How to attract readers on SH

[Juia_Darkcrest]

You think they will read it? I have my tutorial up & pinned yet the amount of threads get posted weekly that have the answer in there is astronomical

hell no, but we can just copy and paste it ourselves onto their HELP thread

this is more for us if im honest LOL

Edit

I actually have that saved in a google doc now anyways to make it easier to get to

 

[Enkiari]

@Enkiari Can we get this pinned here? Whenever we get new authors, this question inevitably comes up. Also, I am open to discussion about the points with our current authors.

I don't mind doing that.

Social positioning. I mean building name recognition in the community before you publish. Like your point on engagement; comment on stories, be active in this forum by joining in on the discussions, and when other active members request feedback, give it. Be seen as a person, not just a new upload. That way, when you do release a story, people already know your name and are more likely to click it.

Covers and tags get attention from the algorithm.
Reputation gets attention from people.

This isn't necessarily wrong, but...
You actually have to partake in the community on the regular.
And all that time could be spent writing instead, and you would probably achieve more.
Also. Most people are unsurprisingly very annoying. You could also just ruin your repuation. Turns out most authors are unsocial and don't actually know how to interact with people.
Who knew?

A good synopsies, cover and proper tags will do a lot of the lifting.
Despite that, there is a huge chance your first story will flop.
Because it's your first story.
Writing a good story isn't that easy.

 

[L1aei]

This isn't necessarily wrong, but...
You actually have to partake in the community on the regular.
And all that time could be spent writing instead, and you would probably achieve more.
Also. Most people are unsurprisingly very annoying. You could also just ruin your repuation. Turns out most authors are unsocial and don't actually know how to interact with people.
Who knew?

For me, it's not either and or. Like... look, writing is the foundation, yes. No argument there. But visibility and discoverability? Those are indeed separate problems from quality. A great story no one clicks doesn't get read. End of story before it even began.

This community presence isn't about constant socializing, it's about light, consistent presence so we're not a total unknown whenever we get around to publishing or snubbing. Even ten to fifteen minutes here and there adds familiarity over time, right?

And sure, social skills vary... but, you know, basic courtesy and normal interaction are enough. You don't need to be charismatic, just not invisible.

Spoiler: *hiding behind screen*

Don't kill me.

 

[Enkiari]

idk. It's the authors who hang out on these forums and the Discord.
They don't usually read in my experience.
Or, not in a way that's meaningful.
They might click your story and give you a rating because you are their friend, but they won't usually engage beyond that.

What I want to say is - don't engage with the comunity to market. Do it to befriend them.

 

[L1aei]

idk. It's the authors who hang out on these forums and the Discord.
They don't usually read in my experience.
Or, not in a way that's meaningful.
They might click your story and give you a rating because you are their friend, but they won't usually engage beyond that.

What I want to say is - don't engage with the comunity to market. Do it to befriend them.

Yeah, I completely agree that whomever is doing that bullshit, being transactional, should only shamelessly plug if they are transparent about it. Even then, I don't like that at all. They're only around to get readers (who I don't give a fuck about, FYI), and us folks can tell when they do. Especially the scammers and that shit backfires. Hard.

Now, I'm not saying we should network for the sole purpose of marketing, I mean that being a normal, present member of this space, or Discord, naturally leads to recognition over time. The byproduct is that people we interact with, genuinely engage, are more likely to check out our work, and not because they're obligated, but because familiarity lowers the barrier.

Writing builds the story. Presence builds the bridge to it.

 

[Juia_Darkcrest]

Yeah I'm not planning on doing that. Less than 50 per novel suits me better.

haha you do you. I am just going by the metrics I have seen.

You can definitely fit a novel into 50 chapters, one of my worlds in DEN is my own OG world I wrote, and I nearly completed the novel with 43 chapters and 100k-ish words. I am actually going to make it its own stand alone novel soon.

The completed tag at the end of a novel is an even better draw than number of chapters but that isnt about getting your foot in the door.

 

[Juia_Darkcrest]

So...I can either write a Chinese epic like the Legendary Mechanic of a thousand chapter sage or I can write loads of smaller books. Hmm...choices. But many authors these days with regards to web serials are expected to write fictions with 500+ chapters.

