Well, it’s happened … Chinese state news agency Xinhua reports that a Chinese author is writing a novel aimed to be transmitted in text message-sized chunks: 60 chapters of 70 characters each.

Qian Fuchang’s novel Outside the Fortress Besieged is described as a ‘steamy tale of illicit love among already married people’, and will be available exclusively to mobile phone users. China's mobile phone market already has 300 million takers, and last year Chinese people sent more than 220 billion text messages, which is apparently more than half of all messages sent in the world. Eeeek.

Speaking of manageable chunks for the literally challenged, the New York Times is reviving that old chestnut, the serial novel – starting with The Great Gatsby. 'Each 16-page instalment – sandwiched between the book's cover art and a full-page ad for the series' sponsor – will come as a tabloid-sized pullout.' Wonder if they're supplying a dinky folder to keep them together.

This could have the whole of New York reading the same thing at a similar time … interesting possibilities. Could we get a bit of JAFA community spirit going with a similar scenario in the Herald? A spot of Janet with your jam? Keri with your kedgeree? Whatever gets people reading ...