The Written Word is NOT Dead

Bookstores are OPENING

Yeah yeah yeah, so a Barnes & Noble in Manhattan closes and everyone panics about the future of bookstores. While that wasn’t the first warning sign that bookstores were in trouble, it prompted the question, “If B&N can’t make it, how can the little guys survive?” Well, that particular branch was small and narrow, and only 5 blocks from the Union Square mega B&N that everyones loves (and hates sometimes, like during the holidays=lines). 
Sadly, a lot of “little guys” have closed, but new independent booksellers have entered the scene and they are making a go of it. The future of print may be uncertain, and the leases that make it all possible are precarious and unpredictable, but for now, there’s probably a bookstore within walking distance of you and you should definitely visit.

Rest In Peace

Some of my favorites, put out to pasture, unfortunately. :( 
7th Avenue BooksPark Slope BooksGotham Book MartColiseum Books12th Street Books
The first two were very special to me, as after long (12+ hour) days, sometimes 7/days a week, my treat to myself at 9pm was to browse the shelves at these two almost side-by-side Park Slope bookstores. Buying a $6 book made each grueling day worth it, and even when I didn’t buy anything, just looking around and familiarizing myself with authors, running my fingers along spines, recognizing books and memories attached to them was pretty darn magical. 

Where have all the printing presses gone???

Digital this, digital that. Here I am TYPING, something akin to writing, yes, but not the same. I’m a little old-fashioned and refer to my notebook (NO, I DON’T MEAN A LAPTOP) writing as “real writing.” I’m a fan of mind-to-paper over mind-to-computer, as evidence by how I wrote every single one of my college papers: on loose leaf FIRST! Yes, even 20 page papers on baudy language in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales all got written down with pen on paper. Typing up papers was always a formality to me. 
Apparently, I am a minority in this. An anomaly even. And I now type a loooooot of things first, including these guides. Such is. But printing and presses are not obsolete…yet…but surely the “green” movement will give them an extra kick out the door. Embrace digital? I’ll hold its hand if I have to. 

The digital era is upon us...

The Kindle=The Devil

As Newsweek says, “Books aren’t dead. They’re just going digital.” Fooey on that. And this is coming from someone who wore gloves or put tissues between her fingers and some paperbacks because of the scratchy texture. (Um…no comment). I don’t care about saving the trees if it means giving up all my books, magazines and newspapers for digital versions. I’m. Not. Doing. It. 

The FUTURE

So, I’m not in denial so much that I don’t see change is necessary! I get it. Print and publishing industries must adapt or fear extinction. Exactly what this means will remain to be seen. For now, it’s hard to imagine readers giving up their physical daily paper (and/or crossword), the magazines at the doctor’s office, searching the library for summer reads and replacing the flow of a pen’s ink with the jerky movements of keyboard typing. Sigh. I hope we can find a delicate balance.