They probably have a bunch of data and are trying to guide people to whatever they're convinced will get people to break down and give them money for. I have no idea about the demographics here but I imagine that if there's a ton of women reading that they'll tailor their promotions to what women want to read. The fact that Webnovel has a relatively large amount of male-centric novels is quite interesting considering how Wattpad feels like a "NO BOYS ALLOWED" zone to me.

And on a related note Wattpad introduced an equivalent to Spirit Stones, called Wattcoins, though I have no idea if they function under the same pay-as-you-read model or if they want you to buy complete works all at once.

Clowniac

Clowniac Lol. I'm starting to think you have a crush on me, Michael. <3

Clowniac And ad hominem is fun.

Pity you think so.

Tomoyuki

You're absolutely right. I was heavily UI last night, and mishandled my pidgin English filter. I guess I was just looking for an excuse to show off my drunken eloquence. That's usually punished the next day...

            Clowniac Would it be so unreasonable to ask Webnovel to recommend a distribution of works similar to their actual product offerings? It may not be very profitable on the individual works themselves, but I would think that increasing reader retention would be more important which in the long run generally leads to more sales from brand loyalty (is that a thing anymore).

            As a side note, I think the problem I've had with MxM novels is that they generally read like a fujoshi's wet dream. Has that changed? Are other LGBTQIA generally better?

              Clowniac you say hundreds, but I'm yet to see more than 5 novels that we can call good ones. And when I say 5, I really mean it regardless of your/mine taste in literature.

              While I agree with you that people need to search more and that the quality of WN is not falling, I'm also compelled to say that it was never great to begin with.

                  Tbh, as long as the story is well written, it isn't really a problem for me to read LGBT themed novel.

                  Well, when it comes to modern contemporary romance, webnovel seems to stuck for the same type of CEOs novels where the MLs are cold, ruthlessness and too perfect while the FLs are the unlucky the deserted ones.

                    TheCabbageLu If "perfect" entails rape, domestic abuse, emotional violence and other sorts of awful behavior, then...I don't know what to say, man.

                    I'm a guy and even I'm disgusted by the way these "perfect" CEO treat the female protagonists.

                        Malakacrazy

                        Perhaps I should have said dozens, rather than hundreds. That said, there is a whole squad of talented writers lurking in the shadows on this site that are going woefully unnoticed by wider audiences, like Gd_Cruz, FattyBai, and JohnnyKCBA. If you wanna support writing that is better than the low-bar average on here, try throwing The Foolhardies, Alma, or Duality a follow. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

                          As a writing site grows larger, it will naturally attract its share of new and unique writers.

                          As long as categories, tags, and genres exist to limit your searching, there is no problem with new writers joining in.

                          No one is forcing you to enjoy a story you have no interest in, so don't worry about it. Also, this site is still dominated with Fantasy. It just so happens a few of the top stories are more Romance themed, and have attracted a few others with similar minds.

                          I won't speak on the quality of these new stories, of course, but there is nothing inherently wrong with attracting writers from other sites. Use the search and categorize function, it's a miracle.

                          Honestly? Yes it is. But not because of romance or lgbt novels.
                          The reason it is looking more and more like wattapad is due to a lack of control over original writers.
                          On that there’s 3 main points I wish they were more rigorous about.

                          1- Bad grammar and plot. ~ not being a native english speaker is understandable but some novels are so badly written that it won’t cut as an excuse. Like, google translated? And written one chapter at time not even knowing where the plot is going off to.

                          2- MATURE CONTENT. Obviously we don’t want censorship here. But. There are some novels out there... boy... they do make me wish they were censored. XD
                          No, seriously, calling them a teenager virgin’s wet dream... is nowhere enough. It’s so bad is even hard to laugh. Like, 3rd rate p•rn is less worse than it. Sure it is also applicable to overdramatized romance that beat mexican telenovels. They are both clearly written by immature writers who put themselves on the MC shoes and use the novel to realize their romantic/se•ual fantasies.

