How do you make a Light Novel popular?

[WaterFish]

I’ve tried writing a Light Novel once and the structure was the easiest for me to plan and express characters within. Even better than when I’m trying to hit a word count everyday.

The only problem is that most Webnovel sites work on consistency with updates and not chapter length. It doesn’t get counted as a short story due to its length, and arcs don’t go on for long enough.

I’m thinking of writing a Light Novel but need advice on how to post it.

Breaking it up into chapters make it too choppy to read. Keeping it as long chapters would make the story start and end too quick. I can’t even begin to think about how I could get this done.

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

I’ve tried writing a Light Novel once and the structure was the easiest for me to plan and express characters within. Even better than when I’m trying to hit a word count everyday.

The only problem is that most Webnovel sites work on consistency with updates and not chapter length. It doesn’t get counted as a short story due to its length, and arcs don’t go on for long enough.

I’m thinking of writing a Light Novel but need advice on how to post it.

Breaking it up into chapters make it too choppy to read. Keeping it as long chapters would make the story start and end too quick. I can’t even begin to think about how I could get this done.

Write a lot. Write harem, GL, Litrpg, or fanfic. Isekai is not mentioned because no brainer. The genres sell like sliced bread, regardless of quality. And I really mean regardless of quality. No even functioning English is required for them to work.

Or in summary, 500+ readers is the least you can expect. Anything lower should make you return to your writing if you are backed by any of these genres.

 

[MatchaChocolate69]

By definition, light novels have an average length of about 50,000 words. How long is yours?

 

[beast_regards]

Light Novel is a format. What defines the actual Light Novel isn't the length of the chapter, but how easy they are to read. It's Japanese thing. It's a complicated language for something relaxing to read, hence Light Novel was envisioned. Since they are officially published, and printed, they do need to be concise as paper is a resource after all. After all, most Light Novels don't have that many chapters, usually like three per volume.

It's Web Novels which tend to have a lot of chapter.

Only reason they need to have a lot of chapters is not because some format convention, but because of visibility. Without an advertisments and official publishing on your side, you need to throw as many chapters on the wall as possible and hope someone notices you. Additionaly, web novels tend to be endless because they are electronically published, and conserving space for paper isn't an issue. Quite the contrary, more chapters is better because most monetized web novels work on subscription model, and you want people paying as long as possible instead of just buying a single book.

What it means to you is to figure out how to advertise your novel if throwing a chapter at the wall is not an option.

How do you advertise your novel?

I asked the question here:

How do you promote (advertise) your story and where?

How do you promote (advertise) your novel and where? Which one invites the least amount of backlash? Do you spam the link on Facebook and Twitter? Do you post on Reddit? Make tiktok videos about it? Print chapters and stuff them in your neighbour mailboxes? While some of those may be...

forum.scribblehub.com

And TL;DR answer is: You don't. Unless you are publishing with Royal Road and pay for their advertisement, there isn't any good way to approach it, and pushing your story is, for the most part, counterproductive. At least here on Scribble Hub, the trending section should be view based, not grow based. If people view your story often, it gets on trending. Compared to the Royal Road, where you need consistent grow - followers per chapter - to appear in their trending list, and that one even isn't on the front page.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Finish the story and upload one part(not volume, but a chapter, or a part of a chapter) a time. And don't forget to write what is popular.

 

[RepresentingPride]

Light Novel is a format who use some images to depict scene. Is this what you want to do?

For the chapter, like sailus said you can upload a big part of it as a chapter, you can include the images with scribble hub option, but be sure to explain it in the end of your synopsis that this is a light novel, it contain images and the chapter length are over 10k/20k/50k words.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

For the chapter, like sailus said you can upload a big part of it as a chapter,

Legit question. Do Japanese LNs have chapters, or no? I think each Japanese LN I've read had chapters. Or OP talks about different kind of LN?

 

[melchi]

Legit question. Do Japanese LNs have chapters, or no? I think each Japanese LN I've read had chapters. Or OP talks about different kind of LN?

I think so hans might know as he has experience with Japanese sites more but almost all of the published light novels are web novels that a publisher picks up.

 

[RepresentingPride]

Legit question. Do Japanese LNs have chapters, or no? I think each Japanese LN I've read had chapters. Or OP talks about different kind of LN?

They are separated into chapters when translated/published online, but they mostly published in full volume but there still "chapter" in it.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I think so hans might know as he has experience with Japanese sites more but almost all of the published light novels are web novels that a publisher picks up.

Yeah, I know the thing about getting picked up. I was mostly confused when OP said they can't split the novel in an appropriate place.

Breaking it up into chapters make it too choppy to read.

I've never seen Japanese LN that had no chapters. Usually it's around ten chapters.

They are separated into chapters when translated/published online, but they mostly published in full volume but there still "chapter" in it.

So it is a translation thing?

 

[RepresentingPride]

So it is a translation thing?

I don't know for sure, but there chapter present in some jp version too.

 

[MatchaChocolate69]

Yeah, I know the thing about getting picked up. I was mostly confused when OP said they can't split the novel in an appropriate place.

Breaking it up into chapters make it too choppy to read.

I've never seen Japanese LN that had no chapters. Usually it's around ten chapters.

So it is a translation thing?

Usually, there are 3 to 4 chapters divided into Parts, about half a dozen per chapter.

 

[BlackKnightX]

If you want to post it online, go for the web serial structure. Serial is quite different from your usual published novels, be it light novels or traditional ones. Think of it as more like a TV Show or seasonal anime.

You usually have an overarching plot that spans from beginning to end, which consists of smaller arcs working together in tandem (or non-linearly, but that will be more complicated and require a masterful handling).

At the chapter level, there are many ways to structure it, but one of the best ways in my opinion is to think of it as a short story with a hook or a cliffhanger at the end (like in most seasonal anime episode nowadays, or even in weekly manga like One Piece). Meaning, there should be a small payoff at the end of every chapter (to give a little dopamine rush) and then end with a cliffhanger or a hook for the new chapter.

 

[WaterFish]

By definition, light novels have an average length of about 50,000 words. How long is yours?

I have a bit more than that and have planned how many words each chapter will have. There will be 10 chapters including the Prologue and Epilogue of varying lengths. To the point some chapters will be broken up into parts.

Light Novel is a format. What defines the actual Light Novel isn't the length of the chapter, but how easy they are to read. It's Japanese thing. It's a complicated language for something relaxing to read, hence Light Novel was envisioned. Since they are officially published, and printed, they do need to be concise as paper is a resource after all. After all, most Light Novels don't have that many chapters, usually like three per volume.

It's Web Novels which tend to have a lot of chapter.

Only reason they need to have a lot of chapters is not because some format convention, but because of visibility. Without an advertisments and official publishing on your side, you need to throw as many chapters on the wall as possible and hope someone notices you. Additionaly, web novels tend to be endless because they are electronically published, and conserving space for paper isn't an issue. Quite the contrary, more chapters is better because most monetized web novels work on subscription model, and you want people paying as long as possible instead of just buying a single book.

What it means to you is to figure out how to advertise your novel if throwing a chapter at the wall is not an option.

How do you advertise your novel?

I asked the question here:

How do you promote (advertise) your story and where?

How do you promote (advertise) your novel and where? Which one invites the least amount of backlash? Do you spam the link on Facebook and Twitter? Do you post on Reddit? Make tiktok videos about it? Print chapters and stuff them in your neighbour mailboxes? While some of those may be...

forum.scribblehub.com

And TL;DR answer is: You don't. Unless you are publishing with Royal Road and pay for their advertisement, there isn't any good way to approach it, and pushing your story is, for the most part, counterproductive. At least here on Scribble Hub, the trending section should be view based, not grow based. If people view your story often, it gets on trending. Compared to the Royal Road, where you need consistent grow - followers per chapter - to appear in their trending list, and that one even isn't on the front page.

I’m going for an EOLN (English Original Light Novel). I’ll just finish it then post it and see how that goes. I’ll figure advertising it later then. Maybe by making more volumes or content that can be found.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I’m going for an EOLN (English Original Light Novel). I’ll just finish it then post it and see how that goes. I’ll figure advertising it later then. Maybe by making more volumes or content that can be found.

If you are going to post here, on SH, don't upload all chapters at once. You will have stats similar to this novel if you upload all chapters in one go. Spread your releases.

Saga of a New World Book 1: Dawn of the New World

Who will stand in this new world of magic and technology... and who will fall? The end of the world comes as a surprise, and as one world ends, another begins. Transformed into an elf by a magical apocalypse that ends civilization as we know it, Astrid awakens in a...

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[Izumi_Kenshu]

I’ve tried writing a Light Novel once and the structure was the easiest for me to plan and express characters within. Even better than when I’m trying to hit a word count everyday.

The only problem is that most Webnovel sites work on consistency with updates and not chapter length. It doesn’t get counted as a short story due to its length, and arcs don’t go on for long enough.

I’m thinking of writing a Light Novel but need advice on how to post it.

Breaking it up into chapters make it too choppy to read. Keeping it as long chapters would make the story start and end too quick. I can’t even begin to think about how I could get this done.

Well honestly, Light novel Authors were started as Web novel authors in some Japanese Site. These stories were later publish traditionally after gaining popularity. These light novels were Re:zero and Mushoku Tensei.

 

[Corty]

At least here on Scribble Hub, the trending section should be view based, not grow based. If people view your story often, it gets on trending.

I agree with this, and yet not. Mostly because, usually, the same books would occupy the top spots.

Plus, if you click on "view more," you can check out the hot books by more metrics, including views/popularity.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I agree with this, and yet not. Mostly because, usually, the same books would occupy the top spots.

I don't remember, were you here when trending was occupied by 30 or so novels? They were not the most popular ones though, trending probably worked differently at that time, but it was a small pool of novels that kept getting on trending again and again.

 

[Corty]

I don't remember, were you here when trending was occupied by 30 or so novels? They were not the most popular ones though, trending probably worked differently at that time, but it was a small pool of novels that kept getting on trending again and again.

No, I was not here back then. I think when I came, the new system was already in place. I prefer this one, it shows greater variety.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Rebrand it as a diet novel