Since my last blog about net fiction, it has been 3 months and I have kept eyes on this. In China, people are so used to net fictions. Some successful authors became millionaires overnight as their work become popular and the adapted rights for games and films were sold out. More and more young people try to start their own net fictions both for the high income and popularity.

But we Chinese are still are pleased surprised that our net fictions were so popular overseas (especially when some big social media reported this phenomenon and made this news so reliable).

And during my trip in London Book Fair, I was so surprised to find the China Reading Limited, an authorized digital reading platform and literature IP incubator. China Reading has a renowned collection of content brands of digital reading APPs and websites. This company has published over 10 million digital works, hosted 4 million authors. With over 600 million users in China, this company showed their ambition for the nationwide market.

When communicating with the CEO of China Reading, it was clear that the news about the Wuxia World popularity had made him more confident about the overseas trade of Chinese net fictions.

However, this company is too cautious to expand a market which it is not familiar with, at present, they just want to sell translation rights of their works. For example, Wuxia World is supported by volunteers who are net fiction buffs. They translate Chinese net fictions into English, Thai, and other languages. The readers could donate to their voluntary work as well. And this will result in a cycle: more updates => more viewers  => more donations => more updates. It is clear and obvious that the authors are not involved in this cycle, and the authors’ interest and right are ignored and damaged.

The thing China Reading wants to do is to sell the translated rights to these websites, so readers can read these fictions legally via the website. And China Reading is also looking for collaborations, it authorizes the website to use these net fictions which it owned, and China Reading can publish these translated editions of net fictions and sell them through Amazon.

Till now, for Chinese publishers, the national publishing business is under-developed, they still try and try to find a way to collaborate and win-win trade. Net fiction trade can be seen as an attempt by Chinese publishers.

But during the further communication, we all think that translation rights are the first stage for China Reading business actives. In future, Chinese publishers might keep on trying.