Reader influence on the creation of transmedia science fiction: a participatory culture perspective

Abstract

The term “Participatory Culture” was first put forward by Henry Jenkins in the book Text Poacher with the aim of comparing participation and the bystander (Jenkins, 2015. Participatory culture in a networked era: a conversation on youth, learning, commerce, and politics. Polity Press, Cambridge, UK). The earliest example is the study of the cultural logic of fan groups (or “fan culture”). When it was later studied more extensively, it took on different meanings. It has greatly influenced novels in the cross-media creative environment, and this has not only helped to expand the imagination and inspiration of authors but has also enriched novel plots. It can also increase audience participation and reading enthusiasm. This paper takes China’s science fiction transmedia as its example to analyze the significance and role of Participatory Culture, and it does this with the intention of helping to provide suggestions for the development of transmedia fictions.