Online Publications Introduction:
Strange as it may sound, there’s a line from the film Ghostbusters which has stuck with me ever since I first saw it in 1985. When Janine, the Ghostbuster’s secretary, is chatting with Spengler (the humourless scientist played by Harold Ramis) she asks if he reads a lot. Spengler’s answers that “Print is dead”. It was a joke at the time, but in many ways I think this was remarkably prophetic.
Certainly during this decade (and a good portion of the previous one), every computer owner has been given a voice, and it’s no surprise that online publications are becoming the weapon of choice for any person, organisation or company who wants to win readers. Every article has a global audience, and even the smallest news item can be seen by millions in the space of a few hours.
Not only is every company, from The Guardian to Colgate toothpaste, expected to have a website, but it’s rapidly nearing the point where every person feels it necessary to have some kind of digital presence; even if it’s just being a regular on a forum.
This is the perfect realm for the working writer. Sure, we don’t always get paid for writing on the net, but there’s never been a more accessible way to build a readership and a portfolio. It’s also the perfect way to keep a pencil sharp, and it‘s certainly a confidence boost to know there’s millions of readers waiting, whenever you need some feedback or have something to say.
It’s also becoming quite common for printed publications to simultaneously maintain a web presence: a fact which is increasing the expected quality of digital content exponentially and gaining serious recognition for the writers who provide that content. The balance of power may indeed be shifting toward digital pages, and it’s an aspect of writing I have explored in great detail.
Have a look: