Questions for authors (from a fello author)

[Maze_Runner]

1. How do you become more popular?
2. Does it matter to post daily?
3. What if you can't post daily? What can you do to get your story out there?
4. Does having a lot of books help?
5. How many chapters is good?
6. (For well known or famous authors) How hard was the journey to being where you are? Was it worth it?
7. (For all authors) What if your main goal as an author?
8. What do you enjoy most about writing?
9. What is your favorite genre to write?
10. Where do you get your inspiration?

Thank you all who answer, this will hopefully help give all authors advice or just something to cure boredom with. At least for a little bit.

 

[Love4NovelGuy]

1. Update a good story regularly and commission a covering you can.
2. Daily, no… but you need a consistent schedule.
3. Advertise and share.
4. People have different tastes. Some like seeing experience, others judge you. Create a new account if past works are dragging you down.
5. As many as you need. If this is about Webnovel’com, then about 100+
6. I’m not well-known or famous, so…
7. Entertainment and getting the story I envisioned out there in written form.
8. Character development and how things grow.
9. Action Fantasy
10. Everything.

 

[Ilikewaterkusa]

1. How do you become more popular?
2. Does it matter to post daily?
3. What if you can't post daily? What can you do to get your story out there?
4. Does having a lot of books help?
5. How many chapters is good?
6. (For well known or famous authors) How hard was the journey to being where you are? Was it worth it?
7. (For all authors) What if your main goal as an author?
8. What do you enjoy most about writing?
9. What is your favorite genre to write?
10. Where do you get your inspiration?

Thank you all who answer, this will hopefully help give all authors advice or just something to cure boredom with. At least for a little bit.

1. Go after a niche demographic
2. Posting daily isn’t the best for popularity
3. Being consistent
4. Depends on your goal
5. Until it’s finished
6. It wasn’t
7. End capitalism
8. People hate me
9. Class warfare
10. The revolution

 

[EliseValkyria]

1. Writing a story that people enjoy reading and uploading chapters on a regular basis
2. No, please do not write chapters every day, it ruins your life and the quality of the story, but if you do it often, something like a chapter or two every two weeks is perfect to live without pressure. Also if you post every day people will only see your novel like the one that is always there bothering you, you want each chapter to be an event. That by the time your readers see the new chapter notification they will be happy
3. Genre, type of story. If you're writing a police drama, people looking for those kinds of stories will come, so give them what they're looking for in a police drama.
4. Normally yes, quite a few readers will see your other works if they like you as an author. But I have only written one novel, so I cannot assure you that it will also be a guaranteed success.
5. Those that you consider necessary, do not stretch the story unnecessarily but do not make short chapters of 500 words. If your story is long, don't be afraid to develop things in due time. People will comment that why don't you explain those ancient civilizations from the beginning, but if you had planned to do it at the end of the story, do that, telling them the interesting spoilers is not fun for anyone and kills the curiosity of the readers to know more.
6. It took me 2 years, I only write a single novel, it currently has 138 chapters and is 350 thousand words long (each Harry Potter book is around 180 thousand words). Personally yes, I write for myself and I wanted people to like the story I was creating.
7. I'm not looking to make money, just for people to know that this story exists and that I made it with my effort. Although of course if the opportunity arises, excellent
8. My characters, I love most of them, I don't feel like I created them, but rather that I met them by chance, and they are my children. I love writing things about them all the time, how they related, what they would do in a particular circumstance, how they get along with each other.
9. Fantasy, sci-fi, in a modern and realistic environment. Basically the anime GATE
10. GATE, a couple of video games that I love. And music

 

[HappyVainGlory]

1. How do you become more popular?
2. Does it matter to post daily?
3. What if you can't post daily? What can you do to get your story out there?
4. Does having a lot of books help?
5. How many chapters is good?
6. (For well known or famous authors) How hard was the journey to being where you are? Was it worth it?
7. (For all authors) What if your main goal as an author?
8. What do you enjoy most about writing?
9. What is your favorite genre to write?
10. Where do you get your inspiration?

Thank you all who answer, this will hopefully help give all authors advice or just something to cure boredom with. At least for a little bit.

