Beyond The Bookstore

 Gen Z is Reading in New Ways and Seeking More Diversity in Fiction

Gen Z isn't waiting around for a more diverse publishing industry, they're seeking out diverse authors and stories online, and reading in new ways. New data from Wattpad, the global entertainment company for original stories and leading webnovel platform, and Wakefield Research shows that Gen Z readers are going online to find the representation they can't find in bookstores, with more than four out of five (83%) Gen Z readers (aged 18 - 25) turning to online sources like webnovels, e-books, and webcomics for diverse stories. The findings shed new light on Gen Z reading behaviors and how they differ from previous generations.

The data signals a generational shift in consumption and attitudes towards fiction. With the rise of webnovels, e-books, webcomics, and other digital formats, Gen Z is normalizing reading on their phones. Today, 67% of Gen Z respondents say they read on their phones, compared to 51% of older generations who say they still prefer turning the page manually on a physical book, magazine or newspaper.

Diversity and access to a wider range of voices in stories they consume is a key consideration for Gen Z overall, across all media. Seventy-nine percent of Gen Z respondents said diversity and representation is important to them when choosing books, movies or other forms of entertainment - significantly more than other generations including Millennials (66%), Gen X (53%) and Boomers (34%). In fact, 60% of Gen Z readers reported looking for books, stories or comics that highlight marginalized groups, much higher than other generations at just 40%.