Times Change: Technology in Reading and Writing

Technology has always had a significant impact on reading and writing. The printing press enabled people to make many copies of written works, helping stories reach a larger audience for the first time. This led to increased literacy rates and in turn made distribution more accessible and affordable.

When the typewriter was invented authors were then able to produce their work faster and more efficiently. Enter the computer on the scene and suddenly anyone can share their creative works with the world. Personal blogs and online platforms flooded the internet leading to increased sharing of literary works.

Some could say the continuous development of technology has created a pivotal moment in the literary world but what are these effects? Let’s take a look!

Technology in Reading: How We Consume Stories

In 1971, someone created the first ebook, and soon after, developers launched the first free e-library. The E-reader came out in 1998. It became very popular in 2007 when Amazon released the Kindle and the Kindle store.

The Kindle store opened with over 88,000 titles available which was a giant leap in options. Things quickly escalated from there with the release of the Iphone from Apple, the creation of Overdrive, an ebook database for libraries, the Ipad and the iBook store. By 2012 ebook sales had surpassed hardcover book sales. 

Ebooks make reading quick and easy. You can borrow ebooks from your local library without leaving home or spending money. You can also change fonts for people with limited eyesight, ADHD, or dyslexia. This makes reading easier and more accessible for everyone. 

Another shift for reading accessibility took place back in 1932 with the creation of the Audiobook by the American Foundation for the Blind. The first audiobooks were on vinyl record, then later cassette tapes which you can still find at your local library.

However today you can easily borrow audiobooks from your library, buy online, or browse countless audiobook subscription platforms. In the past, reading took all your time and focus. Now, readers can enjoy stories during their day. They can do this while completing important tasks at the same time. 

We now have better access to reading materials and personalized recommendations. However, there are both pros and cons to using technology. Or perhaps it's more about thoughtfulness and balance.

The algorithms on platforms like Kindle and Goodreads help you find books you will love. However, they can also keep you in your comfort zone. This means you might not explore new genres or discover new titles by chance.

On the other hand, the algorithm can also feed you the next book that needs to sell. Booktok has this same issue with more debuting books being controlled by trends and pushing people to overpurchase and skim books so they can raise their yearly read count. 

Technology in Writing: How We Create Stories

Forums have been around in one form or another since the early internet. While it’s not clear when creative writing forums would have gained popularity it’s no stretch to assume forums made it possible for people to share their writing with the world in an entirely new way.

Grammarly launched in 2009 and continued to release what would become its key features, like the tone indicator, leading up to 2011. Now basic grammar and clarity edits could be automated.

Platforms like StoryForge have changed the writing process for the better by making a solitary practice into a community based process. The gamified platform motivates you to continue writing while beta readers are easily reachable all in one place to take you from first to final draft. 

With the release of the first Amazon Kindle, Amazon also released Kindle Direct Publishing which allowed writers to upload their work for purchase. Writers retained rights to their work and earned up to 70% of royalties. In 2016 Amazon added the ability to print paperbacks on demand and in 2021 they added hardbacks. Now not only can writers complete their manuscripts faster but they can also streamline the publishing process with all of the power in their hands. 

If self-publishing isn’t for you, consider publishing with StoryForge. You can do this once your work has reached “Legendary Status.”

If you prefer the traditional route, use Querytracker. It was created in 2007 to help writers keep track of their query letters and the responses from agents and publishers. It seems like every corner of the literary industry has been boosted by technology easily streamlining processes that used to be tedious. 

Technology has made reading and writing more accessible to the world on a global scale. This is a wonderful thing! While the “pros” means easier writing and publishing, more readers, and easier methods of connecting with our favorite writers, the cons speak to our issues with carrying things in balance.

The problems of short attention spans and pressure to be productive in reading and writing are real. We also face the urge to consume too much. Despite this, we must remember why we love writing and reading stories!

Do you have a story you want to share with the world? Head over to the StoryForge app and share your work with the community. We can’t wait to see it!