Member-only story
Should We Be Worried about the Future of Writing?
There’s so much change happening in the digital world. In the past few years, we’ve seen everything from the rise of digital bookselling to the disruption of journalism to the growth of artificial intelligence and machine learning. We’re also seeing a dramatic shift in how writers are creating content for their audiences.
Traditional blogging and social media are giving way to video, audio, and other new mediums that better capture our digital native instincts as consumers. And now, with every major tech company worth billions getting into the writing business, we should be worried about the future of writing.
Traditional publishing houses struggle with slow revenue streams and the commoditization of their products. The rise of e-book sales has made traditional print books less special and more accessible than ever before. Digital platforms have eroded the publishers’ authority. The content they publish and the way it is presented have changed.
As Machiavelli stated, “A man who is used to acting in one way never changes; he must come to ruin when the times, in changing, no longer are in harmony with his ways.”
