There’s a really cool magazine out there called VIV. I don’t think a ton of people know about it yet, but it’s cool because I suppose it’s the next step in magazines. VIV is totally digital (meaning you download it each month) and it has loads of interactive stories. For example, with fashion this month you click on which trend you believe is “hot” or “not.” Sadly, I think I only got two right so either they did a great job making them tough or I really am a hopeless suburban writer mom who spends most of her time in flip-flops,etc….or maybe both. Anyhow, once you’ve made your  hot/not choices the story goes on to tell all about the trend. Of course, VIV also has a bunch of serious articles, profiles, etc., some of which are also interactive. But here I’m just offering you one example of the many ways VIV is trying to remake the magazine reading experience. Which leads me to something that us writers/editors think about and discuss often.

Are newspapers/magazines/books dead? Are projects such as VIV killing boring, old print? I don’t think so, but I do think that all of us writers have to be open-minded to all sorts of ventures involving words. In fact, I like to think of myself as platform agnostic. It makes sense. To me, no matter the venue, the skills are the same — coming up with story ideas, researching, reporting, writing, editing. Of course, there are some twists. Like writers often have to think more about the interactive aspects when it comes to online projects. With VIV, for example, there are plenty of good words but the design and technology are obviously just as important.

Sometimes now you’ll even see writers being referred to as “content providers” in job ads and contracts. I’ve heard writers/editors take issue with the “content provider” label. I don’t. If you sell ads try to contain your laughter, but in my mind there’s nothing more important than content. Words. What’s a pretty face without content, baby?

Getting back to VIV, though, I don’t happen to have anything in there this month. But here, just for you, is a link to a FREE YEAR subscription so you can check out the magazine. To get your free year, paste this URL directly into the browser (don’t click on the link): http://www.zinio.com/delivery?of=500350301

Don’t say this content provider never gave you anything!