Consider the case of cult thriller author Michael Grant, whose marketing scheme for his forthcoming novel BZRK revolves around an alternate reality game that stretches beyond the book into what he terms “transmedia.” Fast Company elaborates:
While the book remains central to the main story, Grant says that transmedia enables readers to create a much more vivid and complete world: “The whole idea is to let people design their own experience. They want to play the [alternate reality game], don’t want to get the app? Cool. Want to get the app, but don’t want to play the ARG? We’re fine with that, too. Just want to read the book? Any combination of the things that we lay out there, we’re happy, [although] we’d like every single person to enjoy the entire breadth of the experience.”
Under the benevolent eye of transmedia, the actual book becomes secondary to the story and community created by those who interact with it.
-Drew Millard