In 2004, Guo Jingming cooperated with Chunfeng Literature and Art Publishing House to publish a series of books called Island. Youth literature has changed from books to magazines and "mooks," publications in the format of a magazine but sold as books. "Mooks are popular because it's hard to get a magazine barcode to demonstrate authenticity," said Lu Jinbo, a domestic publisher. Insiders describe mooks as book content with magazine style. In Japan, they are regarded as the third kind of publication besides books and magazines.
With secretaries scheduling his interviews and assistants answering his phone calls, Guo Jingming's working style and talking style reflect that he is no longer just a writer.
"From Island to Top Novel, I am so glad to see a creation group has been formed by writers including Luo Luo, Nian Nian and Di An," Guo said. "They are editors at Top Novel and have their own readership. It's the most successful thing I've done. I hope my name can be a brand, a golden sign instead of something related only to my works. As Top Novel has become a brand and business, there is a huge youth literature market behind it."
(Translated by LAI YIXIN)
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