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Hundreds of thousands of people read novels on Instagram

fastcompany.com

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Re: Hundreds of thousands of people read novels on Instagram

#71

Post by NoGravitas »

Rerarom wrote: post #52
jasode wrote: post #35

Since a few comments mention the superiority of "real books", maybe those with that opinion see Instagram as downgrading the reading experience. For some perspective, keep in mind that many famous novels were originally magazine or newspaper installments.[0] Therefore, reading works like Dumas' "Count of Monte Cristo", Dostoevsky's "Crime & Punishment", or Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" -- in consolidated book form -- is…

And the right way of reading Harry Potter, I presume, is with two-year intervals between books, as God and Rowling intended.

One year. You should read the first one when you turn eleven, and then read another one each year afterwards until you finish.

Re: Hundreds of thousands of people read novels on Instagram

#72

Post by kuroikyu »

rightbyte wrote: post #70
brlewis wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Am I the only one that's skeptical of the claim that "300,000 people are reading books this way"? You are not. Instagram is likely set up to count views of a post, not full reads.

Also, how do you find the page you let go at? Sounds improbable anyone read any of the books ...

AFAIK Instagram does this by default. It should put you on the page after the one you saw last time. At least this is how it works with normal non-pinned stories.

Re: Hundreds of thousands of people read novels on Instagram

#73

Post by ereyes01 »

Ever since I read the A Song of Ice and Fire books on my phone from plain text files I acquired (don't ask me how) on a reader app, paper books feel like a much more inferior experience. On my phone, I can control the text size, the font, can control the screen brightness, have a night mode option, and can read in the dark. Furthermore, my phone is always with me, so I don't need to carry around an additional device or a book.

Re: Hundreds of thousands of people read novels on Instagram

#74

Post by ja27 »

mileycyrusXOXO wrote: post #5

Here's [1] NYPL's website for the project. The site details out the motivation behind the project, provides a list of novels released and to come. It is also loaded with eye candy from the gorgeous animation and design examples. Not to turn the subject to IP but I think this is a wonderful example of what can be done with the public domain: >Each book so far in the Insta Novels Collection has come from the public dom…

It wouldn't be hard to push these to Snapchat too and maybe get kids to read [and get off my lawn].

Re: Hundreds of thousands of people read novels on Instagram

#75

Post by naravara »

jimws wrote: post #37
hos234 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They have broken the internet by banning hyperlinks. So naturally everything starts happening inside the app. How would you do copy a quote, table of contents or term lookups? I can't even check out the links u posted cause it asks me to login.

While I agree that this is strictly worse than current document and eBook formats meant for computers, this inarguably not much worse than physical books. We couldn't have copied quotes or table of contents in a physical book.

People used to copy quotes all the time. I've known older folks who kept entire journals of memorable and meaningful quotations from books and poems they've read, sometimes annotated with a little note for context or what they were thinking when they read it. Usually with a page number reference.

Other people would put book darts or little sticky notes in their books or dog ear pages where they've highlighted the quotations.

Re: Hundreds of thousands of people read novels on Instagram

#76

Post by mijamo »

saalweachter wrote: post #40
jasode wrote: post #35

Since a few comments mention the superiority of "real books", maybe those with that opinion see Instagram as downgrading the reading experience. For some perspective, keep in mind that many famous novels were originally magazine or newspaper installments.[0] Therefore, reading works like Dumas' "Count of Monte Cristo", Dostoevsky's "Crime & Punishment", or Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" -- in consolidated book form -- is…

You will find a certain argument that you are "reading" all poetry wrong, if you are not reading it aloud.

Well that is certainly true. Ready poetry in silence is like reading the lyrics of a song instead of listening to the music. Sure you can do it but don't tell me you're getting the whole experience.

Re: Hundreds of thousands of people read novels on Instagram

#77

Post by _august »

jobigoud wrote: post #55
_august wrote: post #25

Try it yourself, it’s pretty cool like an instant ebook. Metamorphosis: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3ODUyMTE0ODA2MzA3... The Raven: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTYyMTk5MTcwMTYz... Alice In Wonderland: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTQ0MTEwMzE5MTg4... — I find the top comment quite cynical, it’s literally the same as reading text on an ebook or even paperback. IMO once you…

> it’s literally the same as reading text on an ebook or even paperback Not literally. On an ebook I can add inline notes and then jump to them later (I occasionally do this when a passage sparks an idea). And search text.

I’ve been waiting for this comment just so I can point out it is in fact, literally, the same :P

Re: Hundreds of thousands of people read novels on Instagram

#78

Post by _august »

nervousvarun wrote: post #42
_august wrote: post #25

Try it yourself, it’s pretty cool like an instant ebook. Metamorphosis: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3ODUyMTE0ODA2MzA3... The Raven: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTYyMTk5MTcwMTYz... Alice In Wonderland: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTQ0MTEwMzE5MTg4... — I find the top comment quite cynical, it’s literally the same as reading text on an ebook or even paperback. IMO once you…

I did just try...but I noticed they require a login/account. I usually don't have this issue with my ebooks/paperbacks.

Did you have to login to an online website to buy that book/reader? How did you procure your ebook? What about the book, did you have to create a library card (login)?

Re: Hundreds of thousands of people read novels on Instagram

#79

Post by edmundsauto »

grawprog wrote: post #67
zwily wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And you can screenshot an Instagram story...

But can you easily take a highlighter and highlight sections, scribble notes and annotations on the margins, cross things out, doodle on a screenshot when you're bored?

Yeah, especially on a phone or tablet. At least on iOS, when you snap a screenshot, you see a thumbnail. Clicking on that takes you to an interface where you can do that right away.

Re: Hundreds of thousands of people read novels on Instagram

#80

Post by krzat »

jimws wrote: post #37
hos234 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They have broken the internet by banning hyperlinks. So naturally everything starts happening inside the app. How would you do copy a quote, table of contents or term lookups? I can't even check out the links u posted cause it asks me to login.

While I agree that this is strictly worse than current document and eBook formats meant for computers, this inarguably not much worse than physical books. We couldn't have copied quotes or table of contents in a physical book.

Physical books will not suddenly disappear one day due to a bug or business decision.
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