Engraving of Captain Nemo viewing a giant squid from a porthole of the Nautilus submarine, from 20000 Lieues Sous les Mers by Jules Verne. Daily Thoughts 9/25/2009
Right now, I am sitting at my local library. I have the day off and am working tomorrow. I am using their computer to type away. I found one book that looks very interesting; And Then There's This How Stories Live And Die In A Viral Culture by Bill Wasik. I am fascinated with social networking and the internet. I am reading a lot about it lately. It is relaxing to be anonymous sometimes.Bill Wasik is the inventor of flash mobs, creating instantaneous crowds using the internet. It makes the book quite interesting. The book is quite eclectic. Right now, I am reading about the indie rock music scene on the internet.
3 comments:
It's interesting how Indy rock thrives in a culture like the internet. Indy rock is considerd cool.
However, indpendent books (aka self-published) still seem suffer from a stigma. I wonder if this will change with the popularity of blogging, youtube and ther forms of independent expression being so popular and mainstream.
I am not so sure about the self publishing thing anymore. I think what is happening is that people are writing blogs, doing slam poetry, and writing short stories. This is a way to get noticed by a publisher before you write a book.
Often publishers ask people to write books now. Remember, many new publishers appear professional. It takes very little to look like a publishing house. A web page, a contract with a printer that makes your book glossy, and a few listings can make a book look very mainstream.
Don't be too certain that what you are reading any more is not from a small publisher.
If you look at Small Press Distributors for example their books don't look any different than the big publishers now. Same finish, possibly better art work, better layout, and better presentation.
Yes, sometimes I wish I'd started an anonymous blog. Sometimes I would like to write about more serious issue but wonder what friends and relatives would feel so I don't. Maybe I'll find time to start another anonymous blog one day:)
I find social networking (although I don't do much really) quite interesting too - more from the physchological viewpoint - the way people project themselves/relationships etc. In fact I saw that there was actually a MSC starting up in the UK and thought how very interesting...but then reality took hold and I remebered I don't have time:( I'll just have to get a few books on the subject instead!
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