First-time user, advice?

[killwrites]

I like writing as a hobby (mostly non-fantasy settings) and have been exploring different genres and types of novels. Recently i started getting into fantasy light novels and was inspired to try writing one out. So I want to get a general sensing of what kind of stories users here generally read and looking for any recommendations/ tips from more experienced ppl on writing such a novel? I don't plan to write an isekai since there's already tons of them, but they seem to be wildly popular..

 

[KoyukiMegumi]

You either write for the trend GL<-- extremely popular, Iseka, smut-focused story, or you write for yourself. I suggest you write for yourself, as that is the best way to go about writing. Imagination lacks when chasing trends, but you can, I guess.

If you want to monetize, well, trend-chasing is the way to go. And I don't have experience in that since I do it for fun, as a hobby.

Shorter chapters around the 2k mark get more views too. What else... Uh, just write what you like and someone else will find enjoyment in it.

 

[KiraMinoru]

You either write for the trend GL<-- extremely popular, Iseka, smut-focused story, or you write for yourself. I suggest you write for yourself, as that is the best way to go about writing. Imagination lacks when chasing trends, but you can, I guess.

If you want to monetize, well, trend-chasing is the way to go. And I don't have experience in that since I do it for fun, as a hobby.

Shorter chapters around the 2k mark get more views too. What else... Uh, just write what you like and someone else will find enjoyment in it.

You could still try to be a trend setter. Write for the future of monetization. Though that’s like winning the lottery lol. But if you go about writing a hundred different stories, you might just hit that future trend jackpot. I wonder what will be popular ten or twenty years down the line.

 

[Deleted member 45782]

I like writing as a hobby (mostly non-fantasy settings) and have been exploring different genres and types of novels. Recently i started getting into fantasy light novels and was inspired to try writing one out. So I want to get a general sensing of what kind of stories users here generally read and looking for any recommendations/ tips from more experienced ppl on writing such a novel? I don't plan to write an isekai since there's already tons of them, but they seem to be wildly popular..

Starting tips & FAQ at @WelcomeToSH page.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Also, write what you love, and someone else will also enjoy it!

 

[SakeVision]

you write what you want to have written

 

[Deleted member 45782]

1. Don't keep too high expectations.

Won't be an instant success author. Takes time. Practice.​

2. Don't bother asking best time update/trending.

No set time, no get-famous-fast. Update often. Also may depend the interest of genre you're writing.​

3. Readers on SH like genres : smut, litrpg, Isekai, reincarnation/transmigration. SH nickname is also smuthub. You've been warned.
4. Too much time on forums = distracting.
5. Just published writing/uploaded picture?

Takes time for it get approved; about day or so depending when mod gets to it. Once approved, then it'll show.​

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

If you want to improve, don't write to be popular.

Anyways, lemme tell you how to easily get readers(on this website)

Spoiler: Source: just trust me bro

Get a waifulabs cover, Isekai, GL, GB combo(Smut for extra points). Any plot will do as long as it's fantasy and you have fluff scenes.
I tried this, 100 readers the first day, 2 chapters of 1k~ word length. The writing wasn't even that good.
This was just a fun little experiment, don't do this unironically.

 

[Renaxan]

Not profesional here, but as fellow hobby writer I think I could give some idea here.

Write whatever you want. No one have right told us to stop and change what we are write. Always remember you can't please everyone. I learn this fact in a hard way lol. Cherish people who actually support your work.

Stop care about statistics too much, seriously. It might be a good way to find motivation, but reality isn't that kind for us newbie. While it would be good source for motivation, it would be also good source for motivation killer too, lol.

Well, you will get a good statistic if you write popular stuff here though.

All I can see most popular genre here is Isekai, smut, girls love, litrpg and smut. Did I say smut twice? Of course I did.

 

[Tropic_Panda]

Write until the tiredness tired on you
Write until the boredness bored on you

Then, perhaps, someday. . .
You will write a good one. . . or Not.

 

[Ddraig]

GL, GB

Honestly though, cant I just get a simple GL without GB and smut?

