Literature in the Soap Opera

SUERTE DE VIVIR holds for me the fundamental charm of stimulating interest in books, reading, literature.

The Brazilian soap opera has known how to combine the usual resources of this audiovisual product to introduce the editorial environment, its challenges through attractive characters and plots that appeal to traditional conflicts, in times when so many become addicted to the least edifying social networks, although thousands of titles can be "downloaded" from various platforms.

SUERTE DE VIVIR has removed my dissatisfaction, for many years, regarding the promotion of reading despite the huge effort to publish books, the number of awards that recognize authors, having created publishing houses in all provinces, the honest will of fostering the cultivation of an exercise that stimulates brain activity, intelligence and the enjoyment of new perspectives such as the act of reading, when it comes to respected works for their literary worth, their ability to reveal mysteries of human action, or the hidden potential to face the punches of existence or the fantasies of parallel worlds or science fiction that anticipates realities.

Television, radio could take advantage of all those long informative magazines to mention at least what books are in bookstores, more book reviews could appear in existing publications, both in print and digital mode, the likely readers should meet, at least, those consolidated writers with fundamental prizes and be attracted by synopses of their works that arouse interest.

Of course, there are some other spaces on radio and television that refer to authors and books, several "face-to-face throughout the country, groups on digital platforms, but just one of the distinctive aspects of the communication of this era is the fragmentation of the process, the diversity of options from the multiplicity of channels, radio stations, websites, social networks, even in countries with great financial and economic difficulties like Cuba.

Such characteristics require multimedia communication strategies that should be put into practice before events like the proximity of the International Book Fair, so that in all existing media, the titles that can be purchased in the different scenarios are advertised, using literary hierarchy.

If when there is a film, theater or music festival the announcements were plenty beforehand, the information of those who will participate, the same should happen before the most notable festival of books.

SUERTE DE VIVIR has made me look at how books, authors, and literature are spreading because it’s precisely to call attention to these issues that is one of the visible objectives of the Brazilian telenovela.

The leading female character, in the face of contradictions, challenges, doubts, usually says: Get organized, Paloma, and that is an important condition when it comes to taking advantage of existing possibilities to contribute to the promotion of reading, optimally organizing the available resources.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff