KillerHemboy authors get writer's block or just lazy(apparently, it has happened). In that case, they lose all the investment they put in the author's book.
Mad Snails? Is this the chance for that legendary book to continue?
ORIGINAL AUTHORS: Something all of you need to know.
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I don’t know who to believe anymore lol. I guess best way to do it is just hand it to a Lawyer before signing anything..
ThyUnknownSaint This is true and from a trusted source, but it seems there are revision. Perhaps you can 'negotiate' to certain extent.
Let me clarify something in here... This is not an employer-employee relationship.
This is a contractual relationship, where one takes advantage of the other. PS the country where the legal battle would take place should be HK, as it states in the contract that it is written under HK laws.
Will keep this thread up despite the gross misinformation. As Alemillach has shared, the OP's information is just hogwash.
Original authors are free not to sign the contract.
I would like to point out that Alemillach was flown out for "free" because webnovel paid for it. But I remember the contract that said the cost would come out of his next monthly pay check.
If it's all misinformation, then make the contract public. 1 post and all misinformation gets sorted out.
I posted the same thing myself.
This is really not about how "bad" the contract is or how it's "fine" as long as you're doing it in "good faith"... man.
It's about how backward thinking the people that are running this site are. Business is business, I get it. It is fine not to conform to the western ways especially when your roots are from China, I get it. But what pisses the living crap out of me is how bad you people are at treating your customers, the readers, and now even the young writers with the passion to do writing. One of the reasons why art is not being taken seriously...
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Everyone had different situation. This is my opinion.
NinjaScroll First 200k words are free
For a note that is around 2 of the first Harry Potter books. So for readers, if a story you read goes premium, then please remember the author has given 2 free books. I believe it started as China 200k characters but English word is harder than Chinese Character (well English has "to" to increase word counts). Nevertheless, this should benefit readers. (Also there is some rule of 'popularity', so not all novel with 200k words can be premium.)
NinjaScroll When you sign, they have the licensing rights to your novel so they can sell it anywhere.
This is normal. Even WN need to license translation novels from Qidian.
NinjaScroll If you earn under $200, they do not have to pay you.
If you earn over $200, they can delay any payment for up to 3 months.
This is normal in business. Walmart also delays, Amazon also delays. I even delay my supplier payment similar some stores delay the payment to me. We even have a delay to pay tax. The matter is duration.
NinjaScroll While under contract, if they ask you to do a book signing in China/Ph etc, then you must attend at your own expense.
This is rebuked. Ale is in China on Webnovel's cost. (Waiting for the Photo though @Sunnnyy similar to this https://forum.webnovel.com/d/7959-sunny-s-diary-part-i) (Yet, check the contract when one get it.)
NinjaScroll While contracted, they can tell you "suggestions" on how to make your story better for the readers (They tell you what to write).
If you can not comply with their "suggestions" they have the right to terminate your contract.
This is similar to Japanese Mangaka. A company also 'need' to direct certain manga. Perhaps 'terminated' them earlier if it is unpopular, etc and move the author to better prospect project. perhaps forced them to be 'prolonged' to milk more money. A company might know the market more than an author. Nevertheless, this is the reason for 'typical' style in each publisher company.
This might be bad for an 'artist' author.
NinjaScroll While contracted, they can hire someone else to write instead of you.
Perhaps it is because of Tales of Demons and Gods and MadSnails. Is it a 'ghost writer' writing it now? Since MadSnails made a new pen~name. Want more of this novel! If this is as Ale said then it is good.
NinjaScroll If terminated, you must pay back ALL the money you've earned while under contract + any damage they foresee to charge you with.
Erm... this is impossible clause. Almost no chance for WN to win outside China and HK. This is the biggest problem. One had to consult with 'lawyer' for this.
NinjaScroll If terminated, they will try to get the copyright of your novel so they can sell it anywhere with 100% profit.
This also needed to be checked when one get the contract. However, most traditional publishers now asked for the copyright. Consult this term with lawyer.
NinjaScroll All sales/ss/ad revenue will be split 50/50 with you and Webnovel.
WOW! This is more than I can imagine. (I thought only SS revenue is shared.) Perhaps this included 'Gift' or donation. Is this included Patreon revenue? (Based on Ale and Kevin, they can't post advanced chapter on any other platform.). Nevertheless, if Ads also given, then it is good.
Perhaps this is what the sweetener that a translator gets (Webnovel Premium is not as profitable compared to Patreon system for now). Nevertheless, this made unpopular novel would find a translator harder tho. All want popular ones. (Readers who made a novel request should consider this).
Warning: This is a good reason to make your collection data better @WEBNOVEL_OFFICIAL. That is a good sign of you have the 'real' data. I know even Wattpad manipulated number of view data. However, please correct the 'collection' bug. It is hard to trust ads and income data if you can't give your correct collections number.
NinjaScroll They have other charges too, so you'll really end up with about 30% of the profit, then if you've got editor/artist that you've got to pay, will become much less.
A bit strange, I believe usually Traditional Publisher handle this. The traditional publisher asked for 85~95% tho instead of 50%. So 30% is a bit higher than what traditional publisher give (5~15%). (I have to admit Traditional Publisher had better reach with offline book and bigger bargaining power with Amazon. Other than Ale, the other contracted authors don't get that good treatment. At least, give some banner advertising or apps ads! Some even readers didn't know the entire contracted novel.).
NinjaScroll All ss revenue will be for paying ss only, any free will not generate any money for you.
This is fair. Free SS is free promotion for readers who can't pay. As a reader, this is good. As an author, this meant you share your book for free. Might not suit some authors who write for his living. This is a big information for readers. Nevertheless the price for 'paid' SS is too expensive.
