The digital age has changed the way readers and writers interact, says Chris Glithero
For millennia the process of writing has remained relatively unchanged. Sure, there have been minor cosmetic and practical adjustments such as the types of writing implements, materials and even languages used, but the process has stayed essentially the same: a lone writer spewing his or her thoughts forth onto the page, then painstakingly crafting and editing them to within an inch of their lives for public consumption.
Now things have changed, dramatically. In past articles I’ve talked extensively about the new income and exposure opportunities that the online revolution has presented to writers. But beyond these extensions and adaptations of the old ways lie far more radical and bold new concepts that are changing the very acts of creation and writing. Innovative websites and collaborative movements are emerging and evolving at present which challenge traditional views of writing and publication. The digital world has already forever changed the way that we read and consume information, but how is it changing the way that we write? Read on for an outline of some of the most significant and disruptive writing developments currently out there on the web.