                          3- The lack of compromise with their novels. I’m sick and tired of how many dropped novels there is. As soon they get a block or even get tired of the plot (or don’t know how to keep their teenage fantasy going) they just drop it and start a new one. They even have the gut to promote the new work on the dropped one! I legit gave up on originals cuz you never know when it will be suddenly dropped. Even if it’s popular. Even if it have good comments. There is nothing to assure us they will not just start another one and drop the current one.

                          In a nutshell. Webnovel still lack the equilibrium between giving authors freedom and demanding the quality and commitment we expect from novels published in this platform. And I hope they work this out...

                          Also, about lgbt novels. Surprisingly they usually have a better writing quality then BG novels. The only reason they are criticized is due to an (usually male) fear of reading about 2 guys liking each other or having s•x. That per se is bullsh•t. Apart of the same gander they are usually more romantic and tame (mature content wise) than romance and harém novels. There’s actually fewer cases of ra•e, intoxicated s•x, multiple lovers and all that crap there...
                          If people could loose the fear of “turning gay” or being judged by reading them they would find pretty good novels there. Be it action, drama and comedy they are usually balanced and well written (even more so compared with the teenage fantasy ones).

                          Kisses and good reading.

                            Tomoyuki Oh I get you man... as a woman I feel even worse about it. I can’t wrap my head on how it became popular. Is kind like a twisted version of Prince Charming? There’s few of the CEO kind I like. Priceless baby’s super daddy is one of them, exactly because the ML acts like a decent human being for a change. XD
                            There are a couple others tho... is hard to swallow. The CEO and the harém cases can get pretty extreme.

                                Nizze I agree with most of your post.

                                There is a very fine line that is walked between allowing anyone to post Original content and having it controlled and monitored like the contracted Originals.

                                As things are right now, anyone with a registered account could go to the Create button on the top of the screen and begin posting their chapters. There are no regulations. I, personally, enjoy a system like this. I also understand how it can create a lack of responsibility, though.

                                Original writers, especially those who aren't Contracted, have nothing keeping them around. They write for fun, after all. It's a hobby.

                                The only way to prevent Originals from being dropped it forcing an arbitrary limitation and contract onto the writer, and even that will simply scare many writers away (rightfully so).

                                I'm guilty of dropping a story for over 6 months, personally. I ended volume 1 and took half a year hiatus before even returning back to this site.

                                Nizze CEO stories are the embodiment of the 'Power Fantasy' trope. The male having all the power. It's the fantasy of having power over somebody else. Alluring the beautiful and lonely single woman into falling in love with you.

                                It's the reason why 50 Shades of Gray became as popular as it did. I don't agree with it, but that's fact.

                                      JVenior I'm pretty sure CEO stories are aimed at women, not men. So the power fantasy trope doesn't work out. If anything, it's more of the fantasy of an "ordinary" girl being able to "tame" the rich, bad boy and make the supposedly unobtainable hers.

                                          Nizze 3- The lack of compromise with their novels. I’m sick and tired of how many dropped novels there is. As soon they get a block or even get tired of the plot (or don’t know how to keep their teenage fantasy going) they just drop it and start a new one. They even have the gut to promote the new work on the dropped one! I legit gave up on originals cuz you never know when it will be suddenly dropped. Even if it’s popular. Even if it have good comments. There is nothing to assure us they will not just start another one and drop the current one.

                                          Spoken straight from my mind. I am of the opinion that, save for their many, many chapters full of fillers and cliches and their soap opera-ishness, translations are easier reads than originals.

                                            PeacockStudios what the fudge? well, this is originally a pure translating company from CHINA so eastern fantasy is common even in originals. i'm disappointed with the fact that there are barely xianxia in the original rankings right now. ceo, romance, and whatnot is good but it doesn't mean xianxia shouldn't be in the list anymore.

                                                Clowniac clowniac, you just might be the biggest trap or reverse trap in webnovel. i still don't know your gender ._. i assumed you were a girl back then but idk now ;-;

                                                    sleep_yturtle there are a bunch of novels with less romance. best example is it's not easy to be a man

                                                        Malakacrazy there are non-contracted authors that has complete novels and had an editor edit for them. i forgot her name.

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