Cell phone stories writing new chapter in print publishing

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/25/japan.mobilenovels/


From the article:

"A struggling Japanese publishing industry was quick to take notice of the growing popularity of keitai shosetsu, especially early works like Yoshi's "Deep Love." Many of the popular cell phone novels have since been turned into paperbacks, and bookstores across Japan now have entire sections devoted to the digital-age literary genre.

By 2007, half of the country's 10 best-selling novels were written on cell phones, according to book distributor Tohan while last year mobile novels and comics were a $240 million market in Japan, which is over 5 percent of the country's $4.5 billion total mobile content market, according to Japan's Mobile Content Forum.

In January 2009, three Japanese mobile phone novel publishers reported collective sales of 1.7 million copies. Publishers, like Goma Books, one of the first to print cell phone novels, have also launched their own keitai shosetsu sites, which they use to sift through for talent whose work will be marketable on bookshelves."


The Japanese industry is "quick to take notice" of the changes going on around it.

The American industry is a lumbering dinosaur waiting for the meteor to strike and blot out its existence. Try more new things, American publishing!

Here's the English DeNa site the article referred to: http://www.mbmgl.com/services.php

Views: 16

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Comment by Dana Stabenow on March 2, 2009 at 4:47am
Have you seen the iPhone app for books? I'm just now gearing up to move into that with Legends. Michael Stackpole introduced me to Michael Zapp, who created the software for it. If you look at the book app page on iTunes, you will be astonished at how few titles are on offer. Bestsellers include the Bible, the Koran and Twilight. It's virtually (literally) an untapped market.
Comment by Tom Cooke on March 1, 2009 at 5:43am
Oh. I guess I should have figured that out, but I get confused changing a typewriter ribbon.
Another question. Are the older Japanese using this format. I ask because my eyes aren't what they used to be and I think it would be difficult to get through a novel on such a small format.
Comment by John Dishon on March 1, 2009 at 3:18am
keitai shosetsu means cellphone novel.
Comment by Tom Cooke on February 28, 2009 at 7:04am
John,
What is keitai shosetsu? I am unfamiliar with it.
Thanks,
Tom

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