Bookslut was born in an era of internet freedom. Today's web has killed it

The books community that my site joined was driven by enthusiasm not clicks, goodwill and not money – and that culture has goneI miss the internet. I know that, technically, the internet still exists. It’s the Facebook-, Twitter-filtered series of algorithms designed to put cat videos, think pieces, and advertisements in front of you. But I get nostalgic for the days before money invaded the internet – the early 2000s, in particular, when I created the literary blog and webzine Bookslut.com.Back then, nothing you did mattered. And that gave you freedom. Back then, the online book culture was run mostly by enthusiasts and amateurs, people who were creating blogs and webzines simply for the pleasure of it, rather than to build a career or a brand. I know that nostalgia is a stupid emotion, but still I regret the day money found the internet. Once advertisers showed up, offering to pay us to do the thing we were doing just for fun, it was very hard to say no. Or understand exactly what the trade-offs would be.The most disappointing revelation about the books world: even an intellectual is susceptible to clickbaitYou click on it, you own it. Related: Jessa Crispin: 'We're not allowed to say the Paris Review is boring' Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #books world #jessa crispin #paris review

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Bookslut was born in an era of internet freedom. Today's web has killed it'


Harper Lee: Beloved ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ author dies

Harper Lee created a work that has endured for generations with her first novel 'Mockingbird,' which told the story of Scout Finch and her experiences as her father battles racism. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harper lee


For many students and teachers, the lessons of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' resonate

Eighth-grader Daisy Vetter dropped to the floor and curled up in a ball when news of Harper Lee's death came over the intercom at Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood on Friday morning. Her friends asked what was wrong. They just didn't understand, Daisy said, why "To Kill a Mockingbird,"... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harper lee #friday morning


Harper Lee: Beloved author of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ dies

Harper Lee created a work that has endured for generations with her first novel 'Mockingbird,' which told the story of Scout Finch and her experiences as her father battles racism. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harper lee #beloved author


Harper Lee, author of 'To Kill a Mockingbird', dies - county official

Harper Lee, who wrote one of America's most enduring literary classics, To Kill a Mockingbird, about a child's view of right and wrong and waited 55 years to publish a second book with the same characters from a very different point of view, died at the age of 89 on Friday (Saturday NZ Time). Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2016-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harper lee


10 Books That Explain Russia Today

What happened with Russia? Why is it turning into the USSR Version 2.0? And was it possible to predict this turn of events? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Historic Pact Marks New Era in Cuban Publishing

Publishers Weekly and Combined Book Exhibit signed a memorandum of understanding with the Cuban Book Institute calling for the parties to continue to promote "cooperation and understanding" between the U.S. and Cuban publishing industries. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-02-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'To Kill a Mockingbird': Aaron Sorkin will adapt the classic novel for Broadway

A new stage adaptation of Harper Lee's novel 'Mockingbird' will reportedly be written by Sorkin. 'Mockingbird' was adapted as an Oscar-winning film in 1962 starring Gregory Peck. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #aaron sorkin #stage adaptation #harper lee #oscar-winning film


Religion and Spirituality News From Around the Web: February 10, 2016

Romance author Nicholas Sparks’ lifetime of faith, a book intended for the "spiritual but not religious," and how to use books during Lent are some of the news items creating a buzz today. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #spirituality news


Religion and Spirituality News From Around the Web: January 27, 2016

The kids who helped Pope Francis write a children’s book and a book of spiritual songs owned by the judge of the Salem Witch Trials are among the most-talked about news items in religion and spirituality publishing today. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #spirituality news #news items


Facebook Is Expanding Its Burgeoning Ad Network to the Mobile Web

Facebook is expanding its ad network from just third-party apps to the mobile Web. The Menlo Park, Calif.-based company will begin making its Facebook Audience Network available for publishers and advertisers outside of publishers' native apps. The Audience Network for the mobile Web will... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2016-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mediation services #elite daily #news sites #makes sense #web properties


George Weidenfeld’s death marks the end of a publishing era

The co-founder and chairman of Weidenfeld & Nicolson, who died this week, had unique status as both brand and editorLast year, Lord Weidenfeld joined his Hachette colleagues in moving to a shiny new HQ overlooking the Thames. Still regularly putting in office shifts, the nonagenarian... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tom maschler #victor gollancz


Who’s winning at politics news on the Web

Election years are always good news for publishers. Not only does reader interest spike (particularly when polarizing candidates are ahead), but advertiser interest is also at its peak, as more campaign managers look for new ways to influence voters. Traffic to the top politics sites has... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #advertiser interest #mother jones


Religion and Spirituality News From Around the Web: January 13, 2016

A firestorm over a banned book about an Israeli-Arab love story, Pope Francis’s new book on mercy, and a reading list of books by Muslim authors are some of the hottest topics in religion publishing today. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #banned book #spirituality news #pope francis #muslim authors


Who’s winning at tech news on the Web

The tech space is crowded with news sites. Some, however, have been more successful than others. Gadget site CNET, for example, has attracted the largest audiences to its site and to its videos on YouTube and Facebook. When it comes to social, the most successful publisher of tech news is The... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #successful publisher #huffington post #web appeared #tech space #news sites


#FutureChat today: Make a wish

How do you like 2016 so far? Not that long ago, in a #FutureChat not that far away, we asked you what you considered to have been the high points of 2015 for publishing.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #long ago #high points ##futurechat ##futurechat today


A manifesto for digital freedom in storytelling

"Digital publishing and the innovative energy inherent in technology empower us to rethink story and storytelling," writes the author Carol Buchanan. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Twins in San Diego born minutes apart -- one in 2015, the other in 2016

Twins in San Diego are getting some attention because, though born just minutes apart, one has a birthday in 2015 and the other in 2016. Jaelyn Valencia was born New Year's Eve at 11:59 p.m. Her twin brother, Luis Valencia Jr., arrived at 12:01 a.m. on New Year's Day. Join the conversation on... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-01-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #san diego #twin brother


This Was the Year the Media Started Doubting the Web

As ad-blockers made publishers doubt the web, the media industry has become dependent on Facebook, Twitter, and Apple to reach readers. The post This Was the Year the Media Started Doubting the Web appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-12-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #web appeared #media industry #reach readers


Retro-#FutureChat today: Your 2015 high points

Let's do the time warp again Then Amazon switched to per-page payouts on KDP Select. Right? And then Amazon changed it to different per-page rates for various territories.   And then Amazon opened a physical bookstore. Run for your life! (If the latest Shelf Awareness account of reactions to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon opened #physical bookstore