Krazyguy75 I have 1 main novel that i buy whenever new chapter is released (Strongest System-hillarious novel with a good translator) and one novel that i'm mildly interested in (Avalon of Five Elements- started awesome but filler chapters got really out of hand). You can read 1.5. novels with a fast release speed, anything else is way too expensive. I mean let's be honest 70 percent of chapters in novels are either compleatly fillers or have only minimal impact on the story. And before reading you can't know it it is a filler or not. How can i pay my hard earned money for a chapter filled with "boooms" and loud shouts of disbeliev that i will skip anyway...
Way too expensive!!
SS is expensive that's why you have to stop reading loop settings novel. I'm sure your reading list has at least one of loop novel, for example 'meet problem-MC get ridiculed-face slap-finish', reuse this setup with different new side characters. Might as well just read first 200-300ch to get the feel of the setting and then read straight to the ending. Spend your SS wisely on the better novel
Zogarth1337 If your account page ever has "Including XXX bonus", it means those SS will not be benefiting translators or authors.
Daoist_1283163933 You are earning about 10x more on average of what a video ad earns QI. If QI really wanted to make every cent count, you will need to watch 10 video ads to get one 'draw' at the random SS.
CKtalon If your account page ever has "Including XXX bonus", it means those SS will not be benefiting translators or authors.
That's a horribly designed system. Doesn't that mean that the most popular novels will get shortchanged in revenue?
There are about 30 SS that are bonus spirit stones every day. That means that the most popular novels will frequently lose out on revenue since the majority of readers use those daily spirit stones towards the more popular novels first.
What about the bonus spirit stones earned from buying SS. Does that mean that authors are screwed by those bonus spirit stones? Example, 100 bonus spirit stones for buying 500 SS. It's a completely stupid system.
checkm8
it is very easy to criticize anything, because nothing is perfect
if you have a better idea, why not run a site yourself, and prove it
(it literally take less than 1 week to create a similar site, with so many framework and template on the internet)
SoybeanTheBlackCat invite your friends. Most of my SS came from them.
I've been reading LNs for over a year now, I usually read on browsers and it could be a hassle specially if you're in a country with an unstable connection. The main use of the app for me is the download function. It's really hard to find epubs nowadays without missing chapters or contents, so this app is really convenient than just reading on a browser.
The matter of spirit stones is really easy to resolve since there are ways to earn SS for free. This function alone is heaven sent already. Besides, premium novels will unlock chapters daily just like any other novel. The privilege is you have an option to unlock those advance chapters. So I don't see why everyone complains about the price. I complain more for the lack of chapters.
I'm not gonna mention it, but if you couldn't figure out the trick around it, then you only have yourself to blame for being an idiot.
- Edited
Daoist2017 LOL, it is shortchanging revenue is all I'm saying.
Most systems like this factor in bonus stones as part of the revenue model. It's built into the rate that authors are paid regardless of where the bonus spirit stones are spent. Instead, what QI is saying is that bonus stones don't count AT ALL towards authors revenue regardless if they generate revenue.
There is a lot of hidden revenue that QI isn't showing.
For example,
Daily Video Check-In ads for Mobile
CPM (per 1000 views) rates for Rewarded video ads for Android and iOS is around $13 and $16 respectively. This is direct revenue yet is treated as the same 'bonus' as when users do other daily check-ins (like power stone & energy voting which are not direct revenue generators).
Bonus Stones from purchased Spirit Stones.
When a user makes a purchase of spirit stones they get a bonus amount. Example 600SS (500purchased+100bonus). This means that bonus spirit stones are ~16% the total value in the spirit stone purchase. Since those bonus spirit stones aren't a part of what is counted towards what authors are paid it allows QI to skim off the top the 16% revenue.
Why QI is saying that ads are not a way to make money I don't know. Rewarded Video Ads are a huge revenue generator for companies. If they threw the option of a15-30 second fullscreen video ad in front of most chapters they stand to make a ton of money especially from all the people who are complaining about the cost.
https://blognife.com/2018/04/29/mobile-cpm-rates-in-the-us-2018/
Daoist2017 You can't read, can you? Or at least you aren't very smart. I feel sorry for you. Move along, please.
SoybeanTheBlackCat
Create google accounts and use your invite code for them, then make fb account with taht google account and invite them, then a twitter account and invite that to earn 264 from 1 account
Then repeat
checkm8 it's true that most freemium apps' revenue were generated through Ads, but most ads nowadays are fixed on it's pricing and not based on the number of clicks. There were only 2 to 3 apps/products being advertised per country so it would be really cheap advertising if they follow through with the AD unlocks. The number of users increased so it's either they jack up the prices on advertising or they'll remove the Ad unlock function.
- Edited
bachingchung it's true that most freemium apps' revenue were generated through Ads, but most ads nowadays are fixed on it's pricing and not based on the number of clicks.
