Fast-moving words
The world of online literature in China is bursting with writers and readers, Yang Yang reports.
In late 2012, Zuo Lei quit his job as a director at a TV station to become a full-time writer of online novels. At that time, on average, he wrote 6,000 words a day, generating a monthly income of 4,000 yuan ($625). Now, his daily output has risen to about 10,000 words and his income is more than 12,000 yuan.
"Actually since 2018, I had earned about 25,000 yuan a month through writing. However, this year, when a family member fell ill and my wife gave birth to our second child, I had less time to write, so my income dropped," says the 40-year-old.
So far, Zuo has completed six novels, all of which have been published on the online platforms of Tencent's China Literature Group, which is one of the largest of its kind in China.