The Enduring Popularity and Industry Appeal of FanFiction

Intermediate books for the digital age

Publishers Weekly Scholastic reports that it will offer a series of middle grade fiction designed to appeal to a generation of visual and digital content consumers. Publisher MG’s next series of fics will be shorter, include more illustrations, and promise more cliffhangers. said editorial director Amy Friedman. P.W. Light novels, which are popular in Japan and increasingly popular in the United States, inspired this series of books. If you want to see what this looks like, take a peek at the Lucky series by Christina Soontrumbat and Sarah Mulinowski, illustrated by Maddie Wong. It follows the brothers as they adjust to their newly integrated family. This is one of the series in NEXT’s initial lineup.

New $95,000 contest for emerging writers

ProWritingAid, a writing and editing platform for writers, has launched a global contest for unknown fiction writers. Novel Beginnings invites writers who have not yet published a novel from a prominent publisher to submit the first 5,000 words of a fiction manuscript to be considered for the prize. It supports the early stages of the writer’s process. The grand prize winner will receive $50,000 and up to nine emerging authors will receive $5,000. In addition to the prize money, according to a press release, “shortlisted writers will participate in a structured manuscript development program that includes expert-led sessions, live draft sprints, and guided revision periods designed to help participants move from idea to finished draft.” Learn more about Novel Beginnings here.

8 Best New Books Released in February 2026

The start of February means it’s a month to look forward to new releases. There’s a lot to expect from fans of horror and dark fiction, including a bloody love story. See the full list of February new release recommendations here.