Webnovel.Forum

MyriadBlades if they become premium with how ss are priced and the sheer number and the commitment required for some books I would be looking at near £200 to read one whole book and that is something many people surely cannot afford to be spending

Lol, £200 will be cheap! Some of the novels will run that much annually. If you are paying to read 7-8 Premium novels it could run you £75-100 Monthly! That's factoring in the free SS which lets you read 2-3 Premium chapters daily.

Karyehs "Blaming" the editor is rather funny, since this group claims to be translator and editor in one.

In this I agree completely, if the translation team has no editors and rely solely on the translator then that's completely the failure of the translator and their team/studio/company. It's an extremely myopic approach to translating.

Webnovel has stated that third-party translation studios/companies/groups are responsible for providing their own editors. Many of them do. But as you suggest, there is no way to verify that and some groups just take the extra money and skip the editor.

In all honesty, it's hard to hold translation groups/teams/studios accountable unless the translation is so egregious that there is a huge uproar over the quality. Sad to say but Webnovel and many readers don't care about the quality and only care about the release speed.

In addition, some of the large Translation groups are only in it for the money and don't even interact with readers.

Karyehs I really doubt they are using Google Translate/Systranet as their primary source for translation.

What they do appear to be doing is using a 'Computer Assisted Translation Tool' AKA CAT Tool.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-assisted_translation

If you take a look at their glossary aka a 'terminology manager' you will notice that almost all of the entries are for nouns. Using a CAT Tool ensures that terms are consistent throughout the novel.

Another advantage of a CAT Tool is the use of 'translation memory tools' which is a database consisting of text segments in the source language that have previously been translated to increase the speed when translating.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Translation_memory

I see nothing wrong with using CAT Tools since they increase translation speed while ensuring consistency.

As far as grammar is concerned with translations overall (not signaling out Nyoi-Bo Studio). Unfortunately, there are many reasons for poor grammar in a novel.

1. Poor translation requiring more than expected editing by the editor.
2. Amount of time spent editing.
3. Underpaid editors
4. Overworked editors (Sometimes directly related to points 1, 2 and 3)
5. Grammatically weak or inexperienced editors
6. Rushed editing due to deadlines
7. Lazy editing where the editor doesn't bother to proofread the chapter.
8. Editors who have English as a second language and can miss some of the more nuanced English grammar rules which are distracting to native English readers.

I've long advocated that Webnovel should hire proofreaders/proof-editors (preferably native English) to ensure that Premium chapters are really 'Premium'. But Webnovel staff has always responded as it's 'Too Expensive'. Which gives you an idea what they think of quality writing.

shelwyn In my example, Peerless Martial God went from 3 Chapters / Week to 40 Chapters/week due to the 434 Patreon subscribers. Also, importantly, it benefited ALL readers. In that Patreon for example, every reader is able to read 173+ NEW chapters every month. Regardless of whether they are subscribed to the patreon or not. What's even more amazing is that 49.5% of the subscribers were only at the $5. They are supporting the novel because they choose to.

You point me to one Premium novel that is releasing 173+ chapters per month. And these aren't 600-800 word chapters, these are 2000+ word chapters.

My other point is that those 434 Readers (Patrons) made it so that thousands of readers can read a novel for free every month. And holy cow, look at how many chapters are able to be released with that crowdfunding. That's amazing, it should be celebrated.

Conversely, the premium model undercuts that whole idea of the greater good in the interest of maximizing profit for some huge company whose only interest seems to be to gain permanent copyright ownership over every novel they host on Premium.

Instead of having a few hundred who support the novel and create excitement for everyone, the cost burden is pushed onto the general public.

Basically, it's cheaper for the rich, more expensive for the less well-off. From what I gathered you are one of the rich so it should be cheaper for you. (Not an attack, just an observation based on your previous posts about being one of the first to reach 50,000 SS).

CKtalon Fact 1. Many users want more chapters.

