Author–reader engagement in Hausa fiction on digital platforms

The emergence of social media as a publishing platform has significantly expanded the reach and influence of Afrophone literature, particularly Hausa fiction. This paper examines the digital dissemination of Hausa novels through platforms such as Wattpad and WhatsApp, with a particular focus on the serial publication of Ƴar Najeriya (The Nigerian Girl) by Sumayya Abdulƙadir and Madubin Gobe (A View into the Future) by Fatima Bello Bukar. Specifically, it explores the dynamic interplay between the authors and their readers within these digital spaces, paying close attention to the engagement that ensues because of the release of installments. Through a qualitative analysis of reader responses, this study highlights how readers emotionally and critically engage with the author and the narratives and co-construct meaning in real time. By foregrounding the role of interaction in shaping both the literary text and its reception, the article highlights the evolving nature of reader–author relationships and the potential of social media to foster new forms of literary expression in fiction writing.