Amazon recently announced a new, shorter format for its ereader called Kindle Singles (cue mental image of floppy yellow-orange cheese square). The works to be published will range from 10,000 to 30,000 words. Part of Amazon’s marketing spiel includes a “call to serious writers, thinkers, scientists, business leaders, historians, politicians and publishers” to submit their work. New authors, new revenue for Ama$on. What do you think, writers (“serious” writers, that is)? Will this be an interesting option for you?
This got me thinking about writing for constraints: cutting or adding words and ideas to fit publishing formats such as a novella, a novel, a news article. One of my favorite examples of writing as “constrained publication format” is the wacky and brilliant piece Daft Bodies. I know it’s just hot chicks grooving to pop music, but I think it’s a fine illustration of recombinant writing:
I come across quite a few lovely pieces that make good use of the constraints of display technology, but with text that is far from engaging. Dentsu London’s pretty “iPad writing” comes to mind:
What would you write, if it was to be featured in this type of three-dimensional typography animation?