days that I used to beg my parents to take me to the library.  I never had a specific book in mind to check out.  I just wanted to sift through shelves of books, smell the pages, feel the texture of the covers, and read through random pages.  I guess you could say that I was almost worshipping the books in the library.  I came across a few articles about the decline of libraries and I was saddened.

I think that people are turning less and less to libraries because of so many factors.  Libraries are no longer needed for easy access to books.  The Internet has vast amounts of books and information on them.  You can even virtually look through the pages to get an idea of the content. Libraries are struggling to keep up with the times by trying to focus less on books and more on technology.  I think that this is not the solution.

The London Library, apparently, is thriving.  It is full of readers and books and has not shifted its focus to technology.  An article on Teen Ink said, “Since it’s founding it’s focus was to the provide the public with reading material. Today, I believe it’s focus has shifted instead to keeping up with everybody and everything else. If the libraries focused on the books things would improve. For example, cut down on the supply of books that have been overstocked, buy having regular circulation throughout libraries in local areas. Also, get new books into the libraries, with generous supply.” I agree with this.  There are people who still appreciate books and all that they offer.  Catering to these people will keep the library alive and well.  

Will libraries catch on to this or will they continue to try to turn their loyalty away from books?

An Interview with Tiffany Dean-Wright

I recently did an interview with Tiffany Dean-Wright about her design skills and business.  Though she is my cousin, I was interested to know specifics about her style of designing and how she gains inspiration for her work.  Here are the questions and answers from the interview:

1. Describe your company and everything that you offer.

Inspired Graphic Designs and Prints is a new boutique design firm. Our goal is to provide creative professional simplicity.

IGDP has 4 divisions:

1.) Magazine & Print Ads

2.) Traditional Corporate / Small Business Design Services (account specific and multiple account opportunities available)

3.) Infographic Designs

4.) PrintSimple Membership – a subscription service for organizations that need prints on a consistent basis (i.e. apartment monthly newsletter, church service programs)

 2. What motivated you to create your company?

IGDP has been a dream of mine for a long time. The motivation came from a desire to service my clients in a specific way. I have a customer service driven, business oriented mindset that most designers don’t understand and cannot relate to business owners/managers (clients)

3. Who or what inspires you as a designer?

 Clean, simple designs that are complex in weight and content but visually stunning with a simplistic approach.

4. What books and/or magazines have you designed covers for?

 

Books:

An Energy Drink for the Soul, the first sip, by Jennifer Dean

Parents Need Help Too! By Dr. Tyrone tanner,Ed.d.

Magazines:

Visionary Living Magazine, Houston, 2011

Houston Coaches Directory guide, 2010, 2011

Macossa Magazine, Houston, 2013

 5. Most often, where, when, and how do you design?

I design everywhere. I believe creative inspiration comes from everywhere but also from inside. It’s during a “magic mental time” I am the most successful. Or when my mind is at the point where my creativity flows openly.

6. How is technology changing print culture?

There are so many things that can be said here, we are in a social communication revolution – as in a new turning point in the human societal culture. Technology has allowed for communication to flow exponentially faster than ever before and travel faster than ever before. In addition, anyone can participate – with Internet, your voice can be heard – almost for free. This however doesn’t eliminate the need for solid print materials. It just means that we as designers / printers must adapt.

7. Do you have a signature style when you design?

Yes, absolutely. My Design style is about creating a unique clean professional design around SOLID copy. Good copy, words, advertisement info is the life of the design – not the design it self. When designers understand that – they immediately become better designers.

8. How is the current technological revolution changing your clientele?

My clientele isn’t really changing because of the revolution. Everyone is just trying to hold on and keep up. Clients included.

9. What do you think designing and printing will be like in 50 years?

I hope we don’t lose the integrity of great design and prints, but I’m not really sure

10. Do you have a definite and specific organization and structure in mind as you begin designing?  If so, how definite and specific is your outline?

The organization is split into 4 divisions. The structure is based upon that division split. At least 1 staff member in each department.

11. How would you describe your designing process?  

Understand the client

Understand the goal

Understand the target audience

Get your key design pieces together

Build around that

12. What was your first design and for whom did you create it?

My first design was for Deans Professional Services, in high school. I created their marketing materials, brochures, letterhead, Etc.

My Timeless Loves

 

 

This is a compilation I made of some of my favorite books I read as a kid.  There is nothing out there like children’s books.  They were my foundation, my entertainment, my life.  My parents used to have to make me put my books down just so that I would eat and sleep.  Words don’t describe how I feel about these books.  These are in no way the only books that I loved growing up.  I simply could never have enough space to fit all of them!  These are just a few that are memorable.  Any of these books look familiar?  So with that, I’ll leave you with a quote from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: “So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, go throw your TV set away, and in its place you can install, a lovely bookshelf on the wall.”

The Future of Books in 7 Steps

A Sociology professor named John B. Thompson wrote an article about the future of books from his unique point of view.  He offers seven trends that he predicts will occur in the future regarding publishing and books.  Here are  just four of them:

• “Amazon will continue to grow as a retail channel, while bricks-and-mortar booksellers (including the bookselling chains like Barnes and Noble) will find themselves squeezed further and further, leading to more bookstore closures and downsizing on the part of the chains.”

This is a very logical assertion.  It has already begun.  Books are being sold on Amazon and being self-published at an increasing rate.  Bookstores, I am afraid, will possibly become a thing of the past.  I, however, pray that this does not happen.

•  “Publishers with weak balance sheets and companies that are highly leveraged will face growing financial difficulties, the pressures on medium-sized publishers will intensify and some of the large conglomerates will probably decide that the time has come to divest themselves of their trade publishing interests, which were always a very small part of their overall business anyway, leading to further consolidation in the hands of a small number of large corporations that remain committed to trade publishing and continue to see it as a worthwhile part of their portfolio.”

Like I said before, authors are self-publishing at a growing rate.  What will be left for publishers?

• “The decline of retail space in bookstores – the shop windows, front-of-store display tables and rows of bookshelves – and the decline of book review space in traditional print media like The New York Times will make it harder for publishers to get their books noticed, so the struggle for visibility will both intensify and become displaced, as publishers are forced to devote more and more of their marketing effort to the online environment, where they will hope to find new ways of bringing their books to the attention of readers.”
  

This one makes me sad.  As a young girl, my favorite thing to do was go to the local bookstores and browse all day for books.  I want to be able to still go to bookstores and do this.  The online environment for books is expanding, therefore driving both authors and publishers to this setting.

• “The shift from print to digital will continue, though the speed and extent of the shift will vary from one type of book to another and one author to another, and income from e-books and other forms of electronic sale will become an increasingly significant part of publishers’ revenues, though exactly how significant is, at this point in time, unknown – maybe 20 percent, maybe 30, maybe 50, maybe more, no one knows.”
  

I agree that electronic revenues will increase and maybe dominate publishers’ revenues.

With everything said, I do hope that print books do not suffer such a harsh decline.  They hold such a special place in my heart.  To get all seven of these insightful predictions, click here.  Do you agree with Thompson’s thoughts?

Awesome Comic

I found this awesome comic strip pictured above and it sparked my interest.  Is this what our children or our children’s children will be saying in the future about books?  I can’t imagine an age where people reminisce about eBooks rather than physical books.  I do know that I don’t want to get close to anything with the ability to beam things into my brain.

As someone who still enjoys turning crisp pages and smelling freshly printed pages, I cannot see a time when I will purchase an eBook.  I know this will be different for my children, however I know that publishing print books will always have a place in society.  As for the comic, I don’t know if books will be beamed into our heads one day, but it does not sound pleasant.

Author Interview

Though I am writing from my bed with a fever and a cough that sounds like thunder, I want to post some snippets from an interview that I did with Kimberly McLeod.  She is a professor at Texas Southern University and has written anything from children’s books to academic journals.  Here are a few questions and answers from the interview:

Q: How much did your transcript change during the editing process?

A: During editing, the first book I wrote changed quite a bit.  Two characters merged into one and I added more details to scenes and increased the pace of the storyline.  I learned to be friends with the delete button and eliminate anything that is not contributing to the story.

Q: Who or what inspires you as an author?

A: My inspiration comes from recognizing needs and psychological problems for a specific population.  I write in order to improve these needs that I see.

Q: How is technology changing print culture, specifically regarding authors and readers?

A: If authors are not moving toward the 21^st century then they are not going to be found or discovered.  Their work is not as accessible in print as it is in digital format.  Authors have to embrace the new technology and stay with the times.

Despite the fact that Professor Mcleod is my cousin, I believe that she is a talented author.  Many of the children’s books she has written are based on her kids and the experiences that they have. She mirrored my beliefs about authors entering the new age of technology (aka the digital age).  I loved interviewing this amazing author!

This is a side not, but here is a picture of the gigantic bookcase in my house that is overflowing with books.  It proves that print books are still relevant, even to a college student about to graduate!

Are Books Doomed?

While interviewing some of my fellow students, I came across one common theme: reading is not preferable.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m aware that reading is necessary, especially as a student.  However, the kind of reading I am referring to is leisurely reading.  No longer do my peers come outside on a nice spring day and sit under a tree to read a good book.  Quite the contrary, actually.  The college students that I know would rather burrow inside of their dorms and visit Internet sites until their eyes are strained.  What a waste of a brain.

When I was young, all I ever asked for were books.  I was enthralled by their smell, their insights, their knack for whisking me away from reality into lands where dragons roamed and wizards reigned.  While I still feel this way about them, I have found that a good number of my peers feel the opposite.  During my interviews, my peers stated that they spend the majority of their day on the Internet and their mobile devices.  Not surprised.  One interviewee actually said that he could not even name two authors from the top of his head.  What is happening to the world?

The question I want to pose is this: Would panic ensue if cell phones devices all over the world ceased to exist and the Internet shut down completely?  Would the sun implode and the rapture begin?  Food for thought.