It’s BookMachine week and this time round the talks are on short form content and mobile reading. With events held across the UK and in Barcelona, it was London’s turn on night 2.

Our host, Evie Prysor-Jones, warmed up the room for speakers Louie Stowell and Sheila Bounford. Louie writes and edits books at Usborne and talked about her work on interactive serial fiction for Fiction Express. Sheila founded Off the Page Ideas and spoke of her involvement with the digital shorts, Newsweek Insights.

Here are some of the photos and tweets to sum up the night.

Louie Stowell

We’re listening to @Louiestowell talking serial fiction @BookMachine this eve ????????
— Fiz Osborne (@FizOsborne) June 9, 2015

Interactive narrative and serial fiction – you have to wait for it… The power of waiting! Charles Dickens an early advocate #BookMachine — Inspired Selection (@Inspiredjobs) June 9, 2015

Serial fiction. The power of having to wait for something. #bookmachine
— Evelyn (@Evelyn_PJ) June 9, 2015

.@Louiestowell serial fiction creates shared excitement. Good way of getting kids to read. Cliffhanger at the end of chapter #bookmachine — Anna Cunnane (@MollyBloom1989) June 9, 2015

Readers can vote for next plot twist and this is the written by author – total interactive reading! @fictionexpress #bookmachine
— Inspired Selection (@Inspiredjobs) June 9, 2015

.@Louiestowell teachers reporting that @fictionexpress is encouraging reluctant readers. Gamification aspect important #bookmachine
— Anna Cunnane (@MollyBloom1989) June 9, 2015

Love that students read @fictionexpress books in real time. Writing and editing a chapter takes 2 days! Holy moly! @BookMachine
— Fiz Osborne (@FizOsborne) June 9, 2015

.@Louiestowell readers [kids] ‘always trying to get characters out of trouble and I’m always trying to put them into trouble’ #bookmachine
— Charles Catton (@crgc) June 9, 2015

Sheila Bounford

We’re on to @SheilaB01 talking about her work on a mobile project and the reading experience #BookMachine
— Evelyn (@Evelyn_PJ) June 9, 2015

.@SheilaB01: everything is relative. In journalism what to book publishing is short form is long form. Insert innuendo here. #BookMachine
— Anna Cunnane (@MollyBloom1989) June 9, 2015

.@SheilaB01 ‘one person’s short [content] is another’s long – everything is relative’ #BookMachine
— Charles Catton (@crgc) June 9, 2015

Is there correlation in rise of mobiles & bitesized content? All connected but more related to general culture than mobiles #bookmachine
— Inspired Selection (@Inspiredjobs) June 9, 2015

.@SheilaB01: on the web key aspect is connectivity. Mobile access is the gateway #bookmachine
— Anna Cunnane (@MollyBloom1989) June 9, 2015

.@SheilaB01: losing control over typesetting and design part of mobile but wrenching for magazine publishers. It’s their brand #BookMachine
— Anna Cunnane (@MollyBloom1989) June 9, 2015

How to create a web reading experience, adding hyperlinks eg to TED talks… #bookmachine
— Louie Stowell (@Louiestowell) June 9, 2015

.@SheilaB01 ‘books are fighting for attention [on devices] with lots of well funded alternatives’ #BookMachine
— Charles Catton (@crgc) June 9, 2015

“In-app purchase games are designed to capture revenue by capitalising on certain parts of human nature, to be addictive…” @BookMachine
— Fiz Osborne (@FizOsborne) June 9, 2015

.@SheilaB01: ‘your mobile is your interface with reality, and your #shortform broadcasting machine’ #paraphrasing #bookmachine
— Lucy @ Head & Heart (@HeadHeartPub) June 9, 2015

At #bookmachine @SheilaB01 makes the point that we are all short-form publishers and broadcasters. Totes.
— Lisa Edwards (@Redwoods1) June 9, 2015

Yes to @SheilaB01 talking about combo of short form and live events. Ideal mix. #BookMachine
— Seonaid MacLeod (@SeonaidMacLeod) June 9, 2015

“Why can’t we read anymore? Or, can books save us from what digital does to our brains?” @hughmcguire @BookMachine
— Fiz Osborne (@FizOsborne) June 9, 2015

We never talk about what happens in people’s brains when they read. We should, says @SheilaB01 in a fascinating talk at #bookmachine.
— Abbie Headon (@AbbieHeadon) June 9, 2015

.@SheilaB01 ‘the internet is teaching me to read much more widely [not necessarily smarter] – the library is always open’ #BookMachine
— Charles Catton (@crgc) June 9, 2015

More photos from the night can be found here.

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