Reading stories for pleasure: An insight into Indonesian university students' practice in online reading platforms

Abstract

Reading motivation has been extensively studied in online reading settings. However, little is known about what makes people want to read fiction online, especially in a foreign-language setting. As part of the growth of digital literature and cybernetics, online fiction is gaining popularity among young Indonesians. This research sought to explore Indonesian student-readers’ motivations and preferences as they practiced and were engaged in reading online stories in English. One hundred twelve university students responded to a survey, and 14 were randomly selected for in-depth interviews to learn more about their reading motivations, preferences, and cybernetic literary practices. Analysis of data from the survey showed that most participants chose Wattpad and Webtoon as their favorite online platforms, with romance and fantasy as their favorite genres. They devoted many hours to reading novels on these platforms to seek enjoyment and improve their English vocabulary and language. Nevertheless, data from the interviews further revealed that readers read solely to seek enjoyment and pleasure. Also, readers were primarily silent, unwilling to participate in online conversations between readers and reader-authors but actively rating the novels after reading. Findings contribute to establishing views on online reading motivation and cybernetic literary practices for EFL fiction readers; reading for pleasure is the intrinsic motivation that triggers Indonesian university student-readers to stay online on the platform.