Text Talk Novels Overview

Text Talk Novels

• Stories are told almost entirely through dialogue, mimicking social network interactions.
• A story written using short text messages on a messaging app. It's a new form of writing.
• Originated in Japan and gained popularity internationally, particularly in China, the US, Germany, and South Africa.

Cell Phone Novels/Mobile Phone Novels

• Literary works originally written on a mobile phone using text messaging.
• Popular in Japan, with popularity spreading to other countries, including China, the US, Germany, and South Africa.
• Typically consist of 70-100 words per chapter due to character limitations.
• First cell phone novel, "Deep Love," published in Japan in 2003 by a man named Yoshi, detailing a teenager's "subsidized dating" experiences.

Characteristics of Text Talk Novels

• Chapters are short (70-100 words).
• Sentences are simple.
• Plots typically revolve around love and passion.
• Can be written in text messaging, emails, letters, instant messages, or blogs.
• Cliffhangers are common.
• Authors often use pen names.

Phone Novels: Content and Format

• Initially focused on young women and romantic fiction (relationships, love triangles, pregnancy); later expanded to broader themes.
• Delivered directly to readers via email, SMS text messages, or subscription websites (chapter-by-chapter).
• Often feature forged identities and pen names.
• Popular themes include romantic fiction, which became broader in scope.
• Formatting differs from traditional novels. They are often presented as a series of text messages.
• Published in three different digital formats (WMLD, Java, TXT) by 2007. This led to their publication in book form.

Popular Cell Phone Novel

• "Koizora" achieved 12 million online views.
• One example of a popular phone novel, which was turned into a movie, is "Koizora".
• Five of the top 10 bestseller novels in Japan in 2007 were originally cell phone novels.

Vince and Kath (Example Series)

• An online romantic series written by Jenny Ruth Almocera.
• Consists of screenshots of chat and text conversations.
• Focuses on a young man (Vince) who bravely texts his crush (Kath).
• Contains escalating challenges including relationships, infidelity, trauma experiences, and the recovery of the protagonist.
• Character identities are often deliberately obscured.