The vortex of visibility: Platformization and literary practices in an emerging economy

Despite extensive research on platformization's impact on the media and creative industries, how platforms reshape literary practices and cultural texts, particularly in regions beyond the Global North, remains underexplored. Set in Vietnam's emerging market economy, this article examines how book authors navigate the platformization of literary production within the interplay of local publishing norms and global platform capitalism. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Vietnamese published authors and online participant observation, the article introduces the concept of a vortex of visibility , which illustrates how authors are “pulled” toward the platformization of their work, despite the risks entailed. Within this vortex, authors operate at different intensities: those on the periphery mainly observe online cultural trends; those in the boundary layer use platforms to connect with others in literary communities and build social and symbolic capital; while those at the core focus on cultivating fan bases and commodifying their work. Additionally, many authors articulate a belief in “the sacredness of creativity,” a realm of inner integrity where literary work resists platform logics and external pressures. By centering authors in a periphery region of the global creative economy, this article broadens understandings of creative work under platform capitalism, revealing how Global South creators develop hybrid practices that leverage platform affordances while negotiating to protect creative autonomy.