So long, Google Reader
March 26, 2013 § 1 Comment
On March 13, Google announced it will be shutting down its Reader service. And it’s caused disappointment in all corners of the blogosphere. I’m right there with them. But to be honest, before the announcement, I didn’t realize there were so many other loyal Reader fans out there. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Reader’s demise had occurred quietly and without complaint.
I started using Google Reader late last year. My time on the Internet wasn’t being well spent, I’d decided. I hate wasted time—and I needed a fix. I remember the feeling of wanting to read or learn something worthwhile (you know, besides what my friends ate for lunch that day)—and not knowing quite where to look.
I wanted a way to keep up: with everything from news sources to essayists I liked to psychology research to trends in the writing and publishing worlds. And above all, I wanted it to be efficient. I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure what I was even supposed to do with an RSS feed before installing Reader. But I had a feeling it was just what I’d been looking for.
It didn’t take long to make me a convert. Reader is quick, easy way to find and follow everyone from the lone blogger the news powerhouse, all in one place. But it’s more than that. Reader is like a back door into the world of news and commentary (or, I suppose, whatever world you build for yourself with your own gathering of feeds). Free from pesky ads and distracting sidebars, Reader is a spare, uncluttered gathering of content, hand-delivered just for you. A meticulously organized filing cabinet of newspaper clippings, turbocharged for the digital age.
For me, Reader means that great storytelling doesn’t end on the page. These days, I’ll have hardly put down an essay or finish a blog by a writer I’ve just discovered before I open up Reader and track down her work. Search archives and devour more. And get notified every time a new unread item appears, boldfaced and waiting, in my queue.
Google Reader will cease refreshing for good on July 1. And with it, millions of invisible threads connecting readers with content will go quiet. I won’t abandon my subscriptions or stop following writers, of course (I started using Feedly, another RSS service, even before the Reader shutdown announcement).
But Reader changed how I connect with publications, opened up a world, and indeed, transformed the way I use the Internet. And when it comes to RSS readers, I’ll never forget my first.
NYT’s “Snowfall” Brings an Avalanche of Creative Projects
March 14, 2013 § Leave a comment
Finally, a digital media trend I can really get excited about. Last year, you probably saw The New York Times’ “Snowfall”—an interactive-multimedia-feature-story-presentation…thing. I’m not sure what projects like these are even called yet, but they’re seriously cool. (If you haven’t seen “Snowfall” yet, check it out here.)
Basically, these creations tell a story—with words, yes, but also animation, photography, video clips, infographics—and everything in between. Simply scroll, and watch a tale unfold. Images and quotes float alongside body text, while embedded videos spring to life when triggered by a click.
What I like about this format is that it celebrates longform writing. It’s visual, but not overwhelmingly so; color and movement fix your gaze, but it’s the story that keeps you scrolling. To me, these projects do exactly what great writing is supposed to do: make the reader forget the world and lose himself, if only for a few minutes, in your words.
It’s a format I hope we’ll be seeing more of soon—and I don’t think I’ll be waiting long. A few weeks back, Mediabistro’s 10,000 Words blog posted a collection of “10 ‘Snowfall’-Like Projects that Break out of Standard Article Templates.” I especially liked ESPN’s “The Long, Strange Trip of Dock Ellis” and Pitchfork’s “Glitter in the Dark” (screenshot above).
Projects like these have so much potential—for ad campaigns, product launches, fundraisers, and more. I can’t wait to see where they take us next. Until then, scroll away.
Copy editing for a better ‘Amercia’
February 23, 2013 § Leave a comment
Here’s an old (you know, if you consider 2012 old) but awesome article on why we need copy editors. It was written by Merrill Perlman, former editor for The New York Times and now-president of the American Copy Editors Society Education Fund. She makes a great case for editors—and best of all, mentions research conducted by Fred Vultee at Wayne State University, research I had to chance to learn about from Vultee himself last year. Perlman’s conclusion is spot-on:
A copy editor’s work is largely invisible, until she misses something, in which case she takes the blame. But most important is that a copy editor stands in for the reader, gingerly reshaping, clarifying and correcting things before the reader can see them and post an excoriating comment.
Read on for more wisdom from a copy editing queen.
Creative Cheesemongers Pen Clever Descriptions – NYTimes.com
February 15, 2013 § Leave a comment
Image: Tina Fineberg for the New York Times
One of my secret dreams is to be the person who writes descriptions of fancy cheeses and beer. Thank you, New York Times, for giving me a reason to hope.
Creative Cheesemongers Pen Clever Descriptions – NYTimes.com.
MARY GABLE 