01 February 2008

Best Sellers, From Cell Phones?


Cellphone novels, believe it or not, are books written on cell phone keypads, typed one tiny key at a time. For the most part, readers have experienced them on those tiny screens as well. Also for the most part, they have been called a category of literature that's even more frowned upon than fan fiction.

Recently, these novels, born on a phone, have started appearing in paperback form. Not only that, but they have become increasingly popular in Japan. At the end of last year, five of the nation's ten best sellers were originally made on a cell phone.

Absurd? Perhaps. A trend that could lower the standards for literature in Japan? Also a maybe. Whatever the future holds for these books, their authors are making the sort of money that would make many conventional authors jealous.

Read the full article.

2 comments:

Jordan said...

So, what's the problem with these?

Anonymous said...

They lack character development and proper vocabulary, but everyone loves them anyway. (Kinda discouraging.)

You can go read the full article. There's a link.