I agree with this. Never said differently

CKtalon Fact 2. $100+ mark is too high and ridiculous

You lost me here? I have no idea where you are coming from on the $100+? Unless you are referring to the 15.9% of subscribers for Peerless Martial God? All 69 of them? Isn't this reaffirming my whole point about not just taking into account the Highest Tier that you were so fond of referencing earlier?

CKtalon Fact 3. From economics theory, by lowering the price to the $10-$20 mark, it allows readers who aren't willing to shell out just $10-20 to get ~10 chapters or less to get on board Premium since they get to enjoy large number of chapters for a fraction of the Patreon cost.

I don't have much to say here, except, that's for ONE Premium Novel PER Month. From an economics perspective, the costs to read more than a couple of Premium novels on Webnovel becomes prohibitively expensive.

Again, you completely ignore how only 15-20% of all Patreon's are members of the highest tier.

CKtalon Fact 4. This is reflected in Webnovel's data since it was modeled after the supply and demand curve.

The fact that you stated this shows your ignorance about supply and demand curves.

I do appreciate the espousing of facts without any real data.

Here's a fact for you:
2017 China Literature Annual Earnings Report:
Only 5.8% of all readers on China Literature Platforms were paying readers!
http://ir.yuewen.com/media/1113/china-literature-2017-annual-report_eng.pdf

Unlike your facts, I even posted the source. See: Page 11
So basically, Qidian's (China Literature) Supply and Demand curve ONLY REACHES 5.8% of their consumer base! This is the touted Wenovel Supply & Demand curve??????

I also like how you completely ignored the facts that I posted (with source) regarding that showed patreon and premium costs.

Ah well. Enjoy misleading people as you will.

CKtalon Please compare apples with apples. When we are talking about the number of chapters a Premium user can read compared to a Patreon highest tier, we compare the highest tier

First: We are talking apples to oranges. Patreon vs Premium. They are completely dissimilar revenue models. Patreon revenue is mainly driven by the more affluent and a smaller number of subscribers while the Premium revenue model shifts the burden of cost to the general public.

Second: By only comparing the highest tier we are talking about less than 20% of all Patreon subscribers.

So Congrats! Yes, I can agree that for the Top 25-30% of All Patreon subscribers Premium will be cheaper.

Note: These are the half-truths/misleading statements I am talking about.

What about the other 70-75% of subscribers? Or even the nonsubscribers who were still able to read the released chapters?
For almost all of them, the cost will be considerably more.

CKtalon In contrast, Premium lowers the numbers to about $10-$20 a month.

Again, this is in line with my first post. You only stated the inverse of what I said.

checkm8 Yes, patreon could be more expensive if a patreon supporter decided to support a novel by spending more than $20-25 / month for a novel.

CKtalon The market is willing to pay that much on Patreon (why do you see some Patreons earning tens of thousands USD a month?).

Again more misleading statements: A few are willing to spend that much. I salute them! It creates an incentive for translators to release chapters quicker.

Let's look at one of those Patreons earning tens of thousands per month:
Peerless Martial God
https://www.patreon.com/PeerlessMartialGod
Total Monthly Earnings: $13, 380
Total # of Patrons: 434
Total Chapters released Per Month that benefits the general public due to the Patreon: 173ch/Month
Avg Patreon monthly subscriber spends: $30.8
49.5% of subscribers spend $5

Now let's take a closer look at the support tiers
$1 - 31 Patrons (7.14% of all subscribers)
$5 - 215 (49.5%)
$10 - 72 (16.6%)
$20 - 20 (4.6%)
$40 - 31 (7.1%)
$80 - 17 (3.9%)
$150 - 69 (15.9%)

If Peerless Martial God were on Premium, the monthly cost to All Readers would be $28.68. Therefore the Premium cost would be more expensive for 73.1% of all subscribers to that patreon and 100% more expensive for the general public.

