Getting published in today’s world isn’t easy. Even harder is doing it in a way that captures you some attention.
Last July, author Matt Stewart begin publishing his first novel, The French Revolution, in 140 character chunks on Twitter. Stewart’s tactic got him published and brought him national media attention, so rather than having to scroll through his Twitter page to read his imaginative story of a San Francisco family forging its place in history, you can now enjoy it in traditional book form.
The Chronicle elaborates:
Stewart’s long sentences don’t lend themselves to the micro-blogging format; most of them were guillotined on both ends by his machine. But the format of the printed book is as arbitrary a container for narrative as a computer is, and different stories flourish in different venues. Despite the Twitter contortions “The French Revolution” endured through, Stewart’s self-publishing gambit received national media attention and ultimately caught the eye of Soft Skull Press, which, on Bastille Day this year, is publishing “The French Revolution” in print, where the novel’s lines will be broken only by the margins of the page.
Stewart will be at Green Apple Books (506 Clement Street) on Wednesday night, August 18, to talk about his book and “celebrate the City, the combined power of social networking and good old fashioned publishing, and of course, la revolution.” The event is free and begins at 7pm.
Sarah B.