Growing potential unfolds for Chinese genre fiction in overseas market

BRUSSELS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Overseas opportunities for Chinese genre fiction are growing as foreign readers show increasing interest in China, according to participants at an international literary seminar held on Thursday in Beijing.

The seminar was attended both in person and online, and brought together 19 contemporary young Chinese writers working in genres including mystery, thriller, suspense, historical fantasy and web literature. Participants said these genres could tap into overseas curiosity about China that now extends well beyond traditional Chinese culture.

Olesia Ermakova, a self-media blogger and international cooperation consultant, said many foreign readers are increasingly interested in modern Chinese culture, literature, film and social development. She cited a Canadian-French content creator whose LinkedIn newsletter on Chinese books, TV dramas and social change attracted more than 100,000 overseas followers within months, most of whom come from Europe and North America.

Xueting Christine Ni, a British writer, translator and publishing professional, said her anthology of contemporary Chinese horror fiction had been well received by both scholars and general readers. This shows Chinese genre literature can resonate with English-language audiences, she underlined.

Piotr Parzymies, a Polish editor and scholar, said Chinese historical fiction has strong potential in Poland because it combines entertainment, suspense and cultural depth. He left his contacts at the event and warmly invited Chinese writers and organizations to expanded cooperation to bring more quality stories to Poland.

Sharing his affection for the works of popular Chinese writer Ma Boyong, he said such stories bring readers closer to history by portraying it through the lives of ordinary people.

Charles-Emmanuel Dewees, co-founder of the French webnovel platform Chinareads, said he began building the reading and sharing platform around 2017 by translating and posting excerpts from Chinese webnovels. He described these as "a common language of the world" that enables readers from different countries to connect and better understand one another.

Participants also said the current appetite for fresh storytelling creates opportunities for Chinese suspense and crime fiction in established overseas markets.

Douglas Preston, a New York Times bestselling author from the United States, said in a video that murder mysteries and crime thrillers set in China would appeal to American readers because successful thrillers often feature unusual settings, distinctive characters and insights into different cultures.

Tom Chalmers, managing director of the British publishing group Legend Times, said the global market for mystery, crime and thriller fiction is substantial, particularly in the English-language sector. This is creating opportunities for Chinese works in translation, he said, and stronger international publishing partnerships could help more Chinese genre fiction reach overseas readers.

Richard Krevolin, a U.S. screenwriter, author and playwright, said Chinese online literature and stories also have potential for screen adaptation and global distribution. Comparing "The Lord of the Rings" in America with "Journey to the West" in China, he said imagination is "the wing of a writer," and writers can serve as a bridge between East and West.

This growing international interest is also reflected in China's efforts towards literary promotion.

Zheng Lei, deputy director of the International Department of the China Writers Association (CWA), said genre fiction has become one of the brightest spots in the overseas promotion of contemporary Chinese literature. With strong plots, high readability and themes that resonate with readers worldwide, genre fiction also faces relatively less loss in cross-language translation, he added.

Lei also stressed the importance of stronger publishing brands and international promotion channels. Since 2021, the CWA has helped set up Chinese fiction readers' clubs in more than 20 countries and organized over 200 literary promotion events, including many featuring mystery and suspense writers.

Thursday's event was hosted by the CWA's International Department and Online Literature Center, and China International Book Trading Corporation, co-hosted by the Beijing Detective & Mystery Fiction Association and Yuewen Group, and organized by China Publishing & Media Business Daily, New Star Press, and International Bookstore.