Once bloggers, now published writers

Mathimaran thought he was posting an innocent query on Facebook. It said: “I have always wondered why today's youths wear t-shirts with pictures of Che Guevara and Periyar, but not Ambedkar's.

“This happened nine years ago, and Mathimaran wasn't prepared for the deluge of replies he received. “In the replies many expressed their fear of being singled out as dalits and ostracized if they did such a thing. This affected me the most and to allay their fear I started posting pictures of mine in such t-shirts on social media,” says Mathimaran. The episode not only helped the writer bond with his followers and future readers, but also enlightened him on the vast scope that social media offers to writers.

The ongoing Chennai book fair is an example of the way social media has shaped the careers of bloggers-turned-authors like Mathimaran. For Araathu, Saravanan Chandran, Yuvakrishna and Cable Shankar, social media has been a platform where they have experimented with narratives and genres and got immediate feedback from readers.

“Simple acts like liking their comments and replying to their queries help me connect with the readers. After reading my stories, many readers share similar stories with me through posts and messages,” says Araathu.

Saravanan Chandran, a journalist-turned-author, says promoting one's work online earns a writer a cross-section of readers which otherwise is a difficult proposition for mainstream authors. The author who has released an online video teaser to announce the release of his upcoming book ` Ajvaa' says social media is also a cost-effective medium for self-promotion. For Mathimaran, who mostly writes on dalit politics and caste issues, social media was a platform that allowed him to put across his views without the fear of censorship.

Social media has also been the cradle for new literature styles. Author Araathu, who follows the style `twitterature', says his micro-stories have been a hit among readers. His book `Araajakam 1,000' is a compilation of his 1,000 tweets. The micro stories in the title ‘Uyir-Mei’ that he wrote for minnambalam.com for 50 consecutive days were published as a book on the end of the 50th day.

“I realized the subjects of the short stories have changed over time but the narrative structure has remained the same. The idea is to be creative within the format and title and tell a story from a new perspective,“ says Araathu who has explored the topic of female sexual fantasies in his micro stories. Companies that publish the work of these authors encourage them to engage with the online readership. “The authors have dedicated followers, who constantly talk about their works through posts and tweets. This is definitely creating an audience base for the writers,“ says Vediyappal of Discovery publications.

In an effort to lend a helping hand to budding writers and blogger turned-writers, Emerald publications has introduced a special programme under which the writers can publish 50 copies of their book (by paying a nominal fee) which will be displayed on book fairs and stalls. “Over 135 people are interested in publishing their work through us,“ says G Olivannan of Emerald publications