Recently I saw this infographic on the trends with smart phones (click link to view the whole thing). And after seeing it, it’s easy to believe our computing life will be much different in five years. The question on my mind is how I should write for those who will do everything data-related on their smart phone?
In my latest project, a near-future update to G.K. Chesterton’s The Man Who Was Thursday, I’m trying to project what technology will look like in 15 years. My guess is that we will be so integrated with our smartphones they will seem like a natural extension of us. If that is the case, will the simple written word be enough for this next phase of digital society? In five or ten years will novels require multimedia enhancements? Will video be required? Will audio effects be needed to make the written word palatable?
That’s what I’m wondering about today… what do you think?
EDC
Edward D. Casey 
I think you are right. We are becoming a media rich / media driven society. But I believe that has to do a lot with our conditioning, upbringing and the vast supply of available information. Still, there is magic in the written word, and I’m convinced some readers will want to use their imagination to experience the story and make it their own.
You know, that’s a good point. And good writers do just that… they lead their readers into their world and then allow them to play.
Recently, I read a good book (link below) where the author told about this lake in the forests of British Columbia. The main character was trying to figure out the strange behavior of the area bears and stumbled upon a totem pole facing toward a particularly creepy island. He never did solve that puzzle for me and I’ve put a lot of thought into what the story was behind those grizzlies!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1609104714/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=edwdcas-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1609104714