Scribblehub
GL = 37 pages or 902 series
GL + no GB = 21 pages or 523 series
0.580

BL = 25 pages or 620 series
BL + no GB = 24 pages or 582 series
0.939

(-GL-BL) = 311 pages or 7754 series
(-GL-BL) + no GB = 283 pages or 7055 series
0.910

All = 370 pages or 9328 series
All + no GB = 326 pages or 8132 series
0.880

Novelupdates
GL(yuri OR shoujo-ai) = 14 pages or 349 series
GL(yuri OR shoujo-ai) + no GB = 13 pages or 302 series
0.865

BL(yaoi OR shonen-ai) = 78 pages or 1939 series
BL(yaoi OR shonen-ai) + no GB = 77 pages or 1913 series
0.987

(-GL-BL) = 342 pages or 8549 series
(-GL-BL) + no GB = 333 pages or 8311 series
0.972

All = 434 pages or 10837 series
All + no GB = 421 pages or 10526 series
0.971

The ratio of GL+GB on sh is so out of wack it is unreal. Even ignoring the other numbers, just the fact that ~42% of every GL on sh is a gender bender - especially for a genre which is usually considered niche like GB is nuts.

To put it into another perspective, there are 1196 GB series on sh out of which ~32% are GL+GB. That is so bad and high that it has a noticeable effect on the GB:All ratio.

tl;dr

• If you want to do something related to BL, go translate on NU. Sh is still an alright site even for BL
• If you want to do something related to GB, Sh 100% - add a GL tag too and you are going up the charts
• If you want to do something related to just pure GL, uhh idk? Just write a normal GL series and add gender bender on the prologue and call it a day?

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Honestly though, cant I just get a simple GL without GB and smut?

Scribblehub
GL = 37 pages or 902 series
GL + no GB = 21 pages or 523 series
0.580

BL = 25 pages or 620 series
BL + no GB = 24 pages or 582 series
0.939

(-GL-BL) = 311 pages or 7754 series
(-GL-BL) + no GB = 283 pages or 7055 series
0.910

All = 370 pages or 9328 series
All + no GB = 326 pages or 8132 series
0.880

Novelupdates
GL(yuri OR shoujo-ai) = 14 pages or 349 series
GL(yuri OR shoujo-ai) + no GB = 13 pages or 302 series
0.865

BL(yaoi OR shonen-ai) = 78 pages or 1939 series
BL(yaoi OR shonen-ai) + no GB = 77 pages or 1913 series
0.987

(-GL-BL) = 342 pages or 8549 series
(-GL-BL) + no GB = 333 pages or 8311 series
0.972

All = 434 pages or 10837 series
All + no GB = 421 pages or 10526 series
0.971

The ratio of GL+GB on sh is so out of wack it is unreal. Even ignoring the other numbers, just the fact that ~42% of every GL on sh is a gender bender - especially for a genre which is usually considered niche like GB is nuts.

To put it into another perspective, there are 1196 GB series on sh out of which ~32% are GL+GB. That is so bad and high that it has a noticeable effect on the GB:All ratio.

tl;dr

• If you want to do something related to BL, go translate on NU. Sh is still an alright site even for BL
• If you want to do something related to GB, Sh 100% - add a GL tag too and you are going up the charts
• If you want to do something related to just pure GL, uhh idk? Just write a normal GL series and add gender bender on the prologue and call it a day?

When you did your statistic, you probably missed that some authors don't put tags or put different tags with similar meanings.

 

[Ddraig]

When you did your statistic, you probably missed that some authors don't put tags or put different tags with similar meanings.

Except GL, BL, Yuri, Yaoi, Shoujo-Ai, Shonen-Ai and GB are all genres. Kinda hard to forget to put the genre y'know?

And even if that is the case, we are taking a decent sample size here. The rate of people forgetting to add the genres is gonna be same across the board for every genre and for each site in itself as well as is very likely similar even between both nu and sh.

Anecdotally, I have yet to find a gender bender on NU that was not tagged as gender bender. The mis-tagging error rate on nu is pretty close to zero (users can correct the tags and all). And even if mis-tagging was more on nu, I dont see a reasonable argument that would explain a 10% delta when it comes to gb.

