Joel
I sympathise. Earlier this afternoon I was listening to Open Book on BBC
Radio 4, where publishers, editors and booksellers were chewing over the
usual issue - how to sell more books etc etc etc. But I'm afraid I turned
the radio off in annoyance when I heard someone say, *yet again*, "after
all, books are the oldest form of media". This drives me crazy. Apart from
the fact that age does not automatically equate with value, books are such a
new technology they are no more than blip in the history of communications.
I love books too, I read them, I publish in print myself, etc etc, but if I
wanted to convey my thoughts and imaginings in a thoroughly tried and tested
'old' medium I'd probably invite you all to meet me around the campfire.
Sue
_____
From: Joel Weishaus [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Sun 27/08/2006 4:59 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [WDL] Wrote a digital critique
Wrote a digital critique on Gary Snyder's "Danger on Peaks," and sent it to
Rain Taxi, where I've published many times, for their on-line edition. As
it's separate from their print edition (however, the same editor), I thought
maybe they'd be open to making it responsive to purely digital protocols,
and prepared them by first sending the link to an older digital critique.
To "Danger on Peaks," the editor responded: "While I thought the writing was
intriguing and enjoy texts that interpolate outside sources, and while your
desire to use the capabilities of the digital medium is admirable, I don't
feel that the complications involved with the code (e.g. browser
compatibility, formatting challenges) fully justify the advantages to using
the advanced citation format. I also found the layout of the text alongside
the pictures somewhat confusing design-wise, and as such thought that it
detracted from the reading of your essay."
It's not a question of not being published---Big Bridge immediately took the
piece for their January issue---, but of publishing the work as envisioned.
The temptation to create a manuscript that could be published in a paper
journal was there, until I thought about how the younger generation is not
reading so many books, but prefer electronic means of communication. As with
every generation, they've moved on, while many editors who grew up with
print are remaining behind, especially the non-profit ones (literary
foundations, too), who don't have a "bottom line."
It is not enough to say, "I love books," as this is a given. Picasso said,
"Cézanne is the father of us all," even while advancing his work past that
of the master's. Thus, an artist grips his or her vision like a rope, having
chosen to climb the most challenging side of the mountain, as indeed there
is danger on peaks.
-Joel
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