Rant: Why is Webnovel so popular?

[Anonjohn20]

I don't get it. The platform is so anti-consumer. Readers have to download the phone app rather than enjoy it on our browsers and if you're a free reader, then you can only read 1-3 chapters a day (its really awful if the story has short chapters or you like multiple stories on the platform).

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Name of the site.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

• Bots
• China
• Marketing like money is infinite
• WebToons/Webcomics association by company owner
• It wasn't always this way.
• Money
• Solo Leveling & Lord of Mysteries tbh
• Like Sailus said, they copyrighted the name for the entire medium

 

[Tyranomaster]

They also heavily inflate their numbers, so it's not as "popular" as it appears to be. By my estimations, they're multiplying viewership numbers by about 10 times what they actually are. You can look at comment rates on other websites, and see a pretty straight correlation between viewer numbers and comment rates, but webnovel is a much lower amount. It's like tik-tok, they fake the numbers so people feel like "I'm succeeding here and failed in other places, so I'll focus on working here instead." It's a real scummy way to get market share.

 

[ChronicSleeper]

I just don't like Webnovel because theres just so much "werewolf" "alpha" "Royalty" romance series on the top genres of all Fem-protag novels. (Yes ik ppl like it but its just not for me) If I'm browsing fem-protag action, I want ACTION, not romance ?

 

[Rezcore]

Yay! Webnovel hate

 

[Anonjohn20]

Name of the site.

Webnovel.com

• Bots
• China
• Marketing like money is infinite
• WebToons/Webcomics association by company owner
• It wasn't always this way.
• Money
• Solo Leveling & Lord of Mysteries tbh
• Like Sailus said, they copyrighted the name for the entire medium

"It wasn't always this way."
I know. That fact alone makes me angrier.

They also heavily inflate their numbers, so it's not as "popular" as it appears to be. By my estimations, they're multiplying viewership numbers by about 10 times what they actually are. You can look at comment rates on other websites, and see a pretty straight correlation between viewer numbers and comment rates, but webnovel is a much lower amount. It's like tik-tok, they fake the numbers so people feel like "I'm succeeding here and failed in other places, so I'll focus on working here instead." It's a real scummy way to get market share.

Yes, but I'm still really sad when an author deletes his content here to become a webnovel exclusive. Just this week it happened to an author that I thought was rising in this platform.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Webnovel.com


"It wasn't always this way."
I know. That fact alone makes me angrier.


Yes, but I'm still really sad when an author deletes his content here to become a webnovel exclusive. Just this week it happened to an author that I thought was rising in this platform.

Safly, no one just starts rising in popularity on webnovel without some form of signed agreement anymore.

 

[melchi]

They also heavily inflate their numbers, so it's not as "popular" as it appears to be. By my estimations, they're multiplying viewership numbers by about 10 times what they actually are. You can look at comment rates on other websites, and see a pretty straight correlation between viewer numbers and comment rates, but webnovel is a much lower amount. It's like tik-tok, they fake the numbers so people feel like "I'm succeeding here and failed in other places, so I'll focus on working here instead." It's a real scummy way to get market share.

Ewww

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Webnovel.com

I meant the name of the site contributes to popularity. You type "read webnovels" in search and because the site is called WebNovel it pops up first. Maybe not first, but it should be one of the firsts that show up.

 

[melchi]

I meant the name of the site contributes to popularity. You type "read webnovels" in search and because the site is called WebNovel it pops up first. Maybe not first, but it should be one of the firsts that show up.

As with all things, reddit is the first thing that pops up.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

As with all things, reddit is the first thing that pops up.

For me it is WN. ?‍

 

[cabbag3]

As with all things, reddit is the first thing that pops up.

Same.
I guess it's one of those "There are 2 types of Internet users." lol

 

[PancakesWitch]

more than any other reason people name here, it's because of daily updates of several chapters, sometimes 3 chapters a day. This daily entertainment becomes the norm and is addicting to readers. Most readers that spend money are working adults with little time, so most of the time they can't do much other than checking their phone and are too tired to play games, so they either read webtoons or go to webnovel to read novels with thousands of chapters. It's all about infinite content, no matter how much you guys say that the site is shit, the prices are high or something, the content is literally endless and in much more robust quantities than Scribblehub (and where most of the time the novels aren't dropped as often), and obviously even more content than royal road too (where any good novel gets stubbed all the fucking time and they upload like a chapter a week lol).

I'm a Webnovel Author that's been there for 4 years by the way, with more than 10 novels being published (five of them are complete) and it does indeed bring lots of money, it's a rising market that will probably continue growing. However, because of this it is also becoming harder for new authors to find a spot and most of the time their novels flop and earn nothing. Webnovel readers standards have become much higher than before. I'm one of the lucky ones that started earlier and built a fanbase that will always read whatever I write to an extent (as long as it matches their prefered genres) but any new author is going to struggle much more unless they get a lucky golden egg and then become a one trick pony (can't make any other successful novel after their first one)

 

[Paul__Michaels]

more than any other reason people name here, it's because of daily updates of several chapters, sometimes 3 chapters a day. This daily entertainment becomes the norm and is addicting to readers. Most readers that spend money are working adults with little time, so most of the time they can't do much other than checking their phone and are too tired to play games, so they either read webtoons or go to webnovel to read novels with thousands of chapters. It's all about infinite content, no matter how much you guys say that the site is shit, the prices are high or something, the content is literally endless and in much more robust quantities than Scribblehub (and where most of the time the novels aren't dropped as often), and obviously even more content than royal road too (where any good novel gets stubbed all the fucking time and they upload like a chapter a week lol).

