An overview at the relationship between internet and literature

Throughout history, each era has been intertwined with its own media, language, and literature. In the 21st century, the internet, as the media of the age, has brought about certain changes in the production and consumption of literature. There are numerous internet-based sites and blogs focusing on literature that enable writers and readers from all walks of life to come together and create. This allows for shifts in the positions and roles of both writers and readers. For writers, understanding the interests and preferences of readers, and receiving feedback, has become much easier because readers, similarly, can easily express their thoughts on what they read as well as directly reach out to authors. It is essential to question whether printed books and literary production have been affected by all of these changes. The impact of change in these domains is inevitable. Within this framework, in my thesis, I discuss how the internet, as a medium, has influenced writers and readers and whether these effects are reflected in printed works. In order to accomplish this, I first identify the effects of media on art and literature through a literature survey method. Subsequently, I question the possibilities of literary production in internet media. After determining in which areas and in what ways this production takes place , I highlight the importance of the interaction between the internet and literature through a case study method, focusing on the Afili Filintalar group and their blog that was active between 2010 and 2019. I attempt to track reader preferences via literary websites and determine the position of the writer to demonstrate how this interaction has affected writers and readers. I use the close reading method to examine Murat Menteş's novel Ruhi Mücerret and Alper Canıgüz's novel Oğullar ve Rencide Ruhlar from the Afili Filintalar group. Ultimately, it is evident that the internet has offered new opportunities for literary production and consumption, signifying a new dimension for literature. The evolving roles of writers and readers also influence the production of literature. Examining these traces on printed books and finding correlations between new literary culture, the language and content of books is possible. Key Words Internet and Literature, New Media, Literary Production, Author and Reader, Literature Blogs, Literature websites, Afili Filintalar, Murat Menteş, Alper Canıgüz