Webnovel Contract

Zenftiy

Filthy member
Joined
Dec 5, 2020
Messages
72
Points
73
I submitted my novel to Webnovel on a whim.

And to my surprise, they actually accepted it.

The payment details aren’t clear yet, but it seems to be a revenue share from the sales of my novel there.

So the question is, should I accept it?

I have a pretty big stockpile of chapters, and it might be easy for me to write daily.

But I feel like my novel has already gained quite a lot of readers here, and it would be a shame if I had to delete it just to move to Webnovel.

What do you
guys think?
 

georgelee5786

I'll never let you down when you're riding with me
Joined
Mar 6, 2022
Messages
4,017
Points
183
I submitted my novel to Webnovel on a whim.

And to my surprise, they actually accepted it.

The payment details aren’t clear yet, but it seems to be a revenue share from the sales of my novel there.

So the question is, should I accept it?

I have a pretty big stockpile of chapters, and it might be easy for me to write daily.

But I feel like my novel has already gained quite a lot of readers here, and it would be a shame if I had to delete it just to move to Webnovel.

What do you
guys think?
Absolutely do not accept it no matter what. WN contracts are notorious for being scams and for fucking authors over. This has been a repeat topic on SHF
 

Zenftiy

Filthy member
Joined
Dec 5, 2020
Messages
72
Points
73
Webnovel contacts are a scam.
Absolutely do not accept it no matter what. WN contracts are notorious for being scams and for fucking authors over. This has been a repeat topic on SHF
Yeah, I know that. But what exactly is the scam? Payment not matching expectations? Copyright misuse?

Because if it’s just that, this might actually be an “okay” option for me if I want to make some quick money by writing a slop
.
 

georgelee5786

I'll never let you down when you're riding with me
Joined
Mar 6, 2022
Messages
4,017
Points
183
Yeah, I know that. But what exactly is the scam? Payment not matching expectations? Copyright misuse?

Because if it’s just that, this might actually be an “okay” option for me if I want to make some quick money by writing a slop
.
You could try that, largely the scam is, I believe, losing your rights and some crazy deadlines that just arent worth the pain, also allegations of their pay rate varying by country and region. If you think you can do the slop strategy, go for it, just read the fine print carefully
 

Hoshino

Hoshino not found
Joined
Dec 23, 2024
Messages
1,008
Points
128
Yeah, I know that. But what exactly is the scam? Payment not matching expectations? Copyright misuse?

Because if it’s just that, this might actually be an “okay” option for me if I want to make some quick money by writing a slop


They work you like a slave. They also pay little to nothing. They take away your copyright, but they pay you 50% of whatever they earn with it. But, they don’t tell you what they’re doing with it, and no one can prove if they don’t pay you the correct amount.

You can also read this for details : https://writerbeware.blog/2023/01/20/bad-contract-alert-webnovel/
 

Zenftiy

Filthy member
Joined
Dec 5, 2020
Messages
72
Points
73
They work you like a slave. They also pay little to nothing. They take away your copyright, but they pay you 50% of whatever they earn with it. But, they don’t tell you what they’re doing with it, and no one can prove if they don’t pay you the correct amount.

You can also read this for details : https://writerbeware.blog/2023/01/20/bad-contract-alert-webnovel/
That article makes me feels like reading a horror story :blob_no:
Can't think of anything until you share contract details.
I’m not sure if I’m allowed to share it.
 

Corty

Ra’Coon
Joined
Oct 7, 2022
Messages
4,659
Points
183
I’m not sure if I’m allowed to share it.
That's true.

Just make sure you pay attention to buried stipulations that require you to produce X amount in a Y time frame. And also about the change of ownership, because all submissions that get accepted also transfer the ownership of the full story to WN, and they can replace you if they so wish. (as far as I know)
 

TASTYLEADPAINT

Resident Tech priest
Joined
Aug 10, 2020
Messages
596
Points
133
That article makes me feels like reading a horror story :blob_no:

I’m not sure if I’m allowed to share it.
If you wanna make money off your work then start a patreon. You wont get as much initially but if your story is popular then im sure over time the income will come.

