In recent years, publishers, directors and TV producers have taken a keen interest in popular online novels, thanks to their originality and solid fan base. [Photo/IC]

In recent years, publishers, directors and TV producers have taken a keen interest in popular online novels, thanks to their originality and solid fan base.

Genre is an important factor. According to a survey by Chinese online literature platform Cloudary, of 100 online novels whose copyrights were sold by Cloudary for adaption in 2012, modern city novels, historical romances and war stories were the most popular.

Online author Liu Chenfeng's best-known novel A Clear Midsummer Night is a love story. It attracted more than 30 million Web hits and won the top prize in the annual competition for Chinese romance novels in 2012.

A TV adaption of the book, starring Yang Mi and Liu Kaiwei, was a huge hit when broadcast in 2013.

The success of the TV adaption has brought Liu greater popularity and more confidence in her writing.

"It's as if a feast prepared by me has been appreciated by numerous diners, which is a great encouragement," Liu says.

Literature websites have played an important role in this trend. Major websites, such as Qidian.com and Hongxiu.com, which are owned by Cloudary, have established special branches to help film and TV producers who are looking for good stories and to deal with copyright licensing.

Liu, who has entrusted the literature website Hongxiu.com to deal with her copyright licensing to TV producers, thinks it makes things easier for writers and allows them to focus more on their work.