That's mostly true except for Reward Video Ads AKA Full-screen video ads. The link I posted above was based on April 2018 pricing. In addition, 57% of webnovel.com traffic comes from 5 English speaking countries US, UK, CA, AUS, and India (4th largest English speaking population). All of which have Reward Video Ad programs.
Just those countries is a pretty large amount of potential Ad-Revenue, It could even be designed further to ensure that SS is still viable revenue model: For example, only allow a certain # of chapters to be unlocked via Video Reward Ads. People who can afford it will still prefer to skip ads.
It's also worth noting that I am talking about 15-30 second non-skippable video ads. In that way, revenue could be maximized. I'm also not talking video ads for only the last two chapters as it was implemented, which would only give you a day of revenue per chapter. I'm talking about all premium chapters.
And now we are back to the OP
It all comes down to maximizing revenue. As it stands now it appears that QI is only focused on SS purchases which ignores a primary segment of webnovel readers. Those who are cash-strapped and can't afford the $50-100/month it costs to read the current amount of premium novels on webnovel. Like college students.
Reward Advertising would tap into that market. The more options a company has to gain revenue the greater a chance of turning a profit. Cash-strapped users aren't going to stop reading Webnovel stories, they just read them elsewhere! This doesn't help the translator or the author OR China Literature.
Reward Video advertising might not bring in as much revenue as a pure spirit stones per chapter per reader but it certainly brings in more revenue then when someone reads the translation on another website.
This also brings us to one of the biggest problems QI has that comes from translations and trying to maximize revenue:
Speed of release
This isn't something that would have been much of a problem in China because authors have a limited release speed of 1-3 chapters per day. There is a natural limiter. Usually, it's one long chapter, two medium length chapters or three short chapters per day at most. WIth translation teams, it's possible to push out 3-4 medium length chapters per day OR MORE. This drives the monthly costs considerably higher than what is found in China! A great example is Immortal Mortal which runs ~$25 a month for 84+ chapters. Vastly more than the original work's monthly cost of 6 CNY (~$1) per month for 60 chapters.
This is especially true now that Patreon model is removed. Previously the increase in translation speed was primarily funded by a limited amount of readers who were paying for advanced chapters. This has now been removed and the costs are being pushed onto readers on webnovel. These costs aren't going to be sustainable for growth. Readers will simply read elsewhere.
Original Works
Of course, once Original English works go premium this will be cheaper for readers for that same reason (although I doubt they will be $1 for 60 chapters when they go premium). A single writer takes time to write, very few of them will be able to exceed even one chapter per day. It will make the cost much more affordable for readers. Of course, this also begs the questions. What about patreon for writers? Will Qidian be as heavy-handed as they are being with translators? I somehow doubt that.
Obviously, the discussion is just about maximizing revenue. Most readers want more chapters and they want them to be released quicker, but once the cost exceeds what they can afford, they just read the chapters elsewhere.
JKingSniper I'll try, thank you.
bachingchung already do, but mostly just ignore me. Too sad! Even my sister said " sis, my time was tight enough. Don't distract me with this." (╥_╥)
I just came across this:
China Literature’s 2017 annual report shows that only 5.8 per cent of its 191 million users are paying to read.
“As soon as the free period ends and you start charging for chapters, the readers move to piracy sites to continue reading,” says Zhang, who estimates that writers could earn three to five times more if pirate sites were shut down.
Why wouldn't a company with only 5.8% paying customers not explore other revenue models?????
SoybeanTheBlackCat you could make more accts. Since the daily revenue of each account could only shoulder 1 novel at most. I just use 3 browsers and an app. There are also a lot of novels without the need of SS so you could save more as you pass the time.
checkm8 the way they do things doesn't bother me anymore. It's purely buisness after all. Chinese loves making money so anyone on their position would do the same thing.
My main issue is that they couldn't reign some of their translators. There are few TLs that don't interact with the readers and just disappear in the middle of the climax of a novel.
bachingchung My main issue is that they couldn't reign some of their translators. There are few TLs that don't interact with the readers and just disappear in the middle of the climax of a novel.
Good luck with that one, they are moving more towards contracting companies like TransN which has no interest in any type of interaction with readers.
When was the last time you saw a new translation added that was by an individual translator? They are all hidden behind their studio names. Endless Fantasy, Sparrow Translations, Nyo-boi Studion, and of course the best one <Sarcasm> TransN. Of those, I think Endless Fantasy is the only one that even bothers to have a discord server.
The only exception to the contracted groups is the new fan translation Maverick Chef.
The more independent translators that actually interact with the community are starting to bail. You know the 'black sheep' translators.
checkm8 Sparrow Translations
Sorry, short interjection, Sparrow Translations do have a discord server. It's just very very obscure and hidden. Alright, that's all from me. Have fun debating :wave: