Webnovel.Forum

I'm pretty sure there are some people here who have contracts with WN, so I'll ask some questions and they'll hopefully be answered. I've also searched a bit and can't find that much info on making contracts with WN.

I've checked on the Help Center and the basic requirements are 50k words and consistency in quality & release rates.

Is there anything I need to take into account if I want to apply for a contract? For instance, the reviews that I get and it's popularity in the power ranking.

If it's not too much, may I ask those with contracts on their pay? This is a sensitive topic, but I just want to know the range of pay after getting a contract.

What other benefits can we get with the contract? Can we get editors to check our work before we publish them?

I've seen somewhere before that the basic requirement per month after making the contract is 100k words. Does this still apply?

Does the contract mention anything about getting a % commission from the SS that are used on your novel?

Thanks. Hopefully, these questions are answered.

I'm just gonna leave a quote here from the Webnovel Writers discord server.

"Hello dear writers, if your novel is in top 350 of power ranking, and if you would like to work with Webnovel, you could fill in this form to apply for a contract over your novel: https://forms.gle/DffkPpvWeqU41UjC9
You could also look at this for reference with regards to signing:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17BiltZicKEOhbLSS6utEd6kahv7_-0QI2dBky5x0R-g/edit?usp=sharing
Have a good day/night!"

Alliosis just get at least a million views with at least a thousand collections... you'll get offered a contract 100 percent... about the pay... they have that on the site... let me check...

Alliosis Minimum Guarantee System
Here comes the new Contracted Works Minimum Guarantee System!

We will ensure that every royalty-contracted work that goes Premium in the first four months will receive at least US$200/month if the revenue you earn is less than US$200/month. But in this case, the author needs to release at least 40,000 words (premium chapters) every month. So in the first four months, your contracted works can earn US$800 to US$1600.

Note:

40,000 – 59,999 premium words: US$200/month

60,000 – 79,999 premium words: US$300/month

Over 80,000 premium words: US$400/month

Requirements:

Contracted works; Going premium; The first four months.

Apart from creating new works on Webnovel, we also welcome authors to post their past works on the Webnovel platform! More people will notice and enjoy your works here!

Authors with excellent completed works will be given priority for contracts.

Fellow Daoists, let's get it!

Alliosis you only get "A CUT" on purchased SS... free ones don't count... gl and dream big

xWangan Thanks! I didn't join the discord server so I didn't know.

Immovable087 Thank you! This is very helpful!

Alliosis I think the most important criteria to be offered a contract is quality of the work itself. For example, there's this one story that I've been following since it was first posted. Last week, the story's gift function became available. So I could only assume that it got contracted. The author's update is super unstable. There was a time that she only posted two updates a month. But despite that, she has loyal readers (including me lol). During the time that her updates were slow and all over the place, she never go below top 300 in the power rankings. Her novel probably got contracted around chapter 30 something. Now, her updates became more stable. She actually promised us readers 3chaps a week. And we're already super happy at that because we already experienced the two updates a month. 3chaps a week is a super upgrade. I guess because she got contracted, she finally felt a bit responsible. LOL.

Her writing quality is really good. That's why I think she got contracted. So sometimes it's not really about the quantity of the chaps you release. If you post two chaps a day but the quality is not that good, then it probably won't go anywhere. Quality is always better than quantity. As a reader, that's more important for me.

Good luck with your writing, author-san!

Sighgray wow what's her novel called? lol. I, myself is being lazy and only updating 1-2 chapters each month.

Alliosis It's NoGift. Here's the link if you want to check it out; https://m.webnovel.com/book/11653172006457405

I think it's okay to have slow updates. As long as you gather enough loyal readers, they won't drop your novel.

Sighgray do every contract novel get gift?

I'm going to add this to the Welcome New Writer thread. A lot of useful information has come out of this discussion that might help with another newcomer's question on this matter.

ThyUnknownSaint Yes c:

ThyUnknownSaint Yes c:

Alliosis, if more than million views , quick updates and good reviews are the qualifications, then it makes me feel that one day my dream will finally come true.

Immovable087 Damn, I don't think I can go 40,000 words in one month. Some of my chapters ranges only 700-1200. They sent me a message 4 days ago for the contract and the outline is due today. However, I don't have some of the requirements that were needed for the contract, I don't have a bank account. Sadly for me. Better luck next time, then. Sigh.

Furthermore, I still don't understand some the thongs that were written on the contract so I'm kinda scared.

If you're a contracted author please enlighten me.

Immovable087 I read the contract carefully I'm ready to sign but my problem is I don't have a credit card or something to receive the money hahaha. Thanks for the info tho :">

I received an offer, which I declined. Writing is my hobby and I don't want to be bound to a contracted amount of writing. Anyway, there are two potential dealbreakers.

Important: If you plan to write for Webnovel only, then those two problems 100% cease to be problematic.

1) The licence is perpetual. That means that if the novel bombs here (ie no readers) then you're still never ever allowed to take it elsewhere. In the western (US and British) publishing market this is a dealbreaker.

2) You effectively sign over you world (but not the novel you're contracted for) to Webnovel. They want to write a sequel taking the story in an unintended (according to your plans) direction, then they have the right to write that sequel. That's effectively the same as signing off your copyright. Once again a dealbreaker in the western world.

However, to reiterate; if you're happy pumping out 40k+ words a month for a perfectly decent pay, then, honestly, do you believe you'll have the time to write anything else set in that world, or to go shopping for a new publisher for that (on average bloody horrible) novel you blew five years earlier?

If you view writing for this site as a really cool job where you get paid for doing what you probably like most -- writing, then maybe copyright and eternal contracts aren't that important after all.

There's also a minor problem that I did contact Webovel about. You're responsible for taking down your novel if it gets published somewhere else. That, ironically, includes the sites that scrape Webnovel for content and publish it. That, no matter how you look at it, simply is not OK.

StenDuring Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. What 'if' readers don't like the story, got bored and even dropped it. What happen after that? You may get less or nothing at all while they got the your novels rights. It's kinda risky. I also decline the offer one of the reason is I don't want someone to have the rights to my novel, second is that I don't have a credit card, haha.

Same here, writing is my hobby. But sometimes when real life beaten you down and you're lacking with financial life really gets hard and the road gets so bumpy haha.

I'm still searching for a job while I'm still in college. Hard to find a job though since they want someone to have a bachelor degree.

Ah, I'm so depress. Sigh. I need someone to talk to.

MinxMean Oh, thanks for info! :)

SEVEN

The novels you're most attached to is most likely early, and for that reason not very good, works. With skills you could pretty much design a world with characters that you basically only care for as long as you're actually writing the story.

That translates into the perfect match with the contract here. You like your story and care for the writing as long you're writing it. Cash in and never look back at the story the day you decide to drop it or simply finish it. Ie, copyright basically becomes pointless.

Think of it as being a contracted writer for Wizards of the Coast writing in one of their Dungeons and Dragons setups. They have, for pretty reasonable reasons, all the rights. You're creating officially recognised fanfiction after all.

Just don't contract a story that's truly important for you peronally here. It's a big no-go.

StenDuring Yup, very true. I was thinking about that! Sad for me though, No ID, No card, I have none! XD

StenDuring Yup, very true. I was thinking about that! Sad for me though, No ID, No card, I have none! XD

StenDuring But what if you can't take down the novel down even though you message the hosting site? There are a lot of aggregator sites after all.

StenDuring True, it's a "Web Novel" after all. Something similar to making money out of rough drafts like Syosetu, making cash at the side seems like a good idea and no need to vex like in a serious story

SEVEN ID doesn't technically mean driver license, as long as it's some identification. It's pretty easy to get one you just have to pay a fee and make an appointment at the dmv or something. As for a bank, it's a similar yet more serious process. Just take it slow and you'll eventually get one, but are you like a foreigner in your country or don't live in the u.s? It's no wonder it's hard then

SEVEN how old are you? I specially created a new bank acc just for this. if u can, choose the bank that had go internasional so it will be easier ( i think, idk anything about banking)

It wont take you that long to create a bank acc, you just need (bank's requirement) amount of money to put into your bank acc for the first transaction.

No need credit card

Swift code is a code so they could transfer the money internationally(?)

I also just signed, the copyright is still yours (if im not wrong). I think it is fun that u can make your hobby as a part time job.

They didnt require you to upload the exact amount of words

You can chat me if you want: my discord: al7773

SEVEN how old are you? I specially created a new bank acc just for this. if u can, choose the bank that had go internasional so it will be easier ( i think, idk anything about banking)

It wont take you that long to create a bank acc, you just need (bank's requirement) amount of money to put into your bank acc for the first transaction.

No need credit card

Swift code is a code so they could transfer the money internationally(?)

I also just signed, the copyright is still yours (if im not wrong). I think it is fun that u can make your hobby as a part time job.

They didnt require you to upload the exact amount of words

You can chat me if you want: my discord: al7773

al7773 I'm 20, and turning 21 this year. Sorry for the late reply. I have been so busy and haven't check the forum for a while. 2019 has been hard for me. Wish this year would be a good year.

Belated Happy New Year, btw

I am also a contracted writer and I can say that you need to at least have 50k words to apply for a contract. You can simply fill the form to apply for a contract from the help center and submit it. No one knows the fixed criteria on which basis the contract is given.

I also filled that form and got a contract the very next day. It may also take a few days to get a reply from them. But you had to have a required word count and enough views. At the time I got contracted I had views less than a million but need to have at least a sufficient amount of viewership.

And they don't provide to editors to edit your chapters but they could suggest you few things to make your novel better and it depends on you to use their suggestions or not. They can help you to find a one if you want but you need to deal with the editor yourself and pay then.

Getting into a contract does not bind you in any way. It only encourages writers to write more sincerely and make our novel better. And what's better to get paid for the thing we have started for fun?

Idk about others but I completely started to write a novel for fun but becoming a contracted writer, encouraged me to write more sincerely. You should try to fill the form if you have at least 50k words. I hope you get contracted soon.

SEVEN np

Hope u have a great year ahead too

Kamlyn Can you tell me how much you earned when you just started as a contract author?

I got a contract from Webnovel the other day and I don't know whether I sign it or not

@yaoyueyi old thread necro'd