The China Internet Writers Village. [Photo/Gao Ya for Tide News]

In Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, there's a unique "village" that cultivates stories instead of rice.

Known as the China Internet Writers Village, this hub in Binjiang district has become a cradle for some of the country's most recognizable online literature.

Since its launch in 2017, the village has grown from a small cluster of writers into a thriving community of over 300, many of them among the nation's top internet authors.

Helping writers create better stories is one of the platform's key goals, according to Shen Rong, general manager of its operations. Because inspiration often comes from real life, the village regularly organizes field trips for authors to explore China's natural beauty and cultural heritage.

To support writers further, the village offers an "intellectual property fast track" service that assists with content creation, project incubation, promotion, copyright transactions, and adaptations into film, TV, animation, and games. This pipeline strengthens connections between authors and the broader online literature market.

In its latest initiative, a contest was held to explore how artificial intelligence-generated content can be applied to animation scripting and character design. The event attracted young writers and enterprise representatives eager to explore new frontiers in IP development.

Shen said the village has always encouraged authors to turn stories into products and transform themselves into entrepreneurs. Through the platform, he added, online writers are no longer passively selected — they can create their own opportunities, ensuring good works are seen, appreciated, and transformed.