should I accept webnovel's contract?

[vish]

Hey guys, I got an invitation from webnovel to form a contract. To be honest, I'm happy to get attention but I've also heard people complaining about their contracts being a fraud so I am a bit confused to whether accept or not. Please help me clear some doubts:
How it is a fraud? How much can I get paid? Do I really get paid? Should I just open a patreon? Which will be more beneficial?

 

[tiaf]

Read the contract. Go even as far as to get advice from a lawyer.

Nobody can tell you how much you can make at webnovel. It depends on how much your readers are willing to pay to read. Patreon also depends on your marketing plan.

Webnovel is not fraud, but you need to weigh in whether their conditions suit you.

But use your head, your story has 16 chapters here and barely over 10K views. Your update rate is 1ch/week while Webnovel readers usually demand daily updates. Will you fit in? (Idk if you have another story on WN)

 

[Poleg]

I heard Patreon seems to be more benificial, they (WN) appearantly pay little money. just hearsay though.

 

[TheHelpfulFawn]

Hey guys, I got an invitation from webnovel to form a contract. To be honest, I'm happy to get attention but I've also heard people complaining about their contracts being a fraud so I am a bit confused to whether accept or not. Please help me clear some doubts:
How it is a fraud? How much can I get paid? Do I really get paid? Should I just open a patreon? Which will be more beneficial?

I have not heard good things about Web Novel contracts. Better to set up a patreon in my opinion.

 

[Lloyd]

They probably won't give you a good deal.

 

[KiraMinoru]

Hey guys, I got an invitation from webnovel to form a contract. To be honest, I'm happy to get attention but I've also heard people complaining about their contracts being a fraud so I am a bit confused to whether accept or not. Please help me clear some doubts:
How it is a fraud? How much can I get paid? Do I really get paid? Should I just open a patreon? Which will be more beneficial?

You give up the copyrights to your work.

You also need to write a minimum of 1500 words of premium content everyday if you expect to receive the monthly minimum guaranteed $200(if your story makes less than that monthly) for the first four months it’s contracted. If you miss even one day, you won’t get the amount they guarantee. After four months, dunno if they guarantee that $200 anymore.

Though this probably rarely ever happens, the contract permits them to get rid of you and have another author take over your work in your place. Basically, you’re considered disposable and replaceable as far as they’re concerned.

Overall it’s a short sighted contract to take up. However, if you live somewhere where the cost of living is dirt cheap, it can work out well. Some places have rents in the range of $100. It’s basically an easy way for webnovel to farm cheap content off authors who aren’t in a good position financially who are desperate to take anything they can get. KU/Amazon isn’t an option for a lot of countries since it isn’t supported everywhere. The only other option would be a site like Patreon.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

No.

 

[CarburetorThompson]

Usually as a rule, companies online that use content creators have poor terms for contracts. Remember Machinma?

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Honestly, why can't you simply look at other threads with a similar question? Is it that hard?

 

[MissPaige36]

Hey guys, I got an invitation from webnovel to form a contract. To be honest, I'm happy to get attention but I've also heard people complaining about their contracts being a fraud so I am a bit confused to whether accept or not. Please help me clear some doubts:
How it is a fraud? How much can I get paid? Do I really get paid? Should I just open a patreon? Which will be more beneficial?

NO DON’T, DON’T

 

[NobleTalon]

You give up the copyrights to your work.

You also need to write a minimum of 1500 words of premium content everyday if you expect to receive the monthly minimum guaranteed $200(if your story makes less than that monthly) for the first four months it’s contracted. If you miss even one day, you won’t get the amount they guarantee. After four months, dunno if they guarantee that $200 anymore.

Though this probably rarely ever happens, the contract permits them to get rid of you and have another author take over your work in your place. Basically, you’re considered disposable and replaceable as far as they’re concerned.

Overall it’s a short sighted contract to take up. However, if you live somewhere where the cost of living is dirt cheap, it can work out well. Some places have rents in the range of $100. It’s basically an easy way for webnovel to farm cheap content off authors who aren’t in a good position financially who are desperate to take anything they can get. KU/Amazon isn’t an option for a lot of countries since it isn’t supported everywhere. The only other option would be a site like Patreon.

