As a writer of pick-your-path novels, updated for the 21st century, I believe this post is timely. Truly, we’re sitting in a unique place in media development, where the book, the video, the game, and the interactive experience are getting closer and closer together. It’s getting to be very difficult to separate out one medium from another.

But do we have to? For instance, the franchise I write for has standard, illustrated children’s books, a video series, a set of YA pick-your-path novels, lesson material for homeschoolers, and (eventually) a video game. Movies? Sure. TV shows? Absolutely. Why not?

For a long time, authors have dictated what was and was not canonical in the lives of their characters — a la Game of Thrones — and that’s fine. But even with GOT, Martin is now facing a new challenge. Since the ending of his book series will not be the same as the ending of the TV series, which is the real ending?

Truth is, it doesn’t matter. The reader is the one that matters. Some readers want to engage with the characters, in the mode of say, Austenland. Some don’t. Why not have both (especially since, as is increasingly obvious, we’re going to get both)?

What I like is the blending of the media vehicles. I like a little bit of say in what’s going to happen — Bandersnatch-style. Others don’t. Some like a whole lot more, and for them, video games (Telltale did this) are the way to go, or games like Oxenfree. Options galore. Savvy artists are going to meet their fans where their fans want them to, providing flexibility and multi-channel consumption (and interaction).

Personally, I can’t wait.