Print Media vs. Web

The Web seems to be blossoming in leaps and bounds while print media---newspapers in particular---are declining in popularity. There are advantages to both for the reader. For the writer, caution must be used in publishing your work online.

Digitization of Text

When you use the Web, you are using digitized content. Digitized content can be stored as files, which can be copied infinitely.

Writers

If you are a writer, you may choose to publish your book as a file or in print. If you choose to publish your book as a digital file, you may have to forgo being paid for every copy made of that file.

Changing the Text

The main problem with digitizing your text is that the recipient of the copied file can transfer it to his word processor and change it. You can't easily change a printed book.

Copyrights

Currently there is no copyright law that protects digitized texts. Copyrights only protect print media.

Newspapers and the Web

Newspapers are currently on a decline while news websites are on the rise---"The San Jose Mercury News" saw its classified ad revenue drop more than 80 percent from 2000 to 2005. More high-tech companies are turning from placing ads in newspapers to placing ads on the Internet at sites like craigslist and Monster.

References

• "The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing;" Meg Leder, Jack Heffron and the Editors of Writer's Digest; 2002
• Knowledge@Wharton