If they really ask for the copyright of the story in the contract it's a massive scam imo

 

[RepresentingCaution]

We need a sticky thread for what to do about Webnovel contracts.

 

[bigbear51]

We need a sticky thread for what to do about Webnovel contracts.

Should have a sticky warning about any potential contracts. A lot of people get contacted by many different so-called "agents" representing some website most of us have never heard of. At the very least make it clear there are a lot of scams trying to target web authors.

 

[RayneStorm]

No. Don't. Throw it in one direction and run in the other. They're basically known as slave contracts in the author world and due to legalese, some people accidentally signed over full ownership of their story and their own name to the company and get nothing for it. It's one thing to sign over your story completely and a whole other thing to lose the rights to your own name. You can look up breakdowns of their contracts to get a better idea but I'd say don't.

PS As a young author I did get a few offers and yes, some of them did involve signing over the right to my name so that's not an urban legend

 

[Ilikewaterkusa]

Hey guys, I got an invitation from webnovel to form a contract. To be honest, I'm happy to get attention but I've also heard people complaining about their contracts being a fraud so I am a bit confused to whether accept or not. Please help me clear some doubts:
How it is a fraud? How much can I get paid? Do I really get paid? Should I just open a patreon? Which will be more beneficial?

Web novel is the Hitler when it comes to contracting

 

[LordJoyde]

With respect; hell to the fuck no.

 

[LostLibrarian]

Like most big companies, webnovel will give you a contract that favors them. The overall idea behind the contract is a standard publisher contract, but due to the online-nature of the publishing, they provide you with a lot less in regards to marketing or advertising.

You should be aware that - depending on the contract - you will forfeit all rights to your own work. As I said, this is more or less normal for publishing, but it is something to keep in mind. A lot of webnovel authors (type, not company) write a story they are really attached to and this can be a really big breaking point for them.

If it is a story you aren't really attached to and you just want to make some money on the site, it can be an option to take the contract if it fits with the target audience over there. In most other cases, patreon or even self-publishing might bring you more money in the long run if you put in the work.


The contract isn't anything shady in itself, it just isn't a really good deal for most writers as the payment is relatively low compared to the amount of work that has to be done by the author and the low value you get in return. Especially western authors who want to have more than the bare minimum to live will struggle a lot.
In all honesty, I personally would never take the contract, because I would have to write myself to death to get anything remotely close to my normal day job wage. I would rather write at my own pace and make some money through patreon or amazon compared to selling my story away for that little chance of making enough money...

 

[lnv]

Yeah, why not? What's the worst that can happen? /s

 

[cheriechechan]

HiI also have the same dilemma. They sent me the contract and based on my observations, they are legit but it is really depends on your story's quality and popularity.

There is no harm in reading the contracts but I suggest that you should follow your instincts after all. You have sole opinions about this is matter. Unless you are a desperate person like me. ✌just kidding.

Honestly, why can't you simply look at other threads with a similar question? Is it that hard?

True. Like why post it this in Scribble hub when Web Novel has actually a forum section like this. ?

You give up the copyrights to your work.

You also need to write a minimum of 1500 words of premium content everyday if you expect to receive the monthly minimum guaranteed $200(if your story makes less than that monthly) for the first four months it’s contracted. If you miss even one day, you won’t get the amount they guarantee. After four months, dunno if they guarantee that $200 anymore.

Though this probably rarely ever happens, the contract permits them to get rid of you and have another author take over your work in your place. Basically, you’re considered disposable and replaceable as far as they’re concerned.

Overall it’s a short sighted contract to take up. However, if you live somewhere where the cost of living is dirt cheap, it can work out well. Some places have rents in the range of $100. It’s basically an easy way for webnovel to farm cheap content off authors who aren’t in a good position financially who are desperate to take anything they can get. KU/Amazon isn’t an option for a lot of countries since it isn’t supported everywhere. The only other option would be a site like Patreon.

Patreon is not available in mu coutry. PH ??

 

[Snusmumriken]

I wonder why no one actually posts the contract they are talking about?