What does healthy growth look like?

[rainchip]

Hello! A question for folks who’ve been writing originals here a while. What does healthy story growth usually look like in the first month or two? I know every story is different (genre, update schedule, etc.) but I’m trying to get a sense of what’s “normal” without comparing myself to huge LitRPG/System stories.

 

[Alucard21]

I've only been writing on here for a few months. The first chapter was posted on Jun 24, 2025. I post 4 times a week, with chapter length between 2500 and 3500 words. Currently, I sit at 54.1k views and 524 readers. My story is not LitRPG/System.

In the beginning, it was slow, only getting a couple of readers per chapter. After the first month, I had roughly 100-150 readers. But as the novel lengthened, the amount steadily increased. I hit major spikes when I was on the trending, even hitting #1 at one point. So the best I can say is keep up a steady pace, and readers will trickle in. I'm not sure if my genre is special in any way since it's just medieval fantasy.

 

[rainchip]

I've only been writing on here for a few months. The first chapter was posted on Jun 24, 2025. I post 4 times a week, with chapter length between 2500 and 3500 words. Currently, I sit at 54.1k views and 524 readers. My story is not LitRPG/System.

In the beginning, it was slow, only getting a couple of readers per chapter. After the first month, I had roughly 100-150 readers. But as the novel lengthened, the amount steadily increased. I hit major spikes when I was on the trending, even hitting #1 at one point. So the best I can say is keep up a steady pace, and readers will trickle in. I'm not sure if my genre is special in any way since it's just medieval fantasy.

That is super reassuring! I think I'm doing well (4.1k views, 40 favs, 7 readers. I'm not writing a LitRPG/System either) but sometimes the gaps between views, favs, and readers makes me a bit nervous. I just try to take it in stride. I'm three weeks in, give or take a few days, and I've recently become aware that most readers prefer at least 20+ chapters to sink their teeth into/a bit of age on a story before they commit. Also, that's amazing by the way! Never doubt the power of a medieval fantasy. Probably my fav genre!

 

[Eldoria]

Many factors influence the growth of a novel's readership, such as content, genre, tags, synopsis, cover, prologue, number of chapters, regular updates, promotion, and even luck.

Some novels have hundreds of chapters but still have less than 10,000 views and less than 100 bookmarks. Others have only a dozen chapters but already have 100,000 views and hundreds of bookmarks. There are cheat codes, such as using the red genres (I don't recommend it).

But the best thing is to keep updating chapters while continuously improving your content and packaging, especially the cover and synopsis.

By the way, I'm also four months into writing a novel on SH. My novel is set in a dark fantasy world, centered on a young mother who is a former justice executioner and now wants to live a peaceful life raising her little daughter in a world with amnesia. I'm not sure if my novel's growth is healthy or not. Currently, it has 22,000 views and 215 bookmarks. I regularly update 3 chapters per week, although updates are starting to decrease.

 

[rainchip]

Many factors influence the growth of a novel's readership, such as content, genre, tags, synopsis, cover, prologue, number of chapters, regular updates, promotion, and even luck.

Some novels have hundreds of chapters but still have less than 10,000 views and less than 100 bookmarks. Others have only a dozen chapters but already have 100,000 views and hundreds of bookmarks. There are cheat codes, such as using the red genres (I don't recommend it).

But the best thing is to keep updating chapters while continuously improving your content and packaging, especially the cover and synopsis.

By the way, I'm also four months into writing a novel on SH. My novel is set in a dark fantasy world, centered on a young mother who is a former justice executioner and now wants to live a peaceful life raising her little daughter in a world with amnesia. I'm not sure if my novel's growth is healthy or not. Currently, it has 22,000 views and 215 bookmarks. I regularly update 3 chapters per week, although updates are starting to decrease.

I started doing a bit more research and realized that, yeah, having a bigger backlog would make a huge difference. I think my growth is pretty healthy as is. And I'd say yours is very healthy as well! I've actually got your story in mind for future-reading. I'm still figuring out the website and getting my foot in the door, so to speak, so I can't commit to reading other stories atm, but I clicked on it and liked what I saw, especially the art attached to the chapter.

 

[MasterY001]

You're lucky. I've been writing for most of this year and have yet to break through, same goes for my drawing. I don't know what healthy growth is like.

I also advise you to avoid checking your stats every two minutes and getting depressed like I do. I'll probably quit both altogether once I can start working full-time. There's neither emotional nor literal profit in this anymore.

On another note, this forum has become increasingly toxic recently. Not surprising considering most if not all communities.

 

[Alucard21]

Many factors influence the growth of a novel's readership, such as content, genre, tags, synopsis, cover, prologue, number of chapters, regular updates, promotion, and even luck.