NinjaScroll This works in China!
This is the source opinion not in the contract. Based on the staff, Original Authors is offered the same contract signed by IET, Er Gen, and many more.
This is better than the slave contract rumor, where it was rumored future novels has to be 'contracted' to WN.
Also even when Outline need to be submitted, could WN stop an author for making it speedier? Author still had power when to end a novel. Not very bad compared to the 'slave' contract rumor.
There are points that an original authors need to considered especially about ownership in case of termination, but most of Original Authors are amateurs who would never have a chance to contract with a traditional publisher. Even traditional publisher want ownership now.
Worst come worst, there is a ghost writer made a fan-fiction with Patreon donation for her version of a popular novel that she used to ghost write.
For those who didn't like see their ownership shared. Self-Publishing in Amazon is the way. Use Webnovel to promote your novel. That is allowed. There is also other sites for promotion.
There is also problem of Webnovel's support to other contracted authors outside Ale. This is actually the worst advertising of Original Author program in my opinion. Even some translation projects didn't have the support as good as Ale.
PS: I have suggested a rotating banner for Webnovel's contracted work (translation and original). You can make app ads with different novels. Readers also would enjoy seeing novel illustration. Webnovel also could introduce more novels to its own readers perhaps making them paying for SS. This only cost in-house designer time.
MasterRabbink Rebuked my ass, I found a screenshot of the part about travelling (from the contract they sent me)
Party B acknowledges and agrees that the costs incurred in organizing various events
in connection with the Work, including but not limited to promotional events held by
Party A from time to time are considered part of Party A's operating costs (to be taken
into account in calculating the Net Income).
Party B = author, Party A = Webnovel
Operating costs come out of party B's paycheck!
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Pegazz Thank you for correction. Then it is shared between an Author and Webnovel.
Sigh... Most company gives free traveling to the staffs for 'motivating'. Perhaps Ale go to China to attend an event not connected with work (that is to report Webnovel to China people but Webnovel can't be accessed in China).
MasterRabbink The traditional publisher asked for 85~95% tho instead of 50%. So 30% is a bit higher than what traditional publisher give (5~15%)
Wth? HAHAHAHA traditional publisher takes 85-95%, are you sure about that? Heck, I should stop writing and start a publishing company then.
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Cobyboy "But that 15% royalty rate has long been the norm for print-publishing contracts."
Got it from internet research. There are many article about that. I just summarized thing. That is written by not Forbes. Amazon is still the king which offer 70% if you join their exclusive contract. (We are talking about traditional publisher which could market your book).
Yup. Amazon had 'destroyed' traditional publisher.
MasterRabbink Noice, the most I have heard of was around 80%. Oh btw, 50% is not really true in Webnovel's contract. It should be 50% of the 70%, which is 35% Hahahaha well, still relatively "better" than traditional publishers.
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Cobyboy There is more resource. Webnovel is actually trying to 'change' the market. The web novel in here is actually Steam 'Alpha'.
The author said he got 41% after blablabla from Amazon.
PS: Wow! a new feature on the forum? That is a link.
Cobyboy MasterRabbink NinjaScroll
This is the old model and while it is true it is no longer the case. Traditional publishers would pay an author an advance and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on printing. They were taking the risk of this cost, that is why authors who were less of a risk got a better deal. I will use $100 as an example to simplify the explanation.
.
Book instore - $100
Retailer - $60 (varies from 40 to 70, 40% margin would be the norm)
.
Publisher costs
book - $30
author - $6
marketing - $5 (varies lets use the industry standard 5% of RRP)
.
Publisher Margin - $19
.
On top of this publishers had to wear return costs from retailers, freight costs both ways and pay for endaps, rebates, price protection etc in retailers. They were not ripping off authors, this was the number it needed to be for the industry to work.
.
Now there are no longer printing costs and especially the upfront cost. This is why publishers are now offering 30-70% to the author. In Amazons self-published case, the author bears all the costs and can recoup up to 70% of RRP minus fees. There are services which print on demand so an author can sell printed books with no massive outlay.
.
On the surface, Qidians contract is not surprising. An author does not have to accept it and they could ask for terms taken out if they wish. Entering into a contract is a negotiation, you don't have to accept the initial terms. 50% is fairly standard for electronic publishing plus they have an excellent platform. There is a benefit to being on the front page almost every day as well which cannot be denied. It is rare for an uncontracted webnovel to be in the top 10 now due to the visibility front page gets webnovels.
.
If you want your freedom. Don't sign it and do what I do.
Royal Road + Web novel (free advertising for me) https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/15614/daedalus
Patreon Advance chapters https://www.patreon.com/skullysln
When you have a few books worth and 10,000 followers goto Amazon.
Thanks Web Novel. You rock.
Alemillach and other top 3 must be getting special contract different from the other thats what I though. They are good author that deserve it anyway so wn must be wanted to earn their favor. It would be different for the other author though. So its case by case I guess its the same in any company. If you have ability the company will favor you over others. Without ability they will oppress with unfair contract.
Puppet_Meister HAHAHAHA those three? They are obliged to not say anything bad though... Don't trust what they are posting. Contract clause,
"Party B shall take all necessary actions to maintain the image of Party A..."
That article is very misleading.
Showing amazon at 41% and comparing it to lulu direct at 80%. Fails to recognise Amazon KDP will sell 1,000,000,000 more units than lulu direct.
Cobyboy
If you don't mind me asking, how well do the amazon sales do? I'm not ready to publish anything there anytime soon, but I was curious how successful WebNovel writers have been on it.