The more I look at all the gimmicks and gewgaws that are out
there to enhance electronic books, the more I believe that less is more.
If the story is good, we don’t need the fancy added-on bits,
of which I’ve written before, like this, where people have a service to add
music and sound effects to your book. Or this, where you get the sound effects
and such along with tactile stimulation.
Part of it, I think, is overentertaining – succumbing to the
demands of fans for MOAR STUFF.
I think authors (and filmmakers) do their audience a
disservice when they give in.
Certainly, we should create more stuff. But for the sake of
creation, not for the sake of feeding the maw of those who want more nuances
and kitsch and goop.
Almost every budding author I encounter is writing a series.
I’m not sure that’s a good thing. Stories that sprawl all over the literature
landscape like a Phoenix (Arizona, not the flaming bird) ought to be borne of
good, sustained storytelling, not a desire to squeeze every last drop out of
those insolent -- musical --peasants. Maybe I’ll change my mind if I ever come
up with a series, but maybe I won’t.
So why am I writing about this today? Finally found an
excellent visual explanation of how I feel about the topic, thanks to
cartoonist Richard Thompson.
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