What is Light Novel?

Read Light Novel – What is Light Novel? Are there any differences between Light Novel vs Web Novel?

Source: Wikipedia and https://www.adazing.com/web-novel-vs-light-novel/

What is Light Novel?

A light novel (ライトノベル, raito noberu) is a style of Japanese young adult novel primarily targeting high school and middle school students. The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called ranobe (ラノベ)^[3] or, in English, LN. 

While most light novels are published only as books, some have their chapters first serialized in anthology magazines before being collected, similar to how manga is published. The average length of a light novel is about 50,000 words, close to the minimum expected for a Western novel, and they are usually published in bunkobon size (A6, 10.5 cm × 14.8 cm) to save space and cost, often with dense publishing schedules.

Light novels are commonly illustrated in a manga art style, and are often adapted into manga and anime. You will find the illustrations in colorful print both on the cover of the novel and inside. The designs and colors make these novels very attractive to young readers. They can also be serialized in literary magazines or published in volumes. Because it uses the Japanese bonkobon style of publishing, these novels are usually sold cheaply, giving readers a wide choice to pick from without spending so much.

One major characteristic of the Light novels is their use of illustrations. Unlike the Traditional novel filled with just words and a few illustrations, this Japanese Literature makes excellent use of illustrations to explain its plot. The plot is usually centered on fantasy.

Are there any differences between Light Novel vs Web Novel?

As the name connotes, Web novels are novels published on the web. When an author starts writing, rather than traditional publishing in paperback, they publish the work as a web novel first. This can be done on their site and used to attract traffic to the site and advertise their work. They can also publish on sites that host web novels. Since they are online, Web novels can be read free of charge or upon payment. Some of these novels are written as serials, with the site publishing one chapter at a time.

Over time, if the novel has gained popularity, the author can be approached by a publishing company to publish the web novel as a light novel. Before the publishing is done, the writer gets to edit the novel and expand the plot or take out some things that are not relevant to the story. As a result, the light novel also comes with fewer errors than the web novel.

In recent times, there is the booming of Chinese web novels and Korean web novels, which are considered as Light novels as well. The plot is gradually moving away from fantasy to the world as we know it. Still, most of the light novels of Japanese origin will have fantasy plotted into it. For Western fans looking for easy insight into the Asian culture, they have encountered a vast world of breathtaking stories. Octopii.co is one of the websites to read Light Novel online for free. It is updated daily and consistently, and novel lovers can read all Japanese Light Novel, Chinese Novel and Korean Novel.

The Light novel is written in simple English and the illustrations make the story easy to understand and follow and, as such, easy for new readers. The boredom that comes with the traditional novels filled with letters is eliminated. Because of its storyline and illustrations, Light novels can easily be adapted to other forms of entertainment. The book itself may not have a popularity. Its different versions, like anime, action movies, or games, can become very popular. Publishers and Entertainers use these anime to drive the original work’s sales, the light novel. Over the years, these adaptations have become very popular in Japan and Asia as a whole and other parts of the western world. Manga or Anime are basically easier to digest, but the Light Novel is the full immersion with tiny details you can appreciate. The simplification of reading light novels on Octopii without doing anything is a plus. You just only need to jump in and immerse yourself in your favorite light novel.