Building a database of shared experiences, the Cowbird Forum is a form of digital storytelling that encourages worldly interaction among its users. Branching away from the "less is more" mentality of Twitter and Facebook, Cowbird creator Jonathan Harris encourages long-form anecdotes about life that are expressed using "photos, sound maps, timelines, videos, and casts of characters," as Harris states.
After the stories are documented, specific unique elements of each story are then tagged and sorted into a larger pool of collective anecdotes. The sorting process enables the site to find common matches for each experience, categorizing human life into wonderfully convenient groupings. Free from restrictions and maximum word counts, the Cowbird forum does not limit human existence and will allow as much room as needed to properly document each spirited chronicle.
Social Storytelling Databases
Share Your Stories with the World Using the Cowbird Forum
Trend Themes
1. Long-form Digital Storytelling - The trend of long-form digital storytelling encourages innovative ways of storytelling including the use of sound maps, timelines, videos, and casts of characters.
2. Categorizing Human Life - Categorizing human existence and experiences into larger pools of collective anecdotes creates opportunities for inferring patterns and insights.
3. Unrestricted Storytelling - Providing a platform for unrestricted storytelling without limitations can lead to an increase in unique and creative content.
Industry Implications
1. Entertainment - The entertainment industry could utilize the trend of long-form digital storytelling, possibly creating new forms of interactive media and immersive experiences.
2. Social Media - The social media industry can adopt the approach of categorizing human experiences into larger pools of collective anecdotes which can lead to better recommendations and personalization.
3. Education - The unrestricted storytelling trend can drive innovation in education by providing new platforms for learning and training through storytelling techniques.