Agnes Kozera is one of the leading visionaries behind the groundbreaking read-watch app Storiaverse, which stated that they’re “revolutionizing how we experience literature and digital storytelling.”
Co-founded by serial tech entrepreneurs David Kierzkowski (CEO) and Agnes Kozera (Chief Content Officer), Storiaverse is set to empower content creators with its innovative features.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Kozera (virtually) to discuss her involvement with the app Storiaverse. We also discussed how the realm of writing and animation has evolved, how writers are looking to establish a portfolio or take the first steps to get their first publication and the potential this app will yield for years to come.
BRENDAN: Thank you for doing this interview. First, please tell us your position, a little about Storiaverse, and your background.
AGNES: Certainly. With “Storiaverse,” we’re pioneering a unique blend of literature and digital storytelling. Our innovative read-watch format enhances the reading experience, immersing you in the story’s visuals. Our stories, spanning multiple genres like fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, and comedy, are bite-sized and continuously expanding. We’re a global community, collaborating with writers and animators worldwide and championing independent artists.
I noticed the variety and everlasting range of content and material. Could you spotlight some writers who have shared and published work through Storiaverse?
So our writers consist of up-and-coming gems who write incredible stories to also kind of like more renowned writers or artists who have written for shows like “Love, Death, Robots,” to writers who are on the New York Times bestsellers list, and everyone in between, and even some who have awards.
I noticed the app also has an animation side. Could you further explain what that is about?
We have animators like hobbyists who have sprung up as influencers by sharing their incredible work on social media. In addition, we also have animators who have current-day jobs with studios; many of them have worked on HBO or Apple shows and have done exciting stuff there. However, we noticed that everyone who works with us is excited to have the ability to create something where they understand that they have full ownership of the entire production process from start to completion, which involves everything from coming up with character designs to crafting style frames and delivering on the vision they want to develop.
What are some reasons you think are contributing to animation finally being given its chance in the spotlight? Does this movement and resurgence of animated material give way to a sense of creative freedom for Animators who work for Storiaverse?
Animation is undoubtedly having a moment, especially as we’re in this period where, you know, it’s no longer just for kids. I think that one of the things that a lot of the animators say that they love about Storiaverse is that they get to work on adult stuff; they’re uncensored, and they are allowed to delve and dive into topics that are a little bit more complex, with multilayered characters, and twisting and turning plots, that keep the reader guessing and at the edge of their seat. It’s a culmination of more severe elements, which is fun for them.
This app is a great launching pad and starting point for those looking to create their portfolios. Would you like to speak on that as well?
We strive to give creators an outlet that will provide a platform to showcase their incredible talent. It’s a place where anyone can showcase their work. For many writers, it’s challenging to get their work published and experience monetization from it. Most are used to submitting stories or other content to niche journals that a lot of this generation never gets to see and don’t know where to access them. So we try to bring that forward, which is built into the value of the writer’s dream of getting the words off the page and seeing their characters come to life.
So together, we allow them to do that. We also have animators who are writers themselves, who are now bringing their own stories to the platform and animating them. If you look at the platform, you will see that the diversity present is not only in terms of voices but also in the styles and looks of the stories. It’s meant for every project to be felt as a celebration of art and remembered as authentic in its own right. Ultimately, we want each publication to stand alone as a unique experience.
One significant takeaway was that Storiaverse is quite simple to use. The UI keeps the user engaged while immersing them, but its visual reading style is the brilliance. Was that envisioned from the start or evolved over time?
We tried to modernize our reading practice, and the presence and style of visual reading have yet to be revolutionized since comics. And so, we saw an opportunity to bring different multimedia components to make it more immersive and engaging. We also wanted to verticalize it because whatever platform you use digitally, even when reading a book, the presentation has the user flipping pages; it’s still very archaic. We saw an opportunity to make it a social experience, one in which we can elevate and keep the reader engaged and focused on the story unfolding, heightened by the animation.
Everyone always says that a good book will pull you in. As we all know, stories take the mind to different worlds due to elements of creativity, emotion, and value. With the inclusion of the animation working in tandem with the narrative, was it your goal to keep the user entranced?
The experience is this combination that pulls you deeper and takes you into the characters’ worlds visually and through the writing. For example, the character’s thoughts or explanations for why things are the way they are in a particular story or world can be shown, expressed, and made clear to the point where you’re watching a film. It taps into a lot of the senses, which highlights some of the feedback that our initial users have praised the simplification of creating this element of assistance in allowing many not only to visualize everything that happens in the story but also to witness as well, through the serialized esque structure and the accompaniment of the animation-which is exciting for us to hear.
Could you speak about your partnership with Harper Collins Publishing?
The HarperCollins Partnership is an exciting opportunity that allows us to precisely expand on our goal of bridging incredible literature and exceptional writing with striking visuals. This will enable us to modernize the nature of reading while bringing a new audience to literature that may have yet to be discovered.
I feel it’s appropriate to ask what’s next in the future and what the end goal is. Are you trying to bring to life older content from the past or create a shared universal experience for all?
With such a proliferation of incredible content, whether short-form novels or otherwise, we can serialize or do something exciting. So that’s exactly the opportunity. For us, it diversifies our content library, allowing people who are more akin to visuals to get into reading and vice versa. So, it’s the start of something exciting that helps modernize reading while doing something that hasn’t been done: reinvigorating existing and old and new titles.
Have you considered branching out and allowing other submissions to other genres besides narrative writing?
We can extend this new read-watching format beyond animation and experiment with other filmmakers and genres. Suppose you think about true crime, documentaries, educational content, or even nature and space. In that case, there’s an opportunity to expand and modernize this content in this new way.
What was your dream when you set out on this journey to begin planning on how to create Storiaverse? Has it become everything you envisioned and described? Or is there one more element you want to break the ceiling on?
I think, you know, we want to be the biggest platform for storytelling, incredible storytelling, and get people reading again, whether you’re a reader or watcher. It’s an opportunity to unite both sides and offer something that has never been achieved.
I noticed that writers and animators can apply for or submit their work to be published for monetization. Please also touch upon the selection process; for example, what qualifies?
It’s straightforward, as we are a platform and not a studio, meaning writers can submit their content, short stories, to us to the platform for consideration. Once accepted, we match them with animators who can choose what stories they want to work on. It reflects how we want everyone to be excited and work on things they genuinely care about and feel passionate about. Compensation varies depending on whether it’s an original story or a reprint, so it varies for writers. In the case of animators, likewise, it depends on how many animation scenes there are, what style and the progression of what’s occuring within the story, and whether there’s a ton of action or not. So, it depends on these intricate details that we handle on a case-by-case basis.
How vital is creator monetization and public recognition for writers and animators?
Creator monetization is our top priority. I come from the Creator space, starting with YouTube and then podcasting. So, we see value in the creator economy, and our goal is to help them monetize and thrive. And we’ve seen coming from the creator space, like an evolution of the creator to become more of a professional using these platforms to showcase their talents. Through that, they’re becoming influencers by accident, but we want to help them monetize and celebrate this artwork.
As time progresses, how will the monetization system evolve?
We’re looking into including other forms of monetization on the platform as we grow our audience. For example, merchandising, advertising, and certain forms of subscription down the line, but we’re still determining that. Still, we’re actively thinking and strategizing how to help these incredible talents monetize their work and receive the recognition they are rightfully bestowed.
I think this is a great platform; it’s straightforward to use, the stories are well-written, and the animation is top-tier. With all that being said, some of these stories on Storviaverse could one day be adapted into films or other media variations. Could that happen?
That’s also the opportunity for writers and animators to get that exposure, create great content, and, hopefully, have the chance to branch out and do even bigger things. So, absolutely, we’re hoping that that’s what will happen with some of these stories. But it also happens we’re already hearing from many of our users that they want to see more of a certain world and that they want to see part two of these different stories. So, serializing some of our primary content is the next essential step. We’re already hard at work as that proposal is currently being evaluated and looked at.
Storiaverse feels like an unlimited treasure trove of possibilities; how has the community received it?
We also hear a lot of feedback from some of the users I go to; “you know, I see my kids enjoying content in this format, and I would love to get them reading.” However, it’s limitless regarding the types of stories and voices we are looking for. We are looking for climactic, visual, and unique stories that spark a conversation, have a lesson at the end, or whatever creators want to come up with. We are open to all ideas and hope to showcase creative freedom.
Storiaverse is available for download in iOS and Google Play stores. No purchase is necessary; it’s currently free. To log in, you need to set up an account.
