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Chapter 1:- What are Cell Phone Novels? Where did it come from?
What are cell phone novels..?
Cell phone novels are ongoing serial literature generally written in short chapters totalling up to around 100-200 words per chapter. Please continue reading for more details!
A little history.. where it all begun.
The cell phone novel phenomenon originates from Japan a few years back, first started by a young writer by the pen name of Yoshi who launched the first ever cell phone novel (keitai shousetsu, ケータイ小説, literally keitai = cell phone, shousetsu = novel) in 2000. It was called Deep Love, which was then published, made into a movie, drama and ultimately, a whole franchise. In the beginning, there was no website or location on which his cell phone novel could be read, so instead, he sent out his ongoing chapters to readers via emails and MMS. Yoshi later created the first mobile website with a small investment, providing access to his content on phones all across Japan. Using various campaigns such as promotion leaflets handed out on the streets, he targeted high school students and gathered a huge reader base.
Later, publishing companies and agencies picked up on the trend quickly, creating websites and networks that allow young aspiring writers to express themselves online via their mobile phones. Many authors such as Mika of Love Sky (Koizora 恋空) continue to write in this genre and these amateur novels become tv drama and movie adaptations. Many, to this day immerse themselves in the entertaining complicated plots woven by student authors on mobile websites during their commutes and free time. This extremely exciting phenomenon now generates many of the Top 10 bestselling books of Japan. Made into anime, movies, tv drama series and so on, popular novels hit multi-million views and sell like a wildfire. (i.e. It's Your Fault / Kimi no Sei / 君のせい is at 17 million views).
The movement spread through Asia, Europe, and even South Africa. Now it comes to North America through Textnovel.com. Textnovel.com at the time of its founding (Early 2008) was the first ever Western site to recognize the new genre here. The first English cell phone novel in North America, Secondhand Memories was written thanks to a Textnovelist (going by the name of Hectibus) who translated a few Japanese cell phone novels into English, one of the very first english translations available. Mysteriously, the translator suddenly disappeared after a short while while the translation itself was hidden from public view (due to copyright reasons?). (I used to have the link to it, but it no longer seems to work...) (Updates: I have recently contacted him and was very honored to exchange emails with him.)
Directly inspired by a Japanese cell phone novel literary style and first written just for fun, Secondhand Memories then surprisingly gained popularity on textnovel.com from the support of readers all across the world. Having kept the novel project a secret, somehow, an online readership was established just on textnovel alone. Later, Secondhand Memories won various awards including Editor's Choice and moving through a series of stages in Textnovel contest 2009, finally winning the Reader's Choice award and literary agent representation on textnovel. In 2010, it was featured in a textbook in Japan. Just like in Japan, the cell phone novel may perhaps be published soon. Following Secondhand Memories, many other young aspiring authors, each inspiring another, began to join the movement creating a new wave of innovative literary technique, awakening a new passion to write and read in teens all over the world.
Now then, what defines a (North American) cell phone novel? What is that "cell phone novel" genre label on textnovel for?
(I remember requesting for a "cell phone novel" format label on textnovel before perhaps creating a format label (i.e. poetry, biography, short story, full novel, cell phone novel etc). But for now it was entered into the genre option. I apologize that I haven't been able to provide an explanation of the genre or more guidance but hopefully this will help! Hope this helps!)
Cell phone novels are ongoing serial narrations often written on phones in short concise chapters that are designed to fit on a cell phone screen. As such, each chapter is usually only up to 100 to 200 words in length. To avoid unnecessary scrolling and the ability to be fit into a MMS or other transmissions, cell phone novels are quite different from short stories or online serial novels. There are many authors who do write in short chapters, however, anything longer than at most 200 or so words would be quite difficult for reading on a cell phone platform.
As difficult as it sounds, the short chapter format actually has brought out an amazing new approach to literature, thereby allowing a huge vision to revolutionize the writing and publishing world as we know it.
Because of the short concise chapters it has brought out a new era of minimalism and art. Personally, I believe it transcends existing literature in all its forms. The short chapters brings out the best of art and combines it into one. In each chapter readers will be able to experience narration, poetry and even visual arts in the use of carefully chosen line breaks, punctuation, rhythm and white space.
