Core Insights - The trend of "shorter dramas with more precision" is becoming a necessity in the online audio-visual industry, with Zhihu's Salted Story emerging as a benchmark for this shift [1][3] - Salted Story's unique short suspense format achieves a breakthrough in narrative tension, artistic value, and social reflection, establishing a new standard for "good stories" in the digital age [1][4] - The 8th "Online Literature+" Conference highlighted the market prospects and future development directions of short literature, gathering industry leaders and experts for in-depth discussions [1][4] Industry Trends - The rise of short-form content is reshaping the online literature landscape, with short stories gaining traction as a new form of literary expression [3][4] - The integration of short stories with contemporary aesthetic demands is creating a new narrative aesthetic, characterized by concise structures and innovative expressions [4][6] - The increasing popularity of short suspense stories is attracting a growing number of readers, with Salted Story leading the charge in producing high-quality content [3][6] Market Dynamics - The online literature market has seen a surge in new works, with 2 million new pieces added in a year, indicating a robust growth in the short and medium-length creation segment [4][6] - Salted Story's content aligns with the fast-paced lifestyle of modern readers, allowing them to consume complete stories in fragmented time [4][5] - The potential for adaptation into various media formats, including short dramas and audio dramas, is significant, with hundreds of Salted Story IPs sold for film rights [6][7] Strategic Developments - Zhihu is enhancing collaboration with short drama production and distribution platforms to launch more high-quality short dramas [7][9] - The establishment of the "Salted Treasure Pavilion" copyright cooperation center aims to streamline the adaptation process for Salted Story's works [7][9] - The overall online literature industry has evolved into a mature ecosystem, generating over 30 billion yuan annually and driving a 300 billion yuan industry chain value [9]