VietNamNet Bridge - Entertaining literary works are dominating the market and attracting more young writers.

Writer Phan Viet, the co-founder of the project "Wide open door", which translates valuable books around the world into Vietnamese, said: "Vietnam is seeing the gradual emergence of the market literary genre. This genre has developed for a long time in the West. It is for a big segment of readers in the society, who work hard all day, and just love reading things for entertainment. I think there will be more and more writers and readers for this genre in Vietnam."

Writer Nguyen Dinh Tu - Deputy Editor of the Army Literary Magazine - said: "A new trend has emerged in literature, which focuses on entertaining. The authors of these works are clearly aware of that feature."

The team of authors of entertainment literary works is growing and rejuvenated. The development of the publishing industry has urged the boom of this genre. Previously, writers could have their works published if they won literary prizes. Now, literary prizes are not a prerequisite and many young writers have gained success, such as Gao, Anh Khang, Iris Cao, Han Nhu or Born.

The number of readers of entertainment literature is growing and to meet the needs of the reader, book companies have launched many brands for entertainment books.

While academic books are usually published with a modest number of 2,000 copies, many entertainment titles reached 5,000 or even 10,000 copies, according to Ms. Nguyen Thi Viet Ha - CEO of the Van Viet book company, which owns three brands of market literary books.

According to the organizers of the 8th HCM City Book Festival, which took place recently, most of the best-selling books are market literary works, which write about love and romantic relations.

Author Anna Thuy, deputy director of Limbooks, said that the current market literary genre is successful because it has the sympathy of the readers.

The development of the market literary genre has both positive and negative influences. Writer Nguyen Dinh Tu said that it is good for the development of literature because a healthy literature must be diverse.

However, Tu warned that market literary works can play an important role but they cannot make the top of the literature. “If this line exists and dominates the market in the long run, it will be alarming."

Writer Thien Son said that a major work, which has long-term value should be associated with the great problems of society, of the times.

Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung said: "I don’t think that reading market literary works is enjoyment. Enjoyment is reading big works of art and education. Market literary books are only for entertainment and for fun."

He said that if the market literary genre develops and dominates the book market, the orthodox book genre will be infringed upon.

"Unfortunately, for profit, some publishers are focusing on the cheap tabloid market. It is right for the market mechanisms but we should not forget that if we develop the book market this way."

T. Van