Rachel Hulin is an author who thought of an innovative way to self release her novel 'Hey Harry Hey Matilda' -- through Instagram. The social media photo-sharing app was uesd by Hulin as a virtual picture book to recount the fictional tale of two paternal twins who happen to be in love.
In a sense, the format of Instagram dictates the storytelling capabilities of Hulin. The novel follows the relationship of its two main characters by revealing a different email or correspondence with each Instagram picture. Hulin posts a rather typical Instagram picture with the accompanying text or fictional email as the photo's caption.
Rather than releasing her entire story post-by-post in a single day, Hulin opted to follow the timeline of her narrative, and will use a nine month long time period to mirror the storyline. The images used in Hey Harry Hey Matilda are archival photos from Hulin as well as pictures taken specifically for the story.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Social Media Storytelling
- Using social media platforms like Instagram as a medium for storytelling allows for innovative and interactive narrative opportunities.
- Serialized Content
- Releasing content in a serialized format, like posting parts of a novel on Instagram over an extended period of time, creates anticipation and engagement with the audience.
- Integration of Visuals and Text
- Combining images with accompanying captions or fictional emails on Instagram provides a unique way to enhance the storytelling experience.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Publishing
- Publishers can explore new avenues for releasing novels and engaging with readers by utilizing social media platforms like Instagram as a distribution channel.
- Social Media
- Social media platforms can develop features and tools specifically designed for storytelling, allowing authors and creators to leverage their platforms for serialized content.
- Photography
- Photographers and visual storytellers can experiment with integrating their work into narrative formats on social media, creating immersive storytelling experiences.
