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entertainment1d ago
The rise of the 'Adderall novel': How our attention spans are changing the way authors write
- The LATimes piece discusses a shift toward shorter, fragmentary novels shaped by faster reading habits in the digital age.
- Scholarly commentary notes a trend away from 500–600 page epics toward speedier prose and tighter focus.
- Writers cited include Offill, Egan, Tao Lin and Ling Ma, blending technology with literary form.
- Levy’s ‘Flat Earth’ is framed within the fragmentary canon influencing contemporary writing.
- Offill’s ‘Dept. of Speculation’ is cited as a precursor to today’s short-form tendencies.
- The article notes a shrinking trend in NYT bestseller lengths over the last decade.
- Writers discuss balancing speed with emotional momentum in fragmented narration.
- Levy expects a future swing back toward ‘big, baggy monster’ novels, per Offill.
- Authors describe contemporary life as episodic, aligning with fragmented writing trends.
- The piece connects literary trends with broader cultural shifts in attention and media consumption.
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