trees are people too

Books (including video and audio) and blogs. Both can contain text, both convey information and both are ‘read’. So why are they so different? Lets start by defining and analysing both.

book: physical, fixed shape, size, format, tactile pages bound between covers, usually linear, usually sequential, text – alphanumeric, printed, pictures, cannot be edited, as a material object will wear and degrade with time, although can be updated periodically (but usually at lengthy intervals)

blog: immaterial, intangible, temporary, transient, flexible, nonlinear, nonsequential, multilayered, customisable, editable, can combine all – video, audio and text – in an interactive environment, essentially timeless in terms of availability (will not wear, degrade, can live on for an indeterminate amount of time on the internet), updated regularly and constantly (and can be updated almost immediately)

So aside from the physical qualities of both (one might put this argument between a blog and an ebook) the primary differences between the two ‘texts’ is a) the ability to interact with a blog and b) that a blog is transitory, temporary and constantly changing.

A blog can be read in any order, can be customised, edited, can have many authors (including the reader) and can include a number of different media in the one location at the same time. It is interactive and multilayered. It is also constantly changing, due to this interactive quality, and due to the nature of the media it can include (hyperlinks, comments etc) and of the internet itself.

So how on earth can I get my book, video or audio to be more blog like? What qualities does it need to possess?

All I can think of at the moment is Penny’s computer book (remember? Oh, how I wanted one!!), but I will address this pressing matter asap.