The Saudi novel: qualitative maturity and prosperity reflected in numbers and indicators

It confirms the high pace of novel publishing and the growing literary presence of Saudi authors at the local and Arab levels, coinciding with the celebration of the International Day of the Arabic Novel, which falls on the twelfth of October every year.

The Saudi Novel

According to the report, the number of novels published by Saudi authors reached 2024. In 2024 AD, there were about (218) novels, recording an increase of 20% compared to the year 2023 AD, so that the Saudi novel continues its rise after years of continuous growth in the literary publishing movement.

This rise comes in light of the support, training and translation initiatives witnessed by the cultural sector, in addition to the incentives provided by literary awards and specialized festivals to Saudi creators.

Expansion of the literary translation movement

The report also addressed the expansion of the literary translation movement, as the works translated within the initiative reached "translate" During the year 2024 AD, there were about (380) works, ranging from literature, philosophy, development, and biography books, which reflects the depth of the Kingdom’s cultural communication with international literary production.

In a related context, the report indicated the role played by local and Arab awards in stimulating the Saudi narrative scene, in addition to the academic programs that teach the Saudi novel in local and Arab universities.

This contributed to the development of the narrative discourse and the analysis of its historical stages from its beginnings in the 1950s, until the contemporary transformations that keep pace with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and explores the relationship of narrative to identity, place, and social transformations.

International Day of the Arabic Novel

The International Day of the Arabic Novel, which was approved by the Council of Arab Ministers of Culture at its meeting in 2016, coincides with the efforts made by UNESCO. To celebrate literature and highlight its role in enriching human creativity and cultural diversity.

The activities of the International Novel Week begin on the thirteenth of October of each year, to enhance the status of this art as one of the established forms of cultural expression in the world.

A number of Saudi cultural associations and institutions interacted with the International Day of the Arabic Novel by organizing critical events and seminars on the reality of The Saudi narrative developed and was announced "Professional Literature Society" About organizing eight events in a number of regions of the Kingdom

The most prominent of which are two evenings in Riyadh and Jeddah entitled "The Saudi novel…our story to the world 2025"and"The secret life of the novel…witnessed and witnessed"And an evening in Mecca entitled "Density and extension in novel narrative"And a third in Al-Qassim entitled "The novel…the soul’s journey through words"

Increase in novel production

The city of Taif also hosts an evening entitled "The novel between reading and the eternity of interpretation"In Dammam, an evening will be held entitled "The narrative experience between a man and a woman"As for the northern border, it will host a lecture entitled "The novel… the biography of the scientist"The association also organizes a lecture in Jizan entitled: "The Saudi novel and levels of cultural patterns"

Literary writers and critics confirm that the rise of the Saudi novel in recent years represents the fruit of a broad cultural movement led by state institutions, the Ministry of Culture, and the Literature, Publishing and Translation Authority.

They pointed out that the increase in novel production and the expansion of the base of readers and translators reflect the novel’s transformation into a mirror of the modern Saudi experience, and an expression of Its social and human diversity.