To simplify it: 117 Total People would save money as a result of Peerless Martial God going Premium. For everyone else, it would cost more than they spend now. This includes the general public who are currently able to read 173+ Chapters per Month for free due to the 434 awesome Patreon supporters!

CKtalon Webnovel is simply using that model and making it much cheaper for the general public.

Another completely inaccurate statement. The truth is that Premium is much more expensive for the general public! The general public was not directly paying anything to read the stories. Websites/translators used advertising—and yes the Patreon Model!— to generate revenue.

The truth is clear. Don't accuse me of defaming you just because I call you out when you are misleading people!

Dontlookdown
Author: 30%
Some Translators: 30%
Webnovel: 40-70%

Note: Some Translators are paid a Fixed Rate per chapter and earn nothing from Spirit Stones. In those cases the fixed rate of a chapter is mostly in the range $10-$40/chapter)

CKtalon There are just some dissimilarities with the Patreon model (since it's much cheaper than Patreon).

Why you keep posting such misleading statements I will never know.

@Dontlookdown Don't pay attention to what CKTalon is saying. He mostly speaks a load of mistruths or shades of half-truths. He doesn't mention that he is a translator for two Premium novels (soon to be a third) and is mostly only in it for the money and only posts what management wants to him to post.

Yes, patreon could be more expensive if a patreon supporter decided to support a novel by spending more than $20-25 / month for a novel. And continues to do so throughout the whole translation. Otherwise, Premium is prohibitively more expensive. Especially considering how many novels are going premium.

The reality is that most monthly patreon support is in the $1-$5 range for a translation which is considerably cheaper than the monthly costs for most premium novels.

The cost difference is even truer now since Premium novels are no longer going to be unlocking premium chapters @1-2 ch/day for novels. (Currently, two finished novels will be locked fully behind a paywall but most other premium novels will be locked completely within the next few months).

It's ludicrous how CKTalon continues to espouse that premium is cheaper than Patreon. It's a load of garbage.

Here is one example of how expensive premium will cost for one novel:
Alchemy Emperor of the Divine Dao will cost premium readers 39,762 SS = $611.60 (3250SS per $49.99) to read up to the current point of the ongoing novel (Ch 4621), once the chapters are translated.

Valvrave You should be saluted for your hard work!

Having said that, if my recollection is right, the translator (Sky) was let go in February—leaving behind four hundred or so chapters(very rough chapters). Why hasn't there been a search for a new translator since then? Shouldn't that have been a priority at least a couple of months ago?

Obviously, you are the editor and don't make hiring decisions but why did Qidian wait until the translation stock was empty before looking for a translator? Wouldn't it have been made more sense to have hired a translator with 100 or so chapters remaining that the new translator could review and get used to the process? At the very least, it would have saved you a lot of hard work.

Ah well, I've become used to QI's bungling management style.

As bachingchung said, 84 locked chapters, so wait another 26 days and it will start unlocking @ 1/day, but if you unlock any other chapters you will have to wait again.

Geraldrold You don't have to buy it. I recommend going to the Qidian Raw site and verify it for yourself. It takes 2 minutes. I'll even make it easier for you.

Raw Table of Contents (TOC)
https://book.qidian.com/info/134033#Catalog
The RAW Qidian Volume II Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 are the two chapters that are equivalent to Webnovel's Volume 2 Chapters 77 & 78.

Of course, you don't have to take my word that the chapters are equivalent, feel free to check for yourself.
Webnovel TOC
https://www.webnovel.com/book/10200827905004405#contents

Google Translate can be used to verify the original chapters are the same as the translated chapters:
https://translate.google.com/

Geraldrold I've taken a look at the raw chapters on Qidian.com, and there is no Part 1 preceding that chapter. Chapter 78 - The New Manager (Part 2). The author apparently mistitled the chapter.

So nothing was missed, just poor (no) communication from the TL Team & Webnovel.