I'm a Webnovel Author that's been there for 4 years by the way, with more than 10 novels being published (five of them are complete) and it does indeed bring lots of money, it's a rising market that will probably continue growing. However, because of this it is also becoming harder for new authors to find a spot and most of the time their novels flop and earn nothing. Webnovel readers standards have become much higher than before. I'm one of the lucky ones that started earlier and built a fanbase that will always read whatever I write to an extent (as long as it matches their prefered genres) but any new author is going to struggle much more unless they get a lucky golden egg and then become a one trick pony (can't make any other successful novel after their first one)

Just curious, do you release any of your work on other sites? Or are you exclusive to WN?
Nevermind. I found your stuff on SH. Answered my own question.

 

[Tyranomaster]

more than any other reason people name here, it's because of daily updates of several chapters, sometimes 3 chapters a day. This daily entertainment becomes the norm and is addicting to readers. Most readers that spend money are working adults with little time, so most of the time they can't do much other than checking their phone and are too tired to play games, so they either read webtoons or go to webnovel to read novels with thousands of chapters. It's all about infinite content, no matter how much you guys say that the site is shit, the prices are high or something, the content is literally endless and in much more robust quantities than Scribblehub (and where most of the time the novels aren't dropped as often), and obviously even more content than royal road too (where any good novel gets stubbed all the fucking time and they upload like a chapter a week lol).

I'm a Webnovel Author that's been there for 4 years by the way, with more than 10 novels being published (five of them are complete) and it does indeed bring lots of money, it's a rising market that will probably continue growing. However, because of this it is also becoming harder for new authors to find a spot and most of the time their novels flop and earn nothing. Webnovel readers standards have become much higher than before. I'm one of the lucky ones that started earlier and built a fanbase that will always read whatever I write to an extent (as long as it matches their prefered genres) but any new author is going to struggle much more unless they get a lucky golden egg and then become a one trick pony (can't make any other successful novel after their first one)

I'd like to push back on this to some degree. If you actually look at "valid" webtraffic metrics, webnovel is about comparable to royalroad in usage (maybe 10% more). Obviously, there are some benefits to webnovel, but honestly its more of a sea of mediocrity than unlimited content. I've even stopped going there to try to find anything to read because of that fact. Factor in that their audience is comprised of far fewer westerners, and it's more understandable why people shill out money, pay-for-use is far more common in the east.

I'll reiterate my point that if I look at their valid traffic, and simply compare it to the number of views that get racked up on any given month, people must be reading literally thousands of chapters every time they visit the site for the numbers to make sense. Look, if people want to take Chinese money, that's fine, I don't have qualms with it, and they'll pay people to produce fairly mediocre content en masse. However, what they are probably trying to do is shoulder out western companies so they can manipulate public opinions. They, just like every company that is owned in China, are required to have a representative of the CCP in the company. China will gladly shill out millions a month in order to direct propaganda as "public opinion".

There is a reason that Chinese Tik-Tok is very different from US tik-tok and like 10% of our youth are barely functioning members of society when they graduate thanks to that brainrot. The CCP has plans that they've had in place for over a decade, with payoffs expected decades from now to become the world's leading superpower. Even if it costs them lots of money (and thus labor), they'll gladly do it to try to take over the entertainment industry.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I'd like to push back on this to some degree. If you actually look at "valid" webtraffic metrics, webnovel is about comparable to royalroad in usage (maybe 10% more).

It's not a trsutworthy method, and can't be used to deduce anything, buuuut, just for fun. Google trends show that RR is bigger than WN. ?‍

 

[Astrolust]

The commenters there are literally insane too. I have this one guy that used to read every single chapter and basically just find more and more creative ways to tell me he hated me.

 

[Anonjohn20]

Most readers that spend money are working adults with little time

People with little time would like Webnovel less. If I have time to read a few chapters, I shouldn't have to wait until tomorrow, when I might not have time.

the content is literally endless

Which I'd be happy about if they let me read it.

it does indeed bring lots of money, it's a rising market that will probably continue growing.

This is good at least. I'm glad that you've succeeded. However, for how expensive chapters are, readers would be better off paying kindle unlimited over webnovel. Webnovel's pricing makes it a luxury premium.

Let me make it clear, I don't dislike their authors or their works, but the platform feels predatory.

 

[Tyranomaster]

This is good at least. I'm glad that you've succeeded. However, for how expensive chapters are, readers would be better off paying kindle unlimited over webnovel. Webnovel's pricing makes it a luxury premium.

Let me make it clear, I don't dislike their authors or their works, but the platform feels predatory.

This 100 times over. Maybe for some people, it's the best option, if you're someone who churns out a lot of pulp, then it's probably one of the best places to make money. That said, as far as quality and quantity is concerned, Kindle Unlimited is the best option by far. I'm not a big fan of Amazon as a whole, but what they've done for both paper and digital publishing is arguably as big of a revolution as the printing press was.