Once upon a time, the world around us was dominated by entrenched dynasties and wealthy economic powers. The masses worked and worked to the benefit of the ruling class, catching what crumbs they were given, praying for improvement in their status in life. A few managed to work their way up the status ladder through the right marriage or successful business dealings. Then, revolution came and the look of the world changed.
In our time period, the publishing world’s entrenched dynasties and traditional economic powerhouses are in trouble. The masses are tired of their crumbs and have begun questioning the standards they’ve long been told to accept as unquestionable. The revolution is underway in a virtual landscape and the masses are winning. Even though the dust of the revolution has yet to settle, a lot of people consider that the masses have already won. Whatever the case, the traditional publishing houses know (they have to know) that they’re in trouble.
The virtual battlefield is being shaped by entrepreneurial drive, by ambition, by trial and error. It is New America. It’s a place of Freedom of action and thought and commerce. It’s a place where new ideas are still welcome and have impact. It’s a place where the decrees of the old regime are being ignored by the upstarts who are remaking things for the future.
It’s not a flying car and it hasn‘t toppled any governments, but this revolution that has come as a result of fusions of new technologies put into the hands of writers may be one of the most exciting changes since Johannes Gutenberg got his printing press going. I’m glad to be a part of it and I’m eager to see what it does in 2012.
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