When it comes to sh, I would assume authors atleast tag the genres correct for the most part. Every one of the above genres carries an intent of sorts (unlike say action, adventure etc which you can slap on pretty much any novel). As such if there is any error, it would be lack of genres being tagged and not someone mistagging the series. As such the ratio becomes even worse for sh.

No amounts of such errors are gonna change more than a percent or two in the results. A 0.05 error margin on both sides if you wanna be cynical, 0.01 if you are not . Even with that it doesnt change shit.

tl;dr - the ratios should be reasonably correct (with a minor chance of being even worse for sh)

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Except GL, BL, Yuri, Yaoi, Shoujo-Ai, Shonen-Ai and GB are all genres. Kinda hard to forget to put the genre y'know?

And even if that is the case, we are taking a decent sample size here. The rate of people forgetting to add the genres is gonna be same across the board for every genre and for each site in itself as well as is very likely similar even between both nu and sh.

Anecdotally, I have yet to find a gender bender on NU that was not tagged as gender bender. The mis-tagging error rate on nu is pretty close to zero (users can correct the tags and all). And even if mis-tagging was more on nu, I dont see a reasonable argument that would explain a 10% delta when it comes to gb.

When it comes to sh, I would assume authors atleast tag the genres correct for the most part. Every one of the above genres carries an intent of sorts (unlike say action, adventure etc which you can slap on pretty much any novel). As such if there is any error, it would be lack of genres being tagged that someone mistagging the series. As such the ratio becomes even worse for sh.

tl;dr - the ratios should be reasonably correct (with a minor chance of being even worse for sh)

I saw a few stories with as few as 3-5 genres+tags used. But I guess you are right. The cases of not putting tags are rare.

 

[Hathnuz]

I like writing as a hobby (mostly non-fantasy settings) and have been exploring different genres and types of novels. Recently i started getting into fantasy light novels and was inspired to try writing one out. So I want to get a general sensing of what kind of stories users here generally read and looking for any recommendations/ tips from more experienced ppl on writing such a novel? I don't plan to write an isekai since there's already tons of them, but they seem to be wildly popular..

Quantity over quality most of the time.
Have a consistent schedule. Don't be like me.
Study grammar. Not saying you're bad at it, it's just almost mandatory for writers.
Title and premise are very important. Make sure your story stands out from the rest.

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

Honestly though, cant I just get a simple GL without GB and smut?

Scribblehub
GL = 37 pages or 902 series
GL + no GB = 21 pages or 523 series
0.580

BL = 25 pages or 620 series
BL + no GB = 24 pages or 582 series
0.939

I am surprised that the amount of BL in this site is more than half of the GL, though i guess it's just because only a small portion of them ever get on trending.
Still, I wonder why SH has so many GB fics, I know around 2 years ago it was also full of GB fics, so maybe it just became the trend.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Still, I wonder why SH has so many GB fics

Because people read GB fics.

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

Because people read GB fics.

Good point, it almost tempts me to make a GB fic with GL as a premise but the MC actually goes for an ugly bastard instead. Perhaps I can break the record of most 1 star reviews on the site.

 

[Ddraig]

I am surprised that the amount of BL in this site is more than half of the GL, though i guess it's just because only a small portion of them ever get on trending.
Still, I wonder why SH has so many GB fics, I know around 2 years ago it was also full of GB fics, so maybe it just became the trend.

SH's decent chunk of starting audience originated from NU. Now look at NU's BL count - NU is kinda full of fujoshis. Which means BL is always gonna be a relatively popular thing to write.

Not sure how gb got so popular but I think it was coz of sh during early days being the place where you can post gl/bl/smut without problems (rrl has problem with smut for example and I dont recall it being big on gl or bl) => attracted authors who wanted to write about gender-related stuff => early gb stories got popular => more people started writing gb => Larger audience for gb got into sh's userbase => snowball

 

[bigbear51]

You're better off just looking at what gets on trending, and by that I mean looking at the top 25, not just what shows on the front page, over the course of some days to get an idea of what gets people's attention. I don't really trust the forum for getting an idea of what readers like since most people here are writers with different tastes.

Also as harsh as it may sound. The feelgood bullshit half of the comments here are about pretty useless. The idea that what you like and what's popular being mutually exclusive is a naïve mindset of those who think they're different from everyone else.