Web 2.0 Storytelling: A Loss of Individuality?

Greetings Writing for New Media Class, today I want to talk with you about my opinions on Web 2.0 Storytelling. For those of you in our Class who might not have checked out the links provided to us Web 2.0 Storytelling is the telling of stories through the use of text, hyperlinks, pictures and video. Through investigating this new realm of the Internet my notions of what constitutes storytelling changed because I thought that stories that were media based could only be told from the viewpoint of an author or a group of authors but now I know that thanks to Web 2.0 stories can be told from the viewpoint of anyone who has access to a Computer including those of you in our New Media Class. At first my change in notions caused by anyone with Internet access being able to tell a story that is accessible to the public made me excited because it would give writers the ability to work hand in hand with masters of visual media instead of being crushed underneath the heel of a director like in the film industry.

An example of different media forms coming together to create a Web 2.0 story

However as I thought more about it this idea of various writers, filmmakers, photographers and artists like those of you in our Class putting together their creative works in one big conglomerate to tell a Web 2.0 story, it kind of scares because I fear this new brand of storytelling will cause us to lose our individuality as creators. For example, names like DaVinci, Spielberg, Dickens and Warhol won't exist instead the next generation of creative innovators will be known as the Blog entitled Lustbites or be recognized by the screen name of Lonelygirl 15.


Examples of creative innovators


I don't know about all of you in our class but I would much rather be known as Dan Schmidt for my creative work instead of my usual user name which is Rocketman2387. The reasoning behind this opinion comes from the fact that I get a real sense of pride when I slap my name on a script that my teachers here at Columbia and fellow screenwriting students enjoy, in fact that pride is something that I strive for and I don't want Web 2.0 Storytelling to take that goal away. You can call me presumptuous or greedy if you want but when I become a popular screenwriter I want my fans to put a name with a face and honestly it would much better for my writing to used in creating a motion picture rather than being apart of a Web 2.0 story based on something called money.

If I'm gonna write for living, I expect to get paid

At the same time I feel like user names like Rocketman2387 are what we discussed in class to be Avatars which means that these names can allow you be someone your not while surfing the web and I think that as writer I would much rather have my skills be attributed to me rather than the mask I hide behind while on the Internet. On the other hand some of you in our Class who are in different fields might not see providing their creative works to Web 2.0 Storytelling as a loss of individuality and I'm interested in knowing why so drop me a line if you get the chance.