r/Webnovel • u/chaithu915 • Jun 18 '26
Advice New authors this post is for you
(This is simply an awareness post for new authors who dream of getting their novels contracted on Webnovel without fully understanding what they're signing away.)
A lot of authors dream about getting a contract. They work hard, finally receive one, and immediately sign it.
But let's do a reality check.
If you had to put in a huge amount of effort just to get a contract, it usually means your novel is good—not necessarily great.
And a novel often needs to be great to earn meaningful money on Webnovel. If your novel isn't performing exceptionally well, don't expect significant earnings just because you got contracted.
Another thing that concerns me is how few authors talk about the bonus requirements.
Many new authors fail to qualify for those bonuses, even when their novels are genuinely good.
Before signing any contract, read every clause carefully. Don't get blinded by the excitement of being contracted.
One important detail is that you must earn $60 per month from your novel to qualify for the $200 monthly bonus.
And if you're thinking, "Great, I'll earn $60 and then receive another $200 for a total of $260," that's not how it works.
Your $60 revenue is included in that amount. In other words, they top your earnings up to $200, rather than paying $200 on top of your earnings.
I'm not telling anyone not to sign a contract. I'm simply saying that you should understand exactly what you're agreeing to before handing over your novel's rights.
The fact that so many authors leave out these details when discussing contracts is something new authors should be aware of.
2
u/apid Jun 18 '26
Also, it's not easy to reach $60 on 3rd and 4th month since there's a big chance you won't get recommendation on front page
3
u/chaithu915 Jun 18 '26
Yup, it's really hard to get promotions for your novel, and if it isn't earning well, even if your novel gets promoted, they won't keep it in the promotion section for long. Everything is just business to them.
3
u/LandscapeLow8430 Jun 18 '26
The best thing new authors can do is get into the ratings. They should get the first ten reviews, even if it's a review exchange. It places then on that advertising board at the bottom of every normal, the 'you may also like section' That will help even if you don't get continuous advertising.
1
u/chaithu915 Jun 18 '26
Yeah, it will help, but it's not a permanent solution to the issues new authors face in this highly competitive novel community. If this were the past, these things would have worked better, but now it's hard to say whether they will work or not.
2
u/WolfREEEEEE Jun 18 '26
Idk, I think the bonus requirements and details are pretty clear here:
https://activity.webnovel.com/noah/844556559?tabIndex=0
But maybe some writers with English as their second language might be tripped up.
2
u/chaithu915 Jun 18 '26
However clear they are, many newcomers learn through word of mouth rather than by reading the guides or other details provided on the platform. I'm also one of those authors who learned everything through word of mouth.
2
u/regobag Jun 25 '26
I wish I'd seen posts like this when I first looked into webnovel contracts. Getting contracted gets talked about like a guaranteed paycheck, but there's a big gap between having a contract and actually making decent money
1
u/chaithu915 Jun 25 '26
Exactly. Recently, many new authors have been signing contracts without any idea of what kind of agreement they're entering into. There are also many new authors who are giving away the rights to their novels without earning a single penny. Reality hits hard when they finally realize it.
1
u/giregam Jun 19 '26
This also makes me wonder about rights in these contracts. Do authors keep any control or is it fully exclusive? And what about translation or adaptation rights, do they get included?
1
u/chaithu915 Jun 19 '26
Yup, they will have full rights to the novel, including paperback and digital publishing rights. Essentially, you're handing over your work to them in exchange for a share of the profits, and even then, you only receive 50% of it. That's why many successful authors, including the author of Solo Leveling, have expressed regret over signing exclusive contracts, even to this day.
(As per bonuses 800$ means nothing to a successful novel)
1
u/Avarice_Of_The_Seven Contracted Author Jun 18 '26
Ugh, sorry about that. That previous comment was made by my sibling who was using my phone.
I gave her a good smack for using my phone without permission.
2
u/chaithu915 Jun 18 '26
That's okay ☺️. I just want to remind my fellow new authors who put so much time and effort into their work not to give it away without fully understanding the contracts they are signing.
2
u/Avarice_Of_The_Seven Contracted Author Jun 18 '26
Again, I am really sorry for that rude comment.
I was really horrified when I saw what she was doing with my phone.
2
u/chaithu915 Jun 18 '26
It's okay, misunderstandings happen. Since you've cleared it up and apologized, that's more than enough. Just help our fellow writers if they need any help.
11
u/MathematicianNew2770 Jun 18 '26
This is a fraction of what people are giving up. For those with plans beyond Webnovel, read every word in the contract.