Losing the rights to.your work is never worth it ever. No matter how much money it is
 

CharlesEBrown

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2024
Messages
4,578
Points
158
From what I've read - they will own the IP entirely. You can't use it elsewhere without their permission, even for a stub/teaser. But they can re-use your material anywhere.
If you fail to meet the minimum daily word count more than once in a week, you won't get paid for that week. Do it for more than two weeks in a month, they can take YOUR novel away from you and turn it over to someone who can.
If you can meet their demands and don't mind sacrificing control over your IP, they are a good way to get started in online publishing. But they are a minefield of "gotchas"
 

Supperset

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 21, 2023
Messages
151
Points
83
Some cons.:;'!:!';:!';"?';:?"?';:!"

If you sign with them, understand what you’re stepping into: the moment the ink dries, your story no longer belongs to you, it’s theirs to bend, sell, or repurpose however they like, while you’re locked out from even using your own words as a sample.

Transparency is a myth and they can dox your pay for variety of reasons. They promise “fair” percentages, but with no real transparency you’ll never know if you’re actually getting what’s owed, and once the rights are gone, you can’t claw them back.

The truth is it’s a grindhouse where you do the work, they own the product, and you’re lucky if you scrape by on pennies. If you want to earn and still hold the reins on your own creation, you’re far better off building something like a Patreon.

But then again there is also the exposure and audience comparison that could be helpful if you are new. Also make sure you are citizen of a country that isn't by-coated by them, i know i am not supposed to say this but they are notorious for double standard.

***

Some pros:?*;';'?:?";*?:;

The main strength of Webnovel is reach: the platform already has a massive, active audience, so a story can find thousands of eyes far quicker than if you self-published. It takes care of infrastructure—hosting, formatting, distribution, and payment—so you can focus entirely on writing without worrying about the backend.

The rigid update schedule, while harsh, can instill consistency and push writers to build professional habits.

There’s also constant reader feedback, which can be motivating and help you refine your craft. ( Although I have noticed growing devide between "webnovel reader/author" and "non-webnovel reader/author".)

And if a story performs exceptionally well, there’s the chance it could be promoted further, adapted into comics or audio, or leveraged into greater visibility than you’d likely achieve on your own.

***
TLTR:;:!:!"?"!'!"?"!:

Again, it’s your choice: do you want quick money with no control over your story, with the very high real risk of losing your hold on it altogether, or do you want steady income and an audience that grows with you and might remain by your side for the long run?
*

Also can you post a link to the novel when available.?
 

Xcalibur_Xc

dEATH tO tHE tROLLS
Joined
Dec 9, 2022
Messages
275
Points
103
Speaking from experience. It might seem good at first, but you won't even make any income unless you manage to make readers spend $200 on your book per month; only then will you earn some money out of it from their MGS system. [Monthly guarantee system for the first 3-4 months you gotta update 1 chapter 1500 words daily. If you miss, you get dropped from the MGS. The 200$ reader spend, which is a long shot, will become 400$ and so on.] If you fail to make that, they won't even pay you anything lol. Next, you can do a manual payout for anything less than $200. Not to mention, they take I think 40% of your total income you earn from gifts, chapter unlock and win win system. Oh, read the contract lol, Webnovel will own your book, and they will own the copyright after 50 years of your death. ?? So, don't even think about it.
 

Supperset

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 21, 2023
Messages
151
Points
83
images (1).jpeg

When are you gonna continue Naruto?
 

Eldoria

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 14, 2025
Messages
1,589
Points
113
From what I've read - they will own the IP entirely. You can't use it elsewhere without their permission, even for a stub/teaser. But they can re-use your material anywhere.
Seizing copyright from an author is so horrible. It's like taking a child from its mother... the novels we write contain our feelings, experiences, trauma, love, and even our hopes for life... and they're trying to take it away in the name of a contract?! This is modern slavery.
 
Top