Yeah that is where mine is heading... maybe... he is starting to ramp up a bit in power now... so who knows.

 

[FRWriter]

The best advice is to choose a female author name with a female anime-inspired pic, and then mention in your profile that you are interested in dating, but only want to do so with people who appreciate and understand your stories
Sure-fire way to get at least a dozen or so super desperate readers.

 

[zany_baby]

@zany_baby you asked JD for this. This is your answer.

Doing this will increase our chance of having more organic traffic and getting into trending without manipulating our statistics. We don't have to do the RR way of gaining visibility (90% advertisements 10% review swaps) here.

A point I can add is to update consistently. Make a schedule and follow it. Your readers will appreciate knowing when the next chapter will be published.

Cheers

 

[Juia_Darkcrest]

There, I added all the updates.

Did I miss anything?


JD's Quick and Dirty Guide to Attracting Readers on SH

1 - Make an Attractive Cover.

Appearance is everything for the initial draw of your readers. Depending on what you are writing about, an attractive woman (or man, or small furry creature from Alpha Centauri, no judgment) on the cover tends to draw more eyes than something plain or abstract, but that will also depend on your target audience... I am weird in that my main work has an old dude in a bathrobe on the cover, yet it still gets a ton of views.

2 - Synopsis

This part cannot be overstated. You need a brief, well-written synopsis about what you are writing. People probably won't even open it up if they don't like what you're 'selling' them, no matter how good your writing is.

3 - Proper Tags for your Novel.

This will be how people even search for what you are writing. Whatever content is in your novel, make sure you add it.

Cool, now you have the basics of getting your readers' foot in the door. Next, let's talk numbers.

4 - Number of Chapters

The vast majority of readers on SH won't even look at a novel with fewer than 100 chapters. Many writers stop writing before that point, leaving their readers hanging high and dry. There seem to be several thresholds readers need to have met before they actually commit to a novel, that I have noticed, anyway. 20, 50, 100, and +150 chapters seem to be rough estimates, with 100 showing the largest boost in views. When my work hit a hundred chapters, I went from 30k views to nearly 90k in less than three weeks. Results may vary.

Also, for your chapter titles, make sure they are properly labelled with a chapter number; ie

Summertime Fun In Breezyville

No clue what chapter that is.

Chapter 32 - Summertime Fun In Breezyville
Ch 32 - Summertime Fun In Breezyville
32 - Summertime Fun In Breezyville
B1C32 - Summertime Fun In Breezyville

You get the idea. Your readers will appreciate it.

4A - Release Schedule

Now, let's say you already have a wonderful webnovel written, or say ten chapters. Whatever you do, don't just drop them all at once. ScribbleHub's algorithm will flag it as spam. Set up a release schedule to drop a chapter every day or every twelve hours. Also, dropping chapters too fast may cause readers to think your masterpiece is actually another AI slop piece, and they won't give it a second look.

Be seen by the reader base as a person, not a bot.

5 - Word Count

1500-2500 words per chapter seems to be the ideal length people agree on. Any less, and your readers can't really dig into the chapter, any more, and readers might not be able to finish it in one sitting and turn them away. There is more nuance here, but that is the generally accepted amount. I tend to lean towards the 2000-3000 mark myself.

6 - Writing Style

This one is way more subjective, but if you are trying to draw in a broad audience, writing in weird formats will turn your viewers away. Standard novel formats are difficult to read, IMO, since most people read on mobile devices. So, IMO, you should break some of your longer paragraphs up to around 3, maybe 4 sentences at most, to provide some eye relief for your readers. There are other forms of writing that several authors use here and succeed with, such as the onamonapia style, but I don't recommend it myself. That is just my opinion; write however you want.

Finally, we come to my last point;

7 - Actual Content

Is your story any good? Serious question. You may like it, but if it is some niche content, full of grammatical errors, or you have gaping plot holes you could drive a truck through in the first ten chapters, you will find your readers will just drop off like flies. A fall off is normal for numbers of views, as people try out your story and decide it isn't for them, or that they will read it later once you have more chapters.

