Electronic authors

Writers used to have to approach publishers in the hope of having their work read by the public. Now they can simply post their offerings online and find an instant audience of millions. Liu Xiangrui reports.

After breaking up with her boyfriend in 2009, Bao Jingjing, then 22, started "making up" a love story simply to distract herself from her heartbreak. Her story progressed quickly, so she decided to post it online as a serial.

The story of a young girl dealing with the pang of a broken heart soon attracted many readers with its simple, humorous style.