The tech world often believes it understands readers' desires better than the readers themselves. However, readers still enjoy the magic of plain old words on a page and the immersive experience of authored narratives.

Tech's misunderstanding of the appeal of fanfiction, fantasy, and fairy tales is evident. Fandom role-playing and reader-insert stories have existed for decades, but they are still fundamentally written narratives.

The desire to chat with fictional characters or animate every book reflects a lack of understanding of the enduring popularity of traditional storytelling formats.

Print book sales have seen a boom during the pandemic, and even as restrictions lifted, they remain higher than pre-pandemic levels. This highlights the enduring appeal of traditional reading.

Audio book sales continue to increase year over year, showcasing the enduring popularity of traditional storytelling formats.