If you are worried about your content, you can ask in the authors' forum if anyone is willing to read a few chapters and give you their opinions. Most people who are willing to do that are great and will give you honest opinions on your style. Take what they give you and learn from it.

Bonus

8 - Engage with your Readers

If you have people in your comments, congrats! You are lucky, as the vast majority of people on SH are silent readers. Engage with their comments, even if it's just a thank you. If you appear accessible to your readers, you may end up with valuable insights into your writing from their comments.

9 - Updates

To gain and maintain readers, you should update your work consistently. Make a schedule and follow it. Your readers will appreciate knowing when the next chapter will be published.

10 - Completed Works

Wait! JD, what do you mean I need to have +100 Chapters to get views? I only have 50 chapters, and it is already done!

Fret not, dear Author, you have now unlocked EasyMode for attracting readers! Completed works will let your readers know that what they are about to read is indeed finished, and they won't be left high and dry if they start your story. The above guidelines still apply, but once your final chapter is on SH, make sure you label the work as Complete.

There ya go, a quick guide for writing here on SH. Good luck!

 

[Anonjohn20]

There, I added all the updates.

Did I miss anything?


JD's Quick and Dirty Guide to Attracting Readers on SH

1 - Make an Attractive Cover.

Appearance is everything for the initial draw of your readers. Depending on what you are writing about, an attractive woman (or man, or small furry creature from Alpha Centauri, no judgment) on the cover tends to draw more eyes than something plain or abstract, but that will also depend on your target audience... I am weird in that my main work has an old dude in a bathrobe on the cover, yet it still gets a ton of views.

2 - Synopsis

This part cannot be overstated. You need a brief, well-written synopsis about what you are writing. People probably won't even open it up if they don't like what you're 'selling' them, no matter how good your writing is.

3 - Proper Tags for your Novel.

This will be how people even search for what you are writing. Whatever content is in your novel, make sure you add it.

Cool, now you have the basics of getting your readers' foot in the door. Next, let's talk numbers.

4 - Number of Chapters

The vast majority of readers on SH won't even look at a novel with fewer than 100 chapters. Many writers stop writing before that point, leaving their readers hanging high and dry. There seem to be several thresholds readers need to have met before they actually commit to a novel, that I have noticed, anyway. 20, 50, 100, and +150 chapters seem to be rough estimates, with 100 showing the largest boost in views. When my work hit a hundred chapters, I went from 30k views to nearly 90k in less than three weeks. Results may vary.

Also, for your chapter titles, make sure they are properly labelled with a chapter number; ie

Summertime Fun In Breezyville

No clue what chapter that is.

Chapter 32 - Summertime Fun In Breezyville
Ch 32 - Summertime Fun In Breezyville
32 - Summertime Fun In Breezyville
B1C32 - Summertime Fun In Breezyville

You get the idea. Your readers will appreciate it.

4A - Release Schedule

Now, let's say you already have a wonderful webnovel written, or say ten chapters. Whatever you do, don't just drop them all at once. ScribbleHub's algorithm will flag it as spam. Set up a release schedule to drop a chapter every day or every twelve hours. Also, dropping chapters too fast may cause readers to think your masterpiece is actually another AI slop piece, and they won't give it a second look.

Be seen by the reader base as a person, not a bot.

5 - Word Count

1500-2500 words per chapter seems to be the ideal length people agree on. Any less, and your readers can't really dig into the chapter, any more, and readers might not be able to finish it in one sitting and turn them away. There is more nuance here, but that is the generally accepted amount. I tend to lean towards the 2000-3000 mark myself.

6 - Writing Style

This one is way more subjective, but if you are trying to draw in a broad audience, writing in weird formats will turn your viewers away. Standard novel formats are difficult to read, IMO, since most people read on mobile devices. So, IMO, you should break some of your longer paragraphs up to around 3, maybe 4 sentences at most, to provide some eye relief for your readers. There are other forms of writing that several authors use here and succeed with, such as the onamonapia style, but I don't recommend it myself. That is just my opinion; write however you want.

