Writers: Networks and Trajectories on the Web

Special Report: Cultural Industries and the Internet: The New Instruments of Popularity
The Construction of Popularity and a Market
By Valérie Beaudouin
English

The mapping and analyses of the network of literary sites and blogs reveals the coexistence of two strategies of visibility on the Web: most writers use the Web as a mere marketing tool for self-promotion, while others use it as a networking resource and as a space to experiment with new forms of creative writing. The latter group constitutes a dense network of interconnected writers seeking to shift the boundaries of literature. They invent alternative models for digital journals and publishing ventures, to provide digital productions with visibility and a market. This paper shows how a creative sector is reconfigured through digital technology and how this is forcing the conventional book industry to transform its model. By following the trajectories of writing, the author also sheds light on the technical and social cost of this digital venture and the quest for visibility.

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