Hannah Fasel, Universität Paderborn, Germany:
This contribution argues that the self-help phenomenon should be considered in the context of transmedia storytelling because psychological discourse on social media and traditional analogue formats such as self-help literature are increasingly connected via processes of adaptation. The resulting type of transtext incorporates the grassroots nature of fan content while also maintaining continuity with the original text. Content creators relate self-help literature directly to their own and their audience’s personal experience(s), either via short, serialized videos that reflect and expand segments of books or forum style-discussions on popular social networking sites. To illustrate the interplay between reception and participation, this article investigates how best-selling self-help books, namely Why Men Love Bitches by the American author Sherry Argov and 12 Rules for Life by Canadian author/psychologist Jordan B. Peterson conform and diverge from Henry Jenkins’ typologies of media convergence on the social media platforms Reddit and TikTok and in how far Henry Jenkin’s concept of transmedia storytelling is applicable.