WRITING: Publishing Print vs. Online

Rather dated, but just recently brought to our attention is this article by David Lynn of the Kenyon Review on “Print vs. Internet: An Ongoing Conversation.”  Mr. Lynn questions–as all writers have at some point–the sponge-worthiness (my own standard–you’d have had to see the Seinfeld episode to figure this one out) of online literary journals as opposed to their more (considered) austere brethren (and parents), the print journal. He does this not as editor alone–though he offers some great insight by way of his discussions with other editors–but as a writer seeking a home for his own story.

Another possibility would be, as I’ve mentioned, to send the new story to any one of the dozens of electronic journals burgeoning on the Internet. But what would it mean for me to abandon print? Less status? Not least foregoing the tactile pleasure of holding the printed thing itself in my hand? How much is that worth?

As one of the comments (Barry, of Dogzplot) indicates, this is a 10 year-old argument:

very good literature has been published online for at least ten years now, this conversation is so old i wish people who engaged in it now would offer something new to the discusiion. necessity caused from economic decline? prestige? holding print artifacts? all old news.

what should come next in this discussion? lets talk about whats at stake for print publishers and larger publishing houses once people realize online publishing is here to stay and the quality of material being published, can be, in many cases, just as amazing…

This reminds me of the same old, same old we’re having still regarding hypertext and other new media literature since I’m trying personally to break down some barriers and add to the growing number of venues willing to realize that they have the facilities to offer hypertext easily simply by virtue of their being an online publication.

As a writer I’m more than willing to bend over backwards to go beyond the simple “does this story fit the tone of the particular magazine?” to produce a submission that is set to the format somewhat of that publisher, changing presentation–including colors, images, fonts, etc.–so that it is less restrictive or demanding for an editor to visualize it as part of his production. I’ve always offered as well to change all internal story links to reflect whatever the url arrangement would be should the piece be accepted. In other words, marketing of the medium is a biggie.

So with the consideration of publishing online versus print still a question in many minds, perhaps because of the nature of hypertext and its dependence upon the web for its very life I’m more openminded towards the concept of having my work published online. That, and the realization that 1) there are already tons, and I mean tons, of online only literary journals that are of the highest quality; 2) many of the formerly snooty print only journals have come to the necessary decision because of financial pressure to either go online or go under; 3) more and more people are reading short fiction online; and 4) the publications that were dependent upon writers and libraries alone as subscribers are often losing their audience (/revenue–meaning that many had turned to requiring fees from writers to submit and we all know how that idea went over) and limiting their readership without offering at least a companion online piece. In this last point, Mr. Lynn does offer his on feelings on the difference between the print and online version of the Kenyon Review.

So to sum up, Online Literary sites are coming into their own and forming a new and stable community of both producers of exquisite writing and a loyal readership that are going to be established well after the dust has settled.