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

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The creators of 'The Martian' and 'XKCD' will chat live on Facebook today

It's been a big year for Andy Weir, author of acclaimed sci-fi novel The Martian. His bestselling book -- originally published serially for free on his personal website -- was turned into a similarly excellent movie starring Matt Damon and Jessica Ch... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook today #big year #andy weir


The Task of a Translator in Today’s Market

As more German translations are published in the USA, the German Book Office New York supports the growing community of German-to-English literary translators. The post The Task of a Translator in Today’s Market appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #market appeared


French investigators race to identify two killed, 8 detained in raid north of Paris

French authorities said Wednesday that they still had no definitive word on the whereabouts of the alleged ringleader in Friday’s attacks after police descended on an apartment in a Parisian suburb in a large-scale, hours-long raid that commenced before dawn. A French prosecutor, Francois Molins,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-11-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #french authorities


FHM and Zoo closures mark end of lads' mag era

Titles set to follow former rivals Loaded and Nuts in folding as young men turn to mobile phones, social media and free magazinesFHM and Zoo are to close by the end of the year, marking the end of the lads’ mag era that dominated UK magazine publishing in the late 90s and early 2000s.Publisher... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mobile phones #early 2000s #digital versions


Religion and Spirituality Publishing News From Around the Web: November 11, 2015

Hot religion reading from across the web: seven books selected in honor of Jewish Book Month; 'The Office' star Rainn Wilson's new memoir on faith; a Christian man who claims he was fired for publishing a book about his beliefs. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-11-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books selected


YouTube killed the publishing star?

Author James Dawson argues that the publishing industry needs not to fight the power of YouTube, but rather seek to harness it. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing industry


In Sharjah, Calls for Discussion of Redefining Freedom to Publish

Ahead the Sharjah Book Fair, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi of the Emirates Publishers Association called for a discussion on the principle of freedom to publish. The post In Sharjah, Calls for Discussion of Redefining Freedom to Publish appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tribune Offers $3 Million to Fund Freedom Bankruptcy Case

Tribune Publishing Co., the owners of the Los Angeles Times, offered $3 million to fund Freedom Communication Inc.’s bankruptcy case during the newspaper publisher’s first bankruptcy hearing Wednesday.   A lawyer for the ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Religion Publishing News From Around the Web: October 28, 2015

Actress Leah Remini's take on why she left Scientology, and Sister Joan Chittister's discussion of her life's work of speaking up for women are among the religion news items being talked about today. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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International Bestseller List: 'The Girl in the Spider's Web' Remains Hot Across Europe

David Lagercratz's addition to Stieg Larsson's bestselling Millennium trilogy is a bestseller in France, Sweden, and Italy. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ai Weiwei to publish memoir in 2017 on 'struggle for individual freedom'

Ai Weiwei, the Chinese artist and noted free speech activist, is writing his memoirs that will be published in 2017 by Crown, the publisher announced this week.  The book will be published in multiple countries in print, audio and digital formats and is expected to cover the artist's life,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-10-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ai weiwei #publish memoir #publisher announced #digital formats


Religion News From Around the Web: October 14, 2015

Maya Angelou’s final act of love and compassion for her mother and how parents can help heighten religious tolerance are among the most-talked about topics online today. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google AMP is good for mobile web users – but what about publishers?

The search giant’s attempt to compete with Facebook Instant Articles and Apple News is drastic – but should be welcomedIn the world of sci-fi, some genius inventor type comes up with a device which immediately disables all guns, missiles, torpedoes, everything. At the flick of a switch, the rate... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #apple news #search engine


Frankfurt Book Fair 2015: A New Era Begins

After a decade of change in the publishing industry, the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair (which runs October 14–18) marks something of a turning point. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google Is Making the Mobile Web Faster for Publishers and Their Readers

Every second counts with often impatient mobile users, so Google wants to help publishers reduce the time it takes their articles to load when viewed on smartphones. On Wednesday, Google launched a program called Accelerated Mobile Pages, or AMP, which speeds up load times by plugging a piece... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2015-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media brands #reading experience #wild west #ve made


Google's AMP Is Facebook's Instant Articles for the Mobile Web

To hear publishers tell it, Google's plan to help sites' pages instantly load on mobile isn't a shot across the bow at Facebook, which is doing the same thing. It's a shot at keeping the mobile web and the publishers on it relevant at a time when audiences' attentions are shifting to mobile apps... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mobile web #mobile apps #vox media


‘They’re telling us how the Web should work': The publisher view of Google’s AMP

While AMP, Google is making a big push to speed up how fast publishers' content loads on mobile screens. That's good for Google, publishers and most of all readers. But others have reservations about the scheme, which they say ignores Google's role in slowing down sites through its own ad tech.... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #big push #mobile screens #ad tech #entire site


Google Unveils Project to Load Mobile Web Pages Faster (And Let Publishers Keep Control of Ads)

Google on Wednesday introduced a publishing platform designed to make news articles on smartphones load faster, which will compete with similar services from Facebook and Apple.Google's new project, called the "Accelerated Mobile Pages Project," is aimed at loading mobile web pages instantly... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing partners #daily mail #conde nast #huffington post #vox media


Google's Accelerated Mobile Pages project aims to speed up the mobile web

Facing threats from Apple and Facebook, Google is teaming up with web publishers to cut down page load times on smartphones. “Accelerated Mobile Pages,” or AMP, is an open framework for building lightweight webpages, optimized for mobile devices. The move is a direct answer to rival initiatives... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2015-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In China, A New Literary Translation Publisher is Born

China's The Bookworm bookstore has launched a lit mag, a new writer's prize, and will begin publishing English translations of new Chinese novels next year. The post In China, A New Literary Translation Publisher is Born appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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