Some novels have hundreds of chapters but still have less than 10,000 views and less than 100 bookmarks. Others have only a dozen chapters but already have 100,000 views and hundreds of bookmarks. There are cheat codes, such as using the red genres (I don't recommend it).

But the best thing is to keep updating chapters while continuously improving your content and packaging, especially the cover and synopsis.

By the way, I'm also four months into writing a novel on SH. My novel is set in a dark fantasy world, centered on a young mother who is a former justice executioner and now wants to live a peaceful life raising her little daughter in a world with amnesia. I'm not sure if my novel's growth is healthy or not. Currently, it has 22,000 views and 215 bookmarks. I regularly update 3 chapters per week, although updates are starting to decrease.

What's a red genre?

 

[Sylver]

Many factors influence the growth of a novel's readership, such as content, genre, tags, synopsis, cover, prologue, number of chapters, regular updates, promotion, and even luck.

Some novels have hundreds of chapters but still have less than 10,000 views and less than 100 bookmarks. Others have only a dozen chapters but already have 100,000 views and hundreds of bookmarks. There are cheat codes, such as using the red genres (I don't recommend it).

But the best thing is to keep updating chapters while continuously improving your content and packaging, especially the cover and synopsis.

By the way, I'm also four months into writing a novel on SH. My novel is set in a dark fantasy world, centered on a young mother who is a former justice executioner and now wants to live a peaceful life raising her little daughter in a world with amnesia. I'm not sure if my novel's growth is healthy or not. Currently, it has 22,000 views and 215 bookmarks. I regularly update 3 chapters per week, although updates are starting to decrease.

Where do you find the bookmarks in your story?

 

[MasterY001]

Where do you find the bookmarks in your story?

It's the little heart symbol

 

[Eldoria]

Where do you find the bookmarks in your story?

The number of bookmarks can be seen below the total number of chapters or to the right of the average number of chapters updated per week (in mobile view). For more details, you can check each reader individually by viewing their latest reader statistics and browsing their profiles, specifically in the reading list.

What's a red genre?

Seriously, you don't know what the red genre is? It's just another name for the 18+ genre.

 

[empalgepuk]

Three weeks here and my story did much better than on WP or AO3, view wise.

 

[Macha]

Most people have different saying when it comes to 18+ genres. But the most common is the internet is called R34 genres; for internet dweebs like me, or sexual content for the normies around us.

It's called goonre.

 

[Eldoria]

Most people have different saying when it comes to 18+ genres. But the most common in the internet is called R34 genres; for internet dweebs like me, or sexual content for the normies around us.

It's called goonre.

In my country, this genre is commonly called the red genres because of the habit of manga/novel web administrators who usually provide a red message warning when potential readers access a novel/manga link with the genres.

 

[naosu]

I've only been writing on here for a few months. The first chapter was posted on Jun 24, 2025. I post 4 times a week, with chapter length between 2500 and 3500 words. Currently, I sit at 54.1k views and 524 readers. My story is not LitRPG/System.

In the beginning, it was slow, only getting a couple of readers per chapter. After the first month, I had roughly 100-150 readers. But as the novel lengthened, the amount steadily increased. I hit major spikes when I was on the trending, even hitting #1 at one point. So the best I can say is keep up a steady pace, and readers will trickle in. I'm not sure if my genre is special in any way since it's just medieval fantasy.

Well you didn't tell us the name of your story? Won't you tell us? Thanks. :)

 

[Alucard21]

Well you didn't tell us the name of your story? Won't you tell us? Thanks. :)

Empress of Fire

 

[Corty]

It depends on your chapter frequency and the genre you are writing. But if you don't see a noticeable jump in actual reader count after 50+ chapters, then something isn't clicking for the readers.

Usually, it's the release frequency or an unpopular genre.

 

[Lark_Devon]

I got 55 readers I think? Only 3 actively engage my story

 

[rainchip]

I got 55 readers I think? Only 3 actively engage my story

Feels like the general vibe lmao. I don't blame them. I've done the same. Dumped days reading a story, loved it. Act like a ghost.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

I got 55 readers I think? Only 3 actively engage my story

About one out of 20? Seems about right.

 

[DireBadger]

considering I usually write 3k-5k word chapters, if I don't have a reasonable audience after 30-50 chapters, it's time to stop wasting my time and energy writing the book.

On another note, this forum has become increasingly toxic recently. Not surprising considering most if not all communities.

If it's a problem, talk to the moderators. seriously. I am not sure what you mean, but then, there are a lot of subjects I avoid. Mostly I just hit the ones involving writing advice, and tearing apart the opinions that think AI is either the cure-all for lazy writing or an evil in par with sacrificing babies to Moloch.