What is a thaumatrope?

Thauma- from the Ancient Greek: θαύμα- “miracle/wonder”—meaning something to look at; marvel; from the root of theatre.

-trope from -τρόπος “pattern/theme” or—originally—“turn/direction”—in literature used to mean a figure of speech; consider turn of phrase.

A thaumatrope is a small disc containing a pair of images, tied between two bits of string. When the disc is spun the two images become one.

The thaumatrope relies on the principle certain toys use to create illusions of motion. As it spins the quick flashes are seen as one image.

Thaumatrope is a magazine for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror fiction under 140 characters, available on your mobile phone via Twitter.

Thaumatrope is edited by N.E. Lilly (@nelilly). He also edits SpaceWesterns and Everyday Weirdness—and builds web sites at GreenTentacles.

The idea for Thaumatrope formed when @nelilly asked @MaryRobinette, what use is Twitter? while on the Websites for Writers panel at Philcon.

The Thaumatrope experiment became two-fold—

1. How small can ’zines be, and still be a ’zine?
2. How much ’zine/Twitter reliance is possible?

Reviews

• The ongoing evolution of short attention span theatre—SF Scope
• The short fiction in Thaumatrope creates illusions, not of physical motion, but of mind.—John Ottinger, Tor.com
• Ever wonder what Twitter could ever possibly be good for? Here’s one answer—Thaumatrope, a microfiction webzine limited to 140 characters.—Futurismic
• Discorobot on Thaumatrope: It’s just like short fiction only shorter!—@discorobot
• ...featuring twitter writers’ work to a broad, open platform and taking science fiction to a wider market is twirling my strings big-time—Danie Ware
• The literary nutritional equivalent of rice—great when you’re hungry and really want 1,000 of something.
• Thaumatrope — fiction crack—Tony Noland
• @meika: storytelling makes you human http://unhub.com/6iWb so follow @thaumatrope for a tale or two
• @dxtrsgrl: Feel like reading but not in the mood to digest a dense Pynchon or to inhale an empty S.Meyer? Try @thaumatrope, the perfect literary snack.

Interviews (with N.E. Lilly)

• ComputerWorld: “How technology is changing what we read” by Mary K. Pratt (p. 3)