Storytelling took on a new format in 2017, with chat fiction becoming a popular new way for younger consumers to read.
The premise of chat fiction is to present fictional narratives in the medium that teenagers most often engage with: their messaging apps. In July 2017, reading app Wattpad launched Tap Originals, a dedicated app that tells stories via text message conversations, voice notes and images.
‘People say that reading is dying, but that’s not because the demand is dying. It’s because the way in which young people live, communicate and think is changing, and fiction must adapt to stay relevant to their lives,’ explained Prerna Gupta, co-founder of Hooked, a pioneer app in the field.
