The following interview took place on August 6th, 2014 and was conducted over the phone. All records were written down as notes at the time of the interview. The questions asked revolved around working on the digitally produced piece "Uprising" which was published on the platform, Matter. 

Taylor Campbell: So what brought you to Matter as a platform for your writing?

Phil McKenna: Well the story was written before I knew where it would be published. I had wanted to produce a longer feature but my story was denied from the New Yorker and the Atlantic, who cited their reason for denial as not wanting to publish long stories anymore. Matter had launched in the middle of my writing and they immediately accepted my pitch.

Taylor Campbell: Did producing a piece for a strictly digital platform change the story or your approach to writing it in any way?

Phil McKenna: No, I approached the story in much the same way I would have normally done. It did take a full year from the time my story was finished to when it was published online. Matter had set me up with a partner who was a former New Yorker author. The editors at Matter changed the order of the story into something that was more built for an online platform. I had originally written it in chronological order, but the editors changed it in order to pack more content in the beginning sections.

Taylor Campbell: Would that be an example of a key difference between traditional magazines and online platforms?

Phil McKenna: In a digital structure the most important component to the story is the hook. Whether the lead hooks basically determines the success of a story on a digital medium.

Taylor Campbell: Does a digital medium make it more difficult to produce longer content?

Phil McKenna: No, just different.

Taylor Campbell: What was your experience like working with Matter and were there any challenges or benefits you came across?

Phil McKenna: Overall it was a really great experience. The founders came into Matter has former journalists and so they treat the writers really well. The pairing with others was great because we were able to complement each other on our individual strengths and weaknesses. As a company, Matter did not embrace multimedia at the time my story was published. They believe it is more important to tell a good story which is nice; to work with a publisher that focuses on the work.

Taylor Campbell: Is there a home for longer form narratives in online settings?

Phil McKenna: I would argue that we are in the golden age for long-form stories.