With all the distractions of our overly connected world, the simple pleasures of reading stories can get lost in the shuffle. In this interview, the COO and a co-founder of Byliner Ted Barnett shares a new vision for how his technology startup is reimagining reading for a digital world.

1. Many people claim the publishing industry has already seen its golden days and is now on the decline--how do you see it?

The same was said of the music industry following the breakup of the Beatles, and of the movie industry after the invention of the VCR. The publishing industry is clearly in transition, but we believe that even brighter days lie ahead. Whatever happens, we can be confident that great writers and the readers who love their work will remain, as they have since Gutenberg. As the various delivery systems evolve, the importance of a reading experience that is both dependably high quality and respectful of the reader's time will only grow.

2. With all the new forms of media available to each of us, there are infinitely more distractions than there ever were. Are you worried that the younger generation is so overloaded that they are missing out on reading?
 
Happily, this new generation is actually rediscovering the simple pleasure of reading.  The success of books like The Hunger Games, of authors like Amanda Hocking, and of technology like Read It Later suggests that young people do care about reading--despite the many distractions available.  If anything, new technology is enabling readers to segment out time in their busy lives to read.  It's our job give readers a world-class reading experience during the time they do have available.

3. How is technology transforming content creation and the publishing world?

We believe that technology is a positive force in both content creation and publishing.  For example, e-readers are now enabling stories to be told at the right length. There is no longer artificial pressure to stretch a story to "book length" to occupy a bookstore shelf, or to justify a $25 retail price. Byliner is able to offer stories that can be read in 1-2 hours for under $5.00.  This was not feasible until recently.

4. What is your vision for Byliner and how do you think it could change the way we read?

Byliner's mission is to deliver great stories by great writers, readable in a single sitting.  In a world awash in cultural upheaval, political change, and new discoveries, the promise of being able to sit down and really understand a topic quickly is liberating.  Byliner will bring feature-length stories to many more people, and connect writers directly with their audience through our website.

5. If you were able to make one change or shift to the culture that we are now living in, what would you change and why?

Personally, I'd like to see folks sharing more stories and ideas with their friends.  We talk a lot about music, movies, and TV shows, but not as much about what we've read, at least not in a social setting.  Perhaps we can start by shaking the dust off the term "book club" and let it include feature-length articles, graphic novels, comics, and more.  It's all reading--let's find a way to celebrate it together.

For evolving reading and offering a new way for many of us to rediscover that pleasure we may have been missing, Byliner is Character Approved.

[Image: Byliner]