From Pages to Screens: The Positives for Reading Online or through Tablets
This past weekend I went to a poetry festival that was anything but festive.
In the first hour of the festival, which failed to live up to its name, I opted to attend a round table discussion on how to get published. As a young writer and poet, getting published is important to me, and I attended this panel in hopes of learning something new.
I didn’t.
The panel consisted of three publishers, two of which publish literary reviews, and one who publishes a hybrid art and poetry magazine that he creates with his wife using the Amazon platform, CreateSpace.
About halfway through the discussion, the moderator asked each panelist to provide their thoughts on the challenges currently facing the publishing industry. Unsurprisingly, the rise of the Internet and electronic readers, such as the Kindle and Nook, were topics of controversy.
For them, the transition of writing from page to screen presents two main issues:
1. Print books are becoming obsolete. Book stores, especially smaller, more independently run ones, are closing and people aren’t buying books or reading print anymore.
2. The Internet has increased the volume of work available and has also made it much easier and faster to access. As a result, the older generation of publishers feels that standards for poetry have disappeared.
Both of the above points is true. Book stores are closing down, and print books are becoming less mainstream. And yes, the Internet has made it easier to access and read anything and everything, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While I adore print books — I still buy them, and have several bookshelves full, and also know many others who do the same — I understand why others have decided to go the way of the Kindle and Nook. Truthfully, I also have a Kindle, which I use occasionally.
For this article, I want to address my top three positive aspects for reading online or using a tablet.
1. Tablets such as the Kindle or Nook make it possible for readers to carry an unlimited number of books anywhere and everywhere.
Because reading tablets were designed to be small and compact, using them allows readers to carry upwards of 100 books with them at all times, without adding physical stress to their bodies, and thus diminishing the possibility of hurting their back or straining other muscles. It’s great for college students who often have to buy between 15 and 20 books a semester, because they offer in screen annotation and highlighting, as well as help students to remain organized because all of their class materials are in one place. Additionally, tablets prove a feasible option for people with disabilities because they include narration capabilities, as well as options for changing font and increasing text size.
2. More often than not, books purchased through tablets are cheaper.
These tablets offer publishers, whether with a major company, or through a self-publishing platform, to set the prices for materials. As a result, most of the time, purchasers will see magazines and books priced using a sliding scale. This means that one day the book may be on sale for 99 cents, while the next day it may be on sale for $5.99, and so on and so forth. Using this sliding scale allows readers to purchase materials within their budget. They don’t have to feel guilty about spending money on a thing they love.
3. Reading online or through a tablet makes writing easier to access. It also makes it easier for writers to get their voices heard.
The Amazon Kindle and Barnes and Noble Nook have made it possible for readers to purchase and/or rent their favorite books in under a minute. To purchase or rent a book, all one has to do is go to the website or search under the “Books” tab, click the “Buy Now” button and wait for their book to finish downloading. Once the download is complete, they can start reading right away. There’s no extra shipping costs or wait time. There’s no waiting in line at the store. You just press a button, and you have a book. Yes, something is lost in the process of going to a store and perusing the shelves, but the prospect of being able to start a long-awaited release immediately is worth the loss for any avid reader.
Not to mention, there’s no waiting for those college students who need that book the next day!
Additionally, the Internet has made it possible for a lot of writing to be made available for free. Public domain sites have uploaded entire works by classic and contemporary writers, as well as made it possible for new writers to self-publish and share their work. Members of typically marginalized communities, or those who don’t have the means or desire to pursue a traditional degree in their respected crafts, now have other ways to share their voices with the world. Online platforms have added a diversity to writing that wasn’t there before. We want more voices and more writing, not less. Putting a “standard” on writing, in effect, limits voices and stops the emergence of new styles and traditions. It, in effect, makes writing, in and of itself, obsolete and unnecessary.
To be frank, it doesn’t matter how people are reading, what they are reading, or where they are reading, as long as they are doing it. I would much rather have people reading online or through screens then not at all. Reading is about gaining knowledge and experiencing something new. And despite the fact that elitist systems tell us otherwise, there shouldn’t be a price on it. Read something today. Buy it or borrow it. Read it online or turn pages in your hand, it doesn’t matter. Just read something. And when you’re done, talk about it. That’s how knowledge grows.
