Since we seem to be getting a lot of new writers here. Fantastic. Thought to put together a post to help a newbie out. A lot of this information supplements the Official FAQ Guide: https://sites.google.com/view/webnovel-faq and Inkstone QRG

So, You Want to Publish A Book Here

Excellent. You can do so by clicking the [create] button top-left of the main Webnovel page and filling in the sign up or sign in details.

More details about the platform and support can be found here > Help This link can also be found in Inkstone under the "Assistants" menu near your profile picture.

BOOK COVER GUIDE - A SERIOUSLY SERIOUS GUIDE
It's a stuck item, but seems to be a common question regardless. Details for setting a cover is on the link below.
Book Cover FAQ (an actual, serious guide)

Notes about publishing here:

  • You own your story. Yes, you can still cross-platform your story to other sites (e.g post here and Wattpad etc). Webnovel has graciously allowed us to post and share for free under a hosting type of agreement. Webnovel only holds exclusive rights once you sign to their contract.

  • You can't delete your novel. Inkstone doesn't have this capability. If you want to delete your book, clear everything out, put a delete label of some kind on it and set it as suspended. Staff confirmed books can't be deleted currently.

  • No HTML is available on chapters. Again, Inkstone application isn't built for this. So, this means you can't use bold, italic, paragraph formatting that you can on other sites like Wattpad or Royal Road. To be updated when HTML is rolled out next week. Fingers crossed.

  • Certain text emoji can be used in chapters. Warning on using the types based off Asian text characters (Korean, Japanese, Chinese...). Inkstone has a glitch that if you use Asian based type characters, it'll stop your book for being able to receive votes. If this should happen, send an email to service@webnovel.com with your novel link and an explanation of the problem aka can't vote on your novel using power stones, the button is locked. The process will take a few days to fix.

  • Tags. Recent tag system allows you set your tags when setting up your book details. Note: not all tags will show on the book for some reason. Might still be system upgrading. only show when 10 x others have tagged your story. 10 is the magic reveal number here.

  • Ratings only show when it can average on 10 x ratings given.

  • The rating and review system is a big hit or miss. At least you can delete a spam or troll review. Added note for deleting a review. There is a lot of debate on what is an acceptable reason for deleting a review, but no official directive. So, if you do decide to delete just be mindful that you are removing the expressed voice of another. Since another person is involved, it may cause some further discussions elsewhere like here.

  • Non contract stories have a harder time being featured. It's possible, but you need to satisfy the basic criteria (20K+ words, regular daily updates <-fact needs confirmation, high views, high powerstone votes...) and can only have your book featured once only. So, a lot of us use Discord and these forums to self promote.

  • Once you do reach a level of criteria to be featured,
    Go to Discord on the Inkstone server.
    Drop Edgarry a polite private message (see example) with your book link you want featured, asking for your book to be included in features for the week.
    He'll give you a yes or sorry, no.

Some links that maybe useful below:

Swap Reviews

Swap Reviews is the "I review yours, you review mine" type of threads. It's to help build awareness and verbatim to your story. I've compiled a list at Swap Review Thread List,
This initial list dates back to: 01-01-2019

Shameless Promotions
Shameless promotions are promotions of your book. Really, its book promoting. Below are some starter threads.
Please promote responsibly :smirk_cat:

Shameless Promotion Threads
Advertise your novels!
Undiscovered romance novel recommendations!
Promote your original novel here!
Shameless Promotion + Review Swap
Advertise your new books
Original novels
Shameless Self-promotion
Promote your novel
More at this link: https://forum.webnovel.com/d/22540-shameless-book-promotion-thread-list

:stars:

Book Cover Shops
The below links offer a free or pay service for book cover designs.
Poppy Queens' Cover Shop
Free Book Covers
Doing Free Covers
Free Book Covers! For While I'm in a Slump
Free Covers For Your Stories
Free Covers For Your Stories (though this one is closed!)

:stars:

Special Promotion Posts
Tag a story, have your story tagged. To achieve the 10 tag rule, so tags show up on your book
Post your novel links and get tags.
Let's put tags on each other

Stats tracking type of post. Note that this is specific for tracking your view:collections ratio. You can link your story as a title, talk about your book's rankings, popularity, etc..., but no typical book ad promoting.
What is your collection to views ratio?

Below is the only place to share updates to your book with link or advertise new story links on Discord.
Discord Webnovel Server channels: #original_novels_discussion

:stars:

You've Published Your Book. Now to Serious Business.

You've pumped out a number of chapters, gained some solid reviews and readers. It's time for the next step.
How do I score a contract on Webnovel?

  • Check out this post for some tips as current of 14.06.2019 - Contract Questions
  • Webnovel's Official Statement. Although, this is likely to be outdated by now: Link

:stars:

Additional Support Information

How-to Information

  • How Do I Release Stockpiled Chapters on Schedule in Inkstone?

  • How Do I Create A Chapter Volume?

  • What are Auxiliary Chapters For? (post coming soon)

  • How do I Reorder Chapters Thanks guys for this.

  • Filling in a TGIF Mass Release form. Pretty straight forward, you add your Book title, How many chapters?, Release time. From my understanding at seeing this program work for a while. How many chapters? refers to the amount of chapters you will release on Friday and over the weekend maybe. Release time is obviously when. So, if you answered 15 to the how many chapters question and Fri, Sat, Sun to release time question, that means you'll publish 15 x chapters over friday, saturday and sunday. You set the amount and time of release.

Phew! That comes to the end of this spiel.
Hope this post helps kick things off. Let me know if I've missed anything.

    Veronica8 So I Want to Publish Your Book.

    I think i may have spotted a typo or I'm not misunderstanding exactly what you're saying?
    do you mean "so you want to publish your book"?

    also, two more threads to add to your book cover section!
    https://forum.webnovel.com/d/9818-free-covers-for-your-stories
    https://forum.webnovel.com/d/11331-free-covers-for-your-stories (though this one is closed!)

        Note to self. Don't do a help guide semi-blind tipsy

          Note to self. Don't do a help guide semi-blind tipsy

            Veronica8 understandable haha
            i was a bit confused at first since I was like "you're.... publishing books for other people?" :joy:

                yaoyueyi I know. XD That was my crazy fingers fumbling about the keyboard. I laughed when I read that back to myself.

                  Okay. I think I've caught all the typos. My eyes are cramping up. Time to snooze. Shout out if any glaring typos need to be fixed or info corrected.

                  Cheers.

                    Added details on the dreaded vote lock issue.

                      Thank you for the guide!

                      A lot of time and mental resources went into making this and like, I see you. Thank you very much!
                      (It's hard being shameless...the shame....must be swallowed back down...oh the shame. (/;◇; )/ )

                      Added in the Official FAQ, link to Help and Markdown codes.

                        Added in how to request a feature.
                        Mentioned on cross-platforming

                          Veronica8 Wow. When you procrastinate on your updates, you come up with some awesome stuff.

                          When I procrastinate, I vegetate.

                            Veronica8 Non contract stories have a harder time being featured. It's possible, but you need to satisfy the basic criteria (20K+ words, regular daily updates <-fact needs confirmation, high views, high powerstone votes...) and can only have your book featured once only. So, a lot of us use Discord and these forums to self promote.
                            Once you do reach a level of criteria to be featured, go to Discord on the Inkstone server and drop Edgarry a message with your book link you want featured, asking for your book to be included in Trending Original features for the week. He'll give you a yes or sorry, no.

                            Wait. Just to confirm.

                            Only ONCE? As in, once it's featured, you can never ask for it to be featured again?

                            Also, a totally noob question because I really do not know how to use Discord: when you say drop Edgarry a message, do you mean just tag him when chatting in the discord channel or private message him?

                            Thanks! Awesome guide, btw.

                                PsyberRose Thanks. When I'm a PC, I'll elaborate.

                                Yeah, by my own experience, it was once. Who knows things might have changed and we haven't been updated? Until its told officially otherwise, feature for non contracted is once (maybe twice if you sneak in way down the track and it's slipped off the radar).

                                    Web Novel Novel Ask