What is a light novel, and how does it differ from ordinary fiction? A light novel isn’t simply fiction written in plain, easy-to-read language. According to editor Xiaoqi, its predecessor was the “character novel”: built around characters with vivid personalities, with the plot revolving around them and a lively, light tone. One way to tell is to imagine it adapted into manga—would it fit naturally in a youth manga magazine? Many publishers assume that slapping an ACG-style cover on a book makes it a light novel, disappointing readers who expected one—one reason Taiwan’s local light novels declined.

Translated from Utsudo’s original Chinese column.

Last time I invited editor Xiaoqi to chat on my show.

The predecessor of the light novel: the character novel

Light novels are generally understood as fiction with plain wording and brisk pacing that’s easy to read. But in the early days, before the concept of light novels existed, they were categorized as “character novels.” Frankly, I think “character novel” better explains the essence.

As the name suggests, a “character novel” centers on characters with vivid personalities, with the plot revolving around them. The tone is lively and light, so a sudden retort with a paper fan, or someone getting kicked into the sky until they become a star, doesn’t feel out of place at all.

How to tell if it’s a light novel

Also, imagine it adapted into manga. If it would fit naturally in a youth manga magazine, you can basically say it’s a “character novel.”

Later, when the term “light novel” came over from Japan, “character novels” became “light novels.” And since a few years ago anything labeled a “light novel” sold well, publishers all wanted a slice of the pie, some even launching their own light novel imprints.

An ACG cover doesn’t make a light novel

Xiaoqi also told us that many Taiwanese publishers now believe that as long as the cover is changed to an ACG style, it counts as a light novel. As a result, the market is flooded with “fake light novels”—open them up and the content is ordinary fiction, not a light novel at all.

As for how to tell, use the manga-adaptation test: imagine it for a moment and you’ll see the tone is very different.

But many publishers don’t understand the real difference and think “easy to read” means light novel. Even award results have picked works that shouldn’t count as light novels, which is really frustrating.

Readers expecting a “light novel” are drawn in by ACG covers and buy the book, only to open it and find they’re reading ordinary fiction. Confused and speechless, they gradually stop buying local “light novels,” and the local light novel market sinks lower and lower.

Japanese light novel sales remain steady

But the sluggish book market hasn’t affected sales of Japanese light novels. Xiaoqi said that day that although local fiction sales have dropped, Japanese light novels have basically been unaffected—after all, theirs are the real light novels, right?

If even publishers and editors don’t understand what a “light novel” is, it’s no wonder local light novels declined so quickly. I still think real light novels are a lot of fun, but how to bring them back into the public eye is another tough challenge.

Local light novels need one powerful work

Maybe what’s needed is one powerful work?

A work powerful enough to grab readers’ attention and make them unable to stop, so they’ll go looking for similar works, reviving the sluggish market—maybe even making foreign readers who love it start importing Taiwanese books in large numbers.

Let’s pray for someone like that to appear.

I hope that any one of you here will be that long-awaited dark horse.

FAQ

Further reading

• Previous: Hey! I Heard You’re a Writer on Ghost Island #204: A Father’s Day Countdown
• Start from the beginning: Hey! I Heard You’re a Writer on Ghost Island #01: Utsudo’s Debut — A Road to the Dream Covered in Frost
• Utsudo’s books

About the author

Utsudo is a Taiwanese light novelist and novelist VTuber with more than ten years in the industry and 40 commercially published print books. Her novel 《遺失的情書》 received a 2022 Ministry of Culture youth creative award. The 《嘿！聽說妳在鬼島當作家》 series records her experiences as a novelist in Taiwan.