Everything to know about writing a cell phone novel. Learn about the structures and styles of one of the biggest literary movement from Japan. An in-depth guides on how to write your own cell phone novels - with the contribution of some veteran CPN...
We would like to emphasize that this is just a general guideline. It is up to you as the author to learn and create your own style. This is by no means the only way a cell phone novel can be written, but more so, a place to begin.
Before we start, it is important to see some first hand examples. Below are sample excerpts from a popular Japanese CPN author and an American CPN author.
This is an excerpt from “ケイ (Key)” written by a Japanese CPNists named Mika (みか) from Maho i-land, a japanese cell phone novel site.
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As you can see from this chapter, the author makes use of line breaks to begin and end their trail of thought. Even though word choice cannot be accurately deciphered due to language barrier (my Japanese is way too rough), it is clear that the author is attempting to convey complete loss and dejection.
Notice the spacing. The gaps between certain lines are further than others. The spaces tell as much a story as the words itself. You will see that there are no punctuations. Although this may not apply for works in English, but the lack of punctuations (periods, commas etc.) provide a minimalist aesthetic without harming the flow of the writing.
Let us take a look at another example. The following is the first chapter of “Secondhand Memories” by Takatsu.
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As you can see, they share common characteristics. You can call this the “conventional” method. When beginning your first cell phone novel, this style is an easy one to begin with. Think of it as a template.
