Indiewire.com has an article highlighting a few novelist and screenwriter success stories that began life in the word heavy forums of Reddit, the supposed “front page of the internet.”

https://www.indiewire.com/2021/07/reddit-nosleep-film-tv-adaptations-1234650095/

Kliewer said he also made a two book, high-six-figure deal with a major publishing company; he’s not saying which one, since it’s yet to be announced. The subreddit r/nosleep didn’t just give Kliewer his break; it laid the foundation for the career of his dreams.

Kliewer is part of a growing group of writers who find their big breaks through online mediums that largely circumvent traditional industry gatekeepers. Their success is fueled by executives’ appetite for unicorn IP: material that is proven — in this case, through Reddit upvotes and Kliewer’s strong following on the subreddit — but still feels fresh.