Finally, we come to my last point;

7 - Actual Content

Is your story any good? Serious question. You may like it, but if it is some niche content, full of grammatical errors, or you have gaping plot holes you could drive a truck through in the first ten chapters, you will find your readers will just drop off like flies. A fall off is normal for numbers of views, as people try out your story and decide it isn't for them, or that they will read it later once you have more chapters.

If you are worried about your content, you can ask in the authors' forum if anyone is willing to read a few chapters and give you their opinions. Most people who are willing to do that are great and will give you honest opinions on your style. Take what they give you and learn from it.

Bonus

8 - Engage with your Readers

If you have people in your comments, congrats! You are lucky, as the vast majority of people on SH are silent readers. Engage with their comments, even if it's just a thank you. If you appear accessible to your readers, you may end up with valuable insights into your writing from their comments.

9 - Updates

To gain and maintain readers, you should update your work consistently. Make a schedule and follow it. Your readers will appreciate knowing when the next chapter will be published.

10 - Completed Works

Wait! JD, what do you mean I need to have +100 Chapters to get views? I only have 50 chapters, and it is already done!

Fret not, dear Author, you have now unlocked EasyMode for attracting readers! Completed works will let your readers know that what they are about to read is indeed finished, and they won't be left high and dry if they start your story. The above guidelines still apply, but once your final chapter is on SH, make sure you label the work as Complete.

There ya go, a quick guide for writing here on SH. Good luck!

You forgot "write smut" as rule 1.

 

[Juia_Darkcrest]

You forgot "write smut" as rule 1.

I thought that was a given here on SmutHub

 

[mythosandmagic]

I thought that was a given here on SmutHub

I have a sincere question for longtime ScribbleHub readers and writers.


I didn't realize this platform has a strong audience for stories that include explicit or lewd content, and I completely respect that. However, the epic fantasy I’m writing doesn’t include those elements. It focuses more on mythic scale, stewardship, and long-term worldbuilding rather than romance or adult themes.


So I’m genuinely curious. Is there a readership here for slower-burn epic fantasy without lewd content? Or would that kind of story naturally struggle on this platform?


I’m not criticizing the dominant genres at all. I’m just trying to understand whether I’m planting my story in the right soil.


I’d really appreciate honest insight from those who’ve been here a while.

 

[Rezcore]

Maybe we need a thread explaining how to set up a patreon for reader, to read ahead, and also discussing the legality of doing so for fanfictions

 

[Juia_Darkcrest]

Maybe we need a thread explaining how to set up a patreon for reader, to read ahead, and also discussing the legality of doing so for fanfictions

Couldnt hurt, though I will leave that to another author who has experience there... I just write the things

I have a sincere question for longtime ScribbleHub readers and writers.


I didn't realize this platform has a strong audience for stories that include explicit or lewd content, and I completely respect that. However, the epic fantasy I’m writing doesn’t include those elements. It focuses more on mythic scale, stewardship, and long-term worldbuilding rather than romance or adult themes.


So I’m genuinely curious. Is there a readership here for slower-burn epic fantasy without lewd content? Or would that kind of story naturally struggle on this platform?


I’m not criticizing the dominant genres at all. I’m just trying to understand whether I’m planting my story in the right soil.


I’d really appreciate honest insight from those who’ve been here a while.

Yes, thee are plenty of people who write without smut in their work here.

Just check the trending novels. It usually sits around 1/2 smut 1/2 non sexual content, though that can vary both ways considerably.

I have absolutely no clue what the metrics actually are for smut vs nonsmut, so dont quote me on that.

 

[Anonjohn20]

So I’m genuinely curious. Is there a readership here for slower-burn epic fantasy without lewd content? Or would that kind of story naturally struggle on this platform?

The platform allows all kinds of fantasy to succeed (except the illegal kind). We joke about this site being called "SmutHub," not because "all the smut reading audience is here" (that's not the case), but rather because a large portion of the smut authors find themselves here eventually. Other sites that allow smut have their own problems.

