Are visual novels an evolution of the medium?

I heard once that people who can't write or sell scripts become failed writers who invade literature. Truth or not, these days, they can also become visual novel authors.

There was a time in my youth when I wanted to be a novelist myself. What changed? Well, I haven't published anything. I did write some stuff, but never published. But that's not the point.

The point is that the times, they are a-changin’ and we can gain something from it, I guess.

Before I have written a newsletter, I thought that the only way to exist as publishing author is to publish a book "by the book": get an agent (optional), get a publisher, let them print my text, get a percentage from it, and be happy when (if) I see my book on the shelves.

Recently, I learned of self-publishing (a way loathed in my previous bubble for lack of editors and quality). None of the new (as in self-publishing) authors were read by my old bubble, but they were read by some people.

The world suddenly became bigger, with two bubbles neighbouring each other. Not only can they exist near each other, but they also share many interests, but not the source of satisfying their interests. One group likes conventions, the other does not (I think?). Some don't read self-published books, the others do. They look similar, but they are not the same. And the funny thing is, authors in both bubbles can make a decent amount of money.

Which leads me to discovering America, but what if making visual novels was another way of publishing a book?

Sure, it's not the same. A book is still only a text. A visual novel requires assets, both graphic and sound. To publish a book, you might need a smaller team (or just different competencies). You can self-publish a book alone, while in order to make a visual novel, you need to be the writer, artist, and composer.

There's a bigger chance of needing a whole team in the second case.

Also, there's no way visual novels will replace or succeed the book market. Just like e-book readers did not remove the paper book market. And neither did movies, TV, or radio shows.

In the end, all of them create their niche market. And the most profitable (movies) and least costly to make (paper books¹) will dominate anyway.

There's only one problem. I can see myself as someone making a Visual Novel engine. Or even inventing a story concept. But I sure don't see myself writing the story, after programming everything around it, at least. Dilemmas, dilemmas.

1. Feel free to call me out on my bullshit, I'd love to read an expert’s take!