Often you see the use of fragments, simplistic and delicate language, cliffhangers and dramatic dialogue emphasized by the simplicity and what is left out. The unseen or omitted becomes a vital part of the reading experience, allowing deeper meanings and interpretations to unfold. Feelings, internal thoughts and experience through the five senses is enhanced and easily revealed in each word, each line and each chapter. The dramatic and drastic storylines takes readers through twists and turns, cliffhanger after cliffhanger, always keeping the reader waiting anxiously for the next chapter installment. Should you take the time to slowly immerse yourself in a well-written cell phone novel, it will take you to a different world and experience.
[Will provide excerpts soon! If you are a cell phone novelist and would like your novel to be featured please private message me ASAP!]
Here are the top cell phone novels of North America:
http://www.textnovel.com/genre/Cell%20Phone%20Novel/1/
The future...
Cell phone novels may possibly change the writing and publishing industry for good. With the emergence of eBooks and so on, cell phone novels take it an extra step ahead, allowing reading on a mobile phone platform via popular data plans and smartphones. Because of the exciting ongoing nature of the novels, they continue to grip reader interest as they await for notifications to new installments one after another. Perhaps it may even over take eBooks and paper publications.
For authors it also means a new era of expression as anyone can adapt the cell phone novel writing style and bring out the best in themselves and in literature. Many authors continue to be young authors who aren't afraid of trying something new, overflowing with talent and bright futures. In turn they inspire many youth around the world who no longer read. With novels that are almost like artwork these young authors will attract those who are interested in the arts and literature. With novels that feature storylines that are like tv series and anime, these authors will attract youth who refuse to pick up a book.
The education system also is interested in the concept as it can encourage an interest in different forms of literature and perhaps a new way of expression.
There is alot to come for the cell phone novel movement especially in the new year.
[article still in progress]
Please do not hesitate to contact me as well, if there are any questions or comments.
I'd also like to welcome you to join us in our dreams and visions for the cell phone novel movement!
What are cell phone novels..?
Cell phone novels are ongoing serial literature generally written in short chapters totalling up to around 100-200 words per chapter. Please continue reading for more details!
A little history.. where it all begun.
The cell phone novel phenomenon originates from Japan a few years back, first started by a young writer by the pen name of Yoshi who launched the first ever cell phone novel (keitai shousetsu, ケータイ小説, literally keitai = cell phone, shousetsu = novel) in 2000. It was called Deep Love, which was then published, made into a movie, drama and ultimately, a whole franchise. In the beginning, there was no website or location on which his cell phone novel could be read, so instead, he sent out his ongoing chapters to readers via emails and MMS. Yoshi later created the first mobile website with a small investment, providing access to his content on phones all across Japan. Using various campaigns such as promotion leaflets handed out on the streets, he targeted high school students and gathered a huge reader base.
Later, publishing companies and agencies picked up on the trend quickly, creating websites and networks that allow young aspiring writers to express themselves online via their mobile phones. Many authors such as Mika of Love Sky (Koizora 恋空) continue to write in this genre and these amateur novels become tv drama and movie adaptations. Many, to this day immerse themselves in the entertaining complicated plots woven by student authors on mobile websites during their commutes and free time. This extremely exciting phenomenon now generates many of the Top 10 bestselling books of Japan. Made into anime, movies, tv drama series and so on, popular novels hit multi-million views and sell like a wildfire. (i.e. It's Your Fault / Kimi no Sei / 君のせい is at 17 million views).
The movement spread through Asia, Europe, and even South Africa. Now it comes to North America through Textnovel.com. Textnovel.com at the time of its founding (Early 2008) was the first ever Western site to recognize the new genre here. The first English cell phone novel in North America, Secondhand Memories was written thanks to a Textnovelist (going by the name of Hectibus) who translated a few Japanese cell phone novels into English, one of the very first english translations available. Mysteriously, the translator suddenly disappeared after a short while while the translation itself was hidden from public view (due to copyright reasons?). (I used to have the link to it, but it no longer seems to work...) (Updates: I have recently contacted him and was very honored to exchange emails with him.)
Directly inspired by a Japanese cell phone novel literary style and first written just for fun, Secondhand Memories then surprisingly gained popularity on textnovel.com from the support of readers all across the world. Having kept the novel project a secret, somehow, an online readership was established just on textnovel alone. Later, Secondhand Memories won various awards including Editor's Choice and moving through a series of stages in Textnovel contest 2009, finally winning the Reader's Choice award and literary agent representation on textnovel. In 2010, it was featured in a textbook in Japan. Just like in Japan, the cell phone novel may perhaps be published soon. Following Secondhand Memories, many other young aspiring authors, each inspiring another, began to join the movement creating a new wave of innovative literary technique, awakening a new passion to write and read in teens all over the world.
Now then, what defines a (North American) cell phone novel? What is that "cell phone novel" genre label on textnovel for?
(I remember requesting for a "cell phone novel" format label on textnovel before perhaps creating a format label (i.e. poetry, biography, short story, full novel, cell phone novel etc). But for now it was entered into the genre option. I apologize that I haven't been able to provide an explanation of the genre or more guidance but hopefully this will help! Hope this helps!)
Cell phone novels are ongoing serial narrations often written on phones in short concise chapters that are designed to fit on a cell phone screen. As such, each chapter is usually only up to 100 to 200 words in length. To avoid unnecessary scrolling and the ability to be fit into a MMS or other transmissions, cell phone novels are quite different from short stories or online serial novels. There are many authors who do write in short chapters, however, anything longer than at most 200 or so words would be quite difficult for reading on a cell phone platform.
As difficult as it sounds, the short chapter format actually has brought out an amazing new approach to literature, thereby allowing a huge vision to revolutionize the writing and publishing world as we know it.
Because of the short concise chapters it has brought out a new era of minimalism and art. Personally, I believe it transcends existing literature in all its forms. The short chapters brings out the best of art and combines it into one. In each chapter readers will be able to experience narration, poetry and even visual arts in the use of carefully chosen line breaks, punctuation, rhythm and white space.
Often you see the use of fragments, simplistic and delicate language, cliffhangers and dramatic dialogue emphasized by the simplicity and what is left out. The unseen or omitted becomes a vital part of the reading experience, allowing deeper meanings and interpretations to unfold. Feelings, internal thoughts and experience through the five senses is enhanced and easily revealed in each word, each line and each chapter. The dramatic and drastic storylines takes readers through twists and turns, cliffhanger after cliffhanger, always keeping the reader waiting anxiously for the next chapter installment. Should you take the time to slowly immerse yourself in a well-written cell phone novel, it will take you to a different world and experience.
[Will provide excerpts soon! If you are a cell phone novelist and would like your novel to be featured please private message me ASAP!]
Here are the top cell phone novels of North America:
http://www.textnovel.com/genre/Cell%20Phone%20Novel/1/
The future...
Cell phone novels may possibly change the writing and publishing industry for good. With the emergence of eBooks and so on, cell phone novels take it an extra step ahead, allowing reading on a mobile phone platform via popular data plans and smartphones. Because of the exciting ongoing nature of the novels, they continue to grip reader interest as they await for notifications to new installments one after another. Perhaps it may even over take eBooks and paper publications.
For authors it also means a new era of expression as anyone can adapt the cell phone novel writing style and bring out the best in themselves and in literature. Many authors continue to be young authors who aren't afraid of trying something new, overflowing with talent and bright futures. In turn they inspire many youth around the world who no longer read. With novels that are almost like artwork these young authors will attract those who are interested in the arts and literature. With novels that feature storylines that are like tv series and anime, these authors will attract youth who refuse to pick up a book.
The education system also is interested in the concept as it can encourage an interest in different forms of literature and perhaps a new way of expression.
There is alot to come for the cell phone novel movement especially in the new year.
[article still in progress]
Please do not hesitate to contact me as well, if there are any questions or comments.
I'd also like to welcome you to join us in our dreams and visions for the cell phone novel movement!