AO3, despite having way fewer restrictions and allowing you to write what you want, is designed for one-shot fanfiction, not long original stories posted over time. QuestionableQuesting makes it kind of annoying to find new stories with its forum format. Royal Road, a much larger site than this, in theory should have been a better choice for most authors, but it has a clique of mods that will harass authors who don't worship them; it's gotten as bad as moderators deleting popular stories for vague and ambiguous reasons. Webnovel demands that you write chapters constantly; they don't like when you post 1-3 times a week; they want daily uploads; plus in the past, they've been known to sneak in suspicious clauses in their contracts. NovelUpdates doesn't let you post novels there; it's just a catalogue to help find works posted elsewhere. Many other sites are curated for specific stories to cater to niche audiences rather than appeal to the masses (WuxiaWorld, for example).

So you see, it's not that all the stories here should be smut (even though I often joke otherwise); it's that a lot of smut inevitably finds its way here.

 

[L1aei]

The platform allows all kinds of fantasy to succeed (except the illegal kind). We joke about this site being called "SmutHub," not because "all the smut reading audience is here" (that's not the case), but rather because a large portion of the smut authors find themselves here eventually. Other sites that allow smut have their own problems.

AO3, despite having way fewer restrictions and allowing you to write what you want, is designed for one-shot fanfiction, not long original stories posted over time. QuestionableQuesting makes it kind of annoying to find new stories with its forum format. Royal Road, a much larger site than this, in theory should have been a better choice for most authors, but it has a clique of mods that will harass authors who don't worship them; it's gotten as bad as moderators deleting popular stories for vague and ambiguous reasons. Webnovel demands that you write chapters constantly; they don't like when you post 1-3 times a week; they want daily uploads; plus in the past, they've been known to sneak in suspicious clauses in their contracts. NovelUpdates doesn't let you post novels there; it's just a catalogue to help find works posted elsewhere. Many other sites are curated for specific stories to cater to niche audiences rather than appeal to the masses (WuxiaWorld, for example).

So you see, it's not that all the stories here should be smut (even though I often joke otherwise); it's that a lot of smut inevitably finds its way here.

Mostly yes. Like 99% correct. The only small, and it's microscopically tiny, correction is that this place got called SmutHub also because the frontpage originally had Popular rather than Trending titles in the very beginning. You can guess what all was there.

 

[Anonjohn20]

the frontpage originally had Popular rather than Trending titles in the very beginning. You can guess what all was there.

They should bring that back. Place them between trending and the latest series.

 

[L1aei]

They should bring that back. Place them between trending and the latest series.

So, early on in the life of SH, the front page prioritized two things: popularity and engagement totals. Freshness, which is associated with Trending, didn't exist yet. So what rises the fastest under that newborn system? We get novels with high-frequency updates, highly engaging readers, some juicy content that can be binged immediately, and, of course, titles and covers that many would click impulsively.

Guess what? Erotica checks every one of those requirements off.

Yeah, the initial issue was the algorithm awarded those who wrote up immediately engaging novels that would have an audience so dense you could sniff the salty musk from your monitor. And the authors didn't have to do much to promote those titles either because it was on the front page constantly; readers saw them, clicked, and reinforced the loop of eternal front page exposure.

So the front page got dominated by it and there were a shit ton of complaints from everybody that their non-smut stuff wasn't getting a lick of exposure. That's when Trending came into being.

 

[Anonjohn20]

So, early on in the life of SH, the front page prioritized two things: popularity and engagement totals. Freshness, which is associated with Trending, didn't exist yet. So what rises the fastest under that newborn system? We get novels with high-frequency updates, highly engaging readers, some juicy content that can be binged immediately, and, of course, titles and covers that many would click impulsively.

Guess what? Erotica checks every one of those requirements off.

Yeah, the initial issue was the algorithm awarded those who wrote up immediately engaging novels that would have an audience so dense you could sniff the salty musk from your monitor. And the authors didn't have to do much to promote those titles either because it was on the front page constantly; readers saw them, clicked, and reinforced the loop of eternal front page exposure.

So the front page got dominated by it and there were a shit ton of complaints from everybody that their non-smut stuff wasn't getting a lick of exposure. That's when Trending came into being.

I'm not saying get rid of trending; I said add that system as well.