For Zs, books are just one chapter in a larger fan experience.
Americans are reading much less than they used to, but that’s not the story for Gen Z. According to researchers at Portland State University, a growing proportion of Zs now identify as readers — 66%, up 14 percentage points from 2022 — with print being their favorite format and where most of the growth is happening. What gives?
For Gen Z, the book is the gateway to the fan community. Zs are rewriting reading from a quiet, solo pastime to a culturally-relevant participatory culture. On BookTok, in fanfic forums, at book clubs, and increasingly IRL, young readers collectively obsess over characters, debate plotlines, write and share their own spinoffs, and then show up en masse when those stories move from the page to stage, screen, and beyond. With this, books are fueling more areas of culture, and creating commercial momentum across industries too.
Photo by Shauna Summers via Death To Stock
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HOW THIS IS PLAYING OUT IN CULTURE
Books and culture increasingly feed each other. A story catches fire on TikTok, fans make it their own, an adaptation brings in a new audience, and suddenly everyone is talking about — and buying — the book again. The success of a title on social media or a streaming platform sends readers back to the original, creating a loop between publishing, entertainment, and fandom. Finding Her Edge, Jennifer Iacopelli’s YA romance, is a good example of this: After its Netflix adaptation landed, the original book found a second life, while its audiobook saw a 990% increase in global listens on Spotify.
Fanfic is thriving. Zs are innate creators so when they love a story, they don’t just want to consume it; they want a hand in writing it too. Among Gen Z fans, a book can inspire thousands of new stories, alternate endings, ships and character arcs. Fanfic authors are uniquely attuned to what will resonate with audiences since they’re fans themselves. OG platform Wattpad is still one of the prime incubators for emerging genres (e.g. hockey romance) and the next hit title. In fact, streaming films The Kissing Booth, After, and My Fault all originally started as fanfic on Wattpad.
Gen Zs expect to step into their favorite stories. Zs are looking to immerse themselves in the worlds they love — visiting literary landmarks, seeking out iconic bookshops and libraries, and even building vacations around the titles they love. Nearly a third of Gen Z travelers in the U.S. say they’ve booked a trip inspired by literary content, according to Skyscanner. In 2026, searches for hotels with libraries jumped, while Vrbo reported growing interest in “readaways”: trips where the main event is, essentially, curling up with a good book.
Photos from left to right: Finding Her Edge Netflix Poster via IMDb, popular fanfiction titles available on Wattpad via Wattpad's official website, woman reading on vacation via SkyScanner
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WHAT IT MEANS FOR MARKETERS
Stop treating readers like a niche audience. Reading has become a highly visible form of cultural participation, giving brands across verticals a reason to build for readers. Brands that aren’t entertainment can be especially creative about drawing in this crowd: Create spaces for book clubs to gather, menus inspired by buzzy titles, or destination experiences that let fans step inside the worlds they love.
Give fans a hand in writing the next chapter. Gen Z is used to remixing the culture they consume, so a finished brand story can feel like a missed opportunity. Create opportunities for their participation: fan theories, alternate endings, character POVs, fancasts, challenges, UGC or fanfic-inspired storytelling. Their passion will create a halo effect for your brand.
Don’t just advertise to fandoms; earn your way in. Gen Z’s strongest communities come with their own language, lore, and insider knowledge, so brands that want in need to be authentically immersed. Coach, for example, galvanized The Summer I Turned Pretty super-fans by going beyond a traditional sponsorship: the brand created a collection inspired by the show’s third season, then worked with Archrival to seed exclusive gifts and experiences directly to fans. The takeaway: a fandom is a community to participate in, not an audience to buy.
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For more on what the next era of culture and community will look like — and how Zs are navigating this new landscape — check out our study on The State of Community.
