I happen to believe that people WILL find your book useful – the question is more how to find it. That’s where your investment in blogs/podcasts/twitter etc. are quite vital.

But I find that the problem of distraction or frittering time is not technology-specific.

Long ago, in another galaxy, in an academic career that was making me miserable, I used to read stacks and stacks of books (like a cartoon critter going at a corn cob, somebody said) simply as a means to *feel like* I was doing something valuable and dull the frustration of an environment I did not like.

I found long-format academic writing frustrating partly because it was so isolating, the feedback loop measured in years, which made it easy to spend months pursuing what would be ultimately a blind alley.

For me, reading and writing have become more effective in a networked world where I can more easily connect with a great big web of sources, commenters and fellow readers.

I do still read a lot of books, though less then I did in the past, but the trade-off has been worth it for living in a more connected, more enjoyable, more companionable present.

Blogged a little about my reaction to Carr as well:http://tinyurl.com/5b92ru

Now, a good suspense novel, well that’s a different story.

The point you make is interesting, and it’s probably true! We’re all so conditioned to the short and instant information we get from the internet, which is also customized, since we decide what and how much of each to read.

As writers, our challenge becomes taking what we know and want to say, condensing it, condensing more – all the while making sure it still communicates everything we want to say. Thanks for the reminder!