The results of a recent survey from Wattpad looking at the reading habits and preferences of Gen Z show that Gen Z loves to read but is more likely to read on phones and embrace more genres. Gen Z also places more importance on diverse stories and voices than other generations. More than four in five Gen Z readers say web novels, ebooks, and webcomics give them access to content that’s harder to find in traditional stores and libraries, including LGBTQ+ and minority-focused content. Gen Z enjoys YA fiction (50 percent) and is more likely than older readers to prefer fantasy and sci-fi, horror, and superhero/action stories. Learn more.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
