I've started Vertical Scroll Bunko.

Hello, this is Mimuko.

And, suddenly, I have started something called
【Vertical Scroll Bunko】.

If you don't know what that is, you might be wondering what it's all about. If you know me to some extent, you might have thought, 'She's come up with something and started it again.' Haha.

What is Vertical Scroll Bunko?

⬛︎What kind of book is it?

It is a new type of e-book specialized for smartphone reading, designed to make vertical-writing novels and essays easy to read by scrolling vertically.

I have prepared a video of the scrolling, so if you take a look, I think you will understand what it's like.

A design that doesn't interrupt the flow of the text.
Layouts that convey the content more effectively.
Slightly larger text and short blocks of text. By limiting the characters that enter your field of vision, you focus on the moment-to-moment reading experience, allowing you to dive deeper into the story.

⬛︎The inspiration behind creating it

Actually, I've had the concept for over a year.

I love reading books and manga, but because I couldn't find enough time or my commute time had almost disappeared, I started reading vertical-scroll manga called “Webtoon” quite often. Honestly, they aren't that substantial, so it's not like they are worth paying for, but I end up snacking on them like potato chips. And I can't stop.

That means, I think, that it is a very excellent medium. You can read it immediately on your smartphone, and you can enjoy it without earphones. Since there isn't a dense block of text, it's easy to pick up even when you're tired. Korea is impressive.
However, there is a lot of content aimed at younger people, and there are quite a few anti-fans among book and manga lovers, or many people who haven't tried it yet.

Then one day, I suddenly realized.

“Wait? This barely has any panel divisions,
isn't this just a novel?”

Even though it's called manga, it's just short pieces of text randomly placed within the illustrations. Of course, there are lines in speech bubbles, but the characters' inner thoughts and setting explanations are no different from a novel.

Then, if I change the format a little, I might be able to create something that reaches novel lovers too.
That's what I thought.

⬛︎The evolution of books

A while ago, with the advent of e-books, the publishing and printing industries were in a panic. And I feel like there was a trend that said e-books aren't real reading.
But, with the spread of e-books, the manga industry has seen tremendous growth in sales. This is because they can sell past works without risk.

Literature feels like it has been a bit slow to catch that wave. I think there are various reasons for this, such as the fact that e-books weren't as well-suited for reading long texts as manga, and the existence of die-hard paper book fans. There might also be reasons like authors not giving permission.

However, e-books, which allow you to read the books you want immediately, have gradually gained acceptance and are now becoming a standard medium as one of the easy forms of self-publishing. You can now choose how you read according to your preferences. Horizontal scrolling, vertical page turning. But I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks, 'Something just doesn't feel right.'

Novels have also changed to suit the reader. The popularity of short-shorts, which can be read in short intervals, is a clear example. In this era where smartphone entertainment has exploded, everyone is looking for something easy and casual.

In the midst of this, I felt a slight sense of discomfort.
Even though stories that can be read easily are popular,

“Why aren't they sold as single episodes?
Why are they bundled into one book?”

I feel like reading short stories little by little, according to one's preference and timing, fits the times better.
In a more readable style.

⬛︎ If it's easier to read, will it spread further?

My second son has a learning disability and finds reading and writing difficult. Especially when it comes to "reading," he often panics when he sees a large amount of text, gets overwhelmed, and gives up on reading altogether.
But he loves stories. If reading weren't so difficult for him, he might have loved books.

Even for me, who doesn't have the same difficulties as him and actually enjoys reading, it has become a bit of a chore to follow large blocks of text as I've gotten older. It's like I have to brace myself before starting. Maybe it's because my eyesight is starting to go?

Until now, I've said my hobby is reading, but I've definitely been reading less than I did when I was younger. I suspect there are actually quite a few book lovers who feel the same way.

That's why.
A style where you can smoothly scroll through a small amount of text might reach people who want to read books but have drifted away from them.

⬛︎ Expanding opportunities for writers

Currently, if you want to publish a book, the common paths are entering literary awards or self-publishing.

The reality is that most publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Unlike manga, they can't be read immediately, can they? If editors had to read every unsolicited manuscript, they would collapse. Still, it is undoubtedly a very narrow gate.

As for self-publishing, easy-to-use Kindle is popular on platforms like note. I think this ease of use is revolutionary, but I feel the connection with readers is still weak. This is largely due to the difficulty of finding books, but I also think it's because the current reading experience of e-books isn't very good.

There are also posting sites like note and Kakuyomu, but while they are convenient, they don't really give you the feeling of "reading a book." It feels more like you're just consuming information...

There are so many people who want to write, but there is an overwhelming lack of packages that make people want to read. That is something I feel strongly.

If this Vertical Scroll Bunko could gain public acceptance. If a comfortable platform were created and more people started reading as a matter of course. The demand for writers would increase all at once.
The cycle between writers and readers would start spinning faster and faster. Involving many people.

I have such a big dream.

But first, one step at a time.

Actually... right after I came up with the idea for Vertical Scroll Bunko, I took it to the literary department of a publisher. They reacted very positively, saying it was easy to read, but... as a practical matter, there was no platform to sell it on, and they said it wasn't suitable for long novels, so the conversation didn't progress. A pity.

So, I'm starting steadily. Haha.
The other day, I made a simple website and am gradually lining up the works I've produced so far.
Each one links to my note page where the work is posted, but later on, I'm thinking it might be good to provide the created images and have them link to the author's note page, allowing the author to set their own price for paid articles. I suppose future developments depend on luck and everyone's support.

To those who want to try making a Vertical Scroll Bunko

First, I want to increase the number of works to let more people know about Vertical Scroll Bunko, and I plan to start accepting submissions in mid-October.
The length of submitted works should be 1,000 to 5,000 characters. Genres are not limited; essays, poetry, etc., are welcome in addition to novels. Short works can be combined. Like a short story collection or a poetry anthology.
(Currently, submissions are closed. I am in the process of producing the submitted works.)

★ Reference
※ "Blue Hour" approx. 1,000 characters
※ "Wish Granted" approx. 1,300 characters
※ "Want to Ride the Wind" approx. 5,000 characters
※ "Canned Moon" approx. 8,000 characters

If you are interested, I would be happy if you could keep an eye on it.
Let's create a new reading culture together.
That might be a bit of an exaggeration, though. Haha.

Click here for the Vertical Scroll Library currently available

Click here for Canva templates you can use to create your own