1. Consistency
2. That's the ideal way to build an audience, yes.
3. Pray to RNGesus or create a consistent update schedule containing some amount less than daily updates.
4. Only if you're chasing numbers and don't care about writing.
5. As a writer, as many as it takes. As a reader, the more the better.
6. It was long, but I wouldn't say it was hard. Just update consistently every day at the exact same time for at least a few months. I was here since the start though, so I had the early adopter advantage. As for being worth it, I mean I can write a chapter in an hour now if I push it. My fingers are pretty worn out these days though since I have to work too, so I take my time and spend a couple of hours instead.
7. To have fun writing a story. My readers are along for the ride with me, and if they aren't, I drop them off and keep going.
8. Reading what I've written since I write in a flow state, as well as comments from readers that perfectly get what I'm conveying through the story.
9. Slice of life. It's nice to just write whatever and have it be light-hearted.
10. Looking at other people and realizing I can write that better. The number of times I've been tempted to rewrite a story with a decent premise and passable execution but terrible mechanics...

Edit: Don't focus on trending. If you tag your story correctly and stay consistent, you should hit trending roughly when you reach 50k views, depending on the competition in your tags. Of course, staying in trending is a different story.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

1. How do you become more popular?

I'm not that popular, but I can say my work is known is some circles and communities.

My way to do that is to update regularly, or at least, I don't leave my readers hanging by going on hiatuses, then dropping the work altogether.

2. Does it matter to post daily?

The author in me wanted to do that. However, readers (at least the casual ones) would prefer a 'buffer period' between one release and another. This is so they can stay updated, or at least only have a few backlogs to read.

I did have a feedback where they'd often bookmark my work to read later because they got intimidated by the number of chapters.

3. What if you can't post daily? What can you do to get your story out there?

Have a regular and consistent release, at the very least. My readers, though I tend to release a book every 1.5 to 2 months, would still come back, since they know that I'm not abandoning my story.

4. Does having a lot of books help?

Having a lot books isn't a guarantee of getting popular. Writing good stories, too, for this matter is subjective. That's from my experience; take it with a grain of salt.

Having good marketing/social skills, though, can greatly help you. I've seen a lot of popular authors do that.

5. How many chapters is good?

As long as you can properly tell your story, the number of chapters don't matter.

6. (For well known or famous authors) How hard was the journey to being where you are? Was it worth it?

This is answered by the first question.

7. (For all authors) What if your main goal as an author?

To tell a story. Before, I wanted to be popular, but that's way past beyond my current self as an author.

8. What do you enjoy most about writing?

The investment my readers have in my work, as exemplified by this comment:

Spoiler: Comment

P. S.: I don't give a damn about my phone's font. Look at your peril.

9. What is your favorite genre to write?

Fantasy, because I get to create my own rules.

10. Where do you get your inspiration?

I do research and read history from time to time. The heroics of people, and the legacies of their actions is often my inspiration to write.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

I can't answer all of these so I'll answer 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10.
4. Yes, they can be great reference guides and help a lot with understanding the style you want to write and how to do it.

5. It doesn't matter how many chapters there are so long as it's completed.

7. My main goal is to publish my work.

8. It's relaxing

9. Historical fantasy

10. I just read a lot so inspiration comes from whatever I read, hear about, learn about, or just think might be a good combination of ideas.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

1. How do you become more popular?

Honesty. Integrity. Empathy

2. Does it matter to post daily?

It helps.

3. What if you can't post daily? What can you do to get your story out there?

Then don't. Write it well then post it.

4. Does having a lot of books help?

No.

5. How many chapters is good?

It isn't chapters but plot conservation. No more than 4 plots arcs in motion at any given time per act. Each plot needs 6k to 10k words devoted to it in each act. 3 acts typically.

6. (For well known or famous authors) How hard was the journey to being where you are? Was it worth it?

Guess I can't answer this one.

7. (For all authors) What if your main goal as an author?

Relieving boredom.

8. What do you enjoy most about writing?

The story.

9. What is your favorite genre to write?

Handbooks

10. Where do you get your inspiration?

I don't get inspired. I come up with all my own ideas. I steal shit, but I don't get inspired by shit.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

1. How do you become more popular?
2. Does it matter to post daily?
3. What if you can't post daily? What can you do to get your story out there?
4. Does having a lot of books help?
5. How many chapters is good?
6. (For well known or famous authors) How hard was the journey to being where you are? Was it worth it?
7. (For all authors) What if your main goal as an author?
8. What do you enjoy most about writing?
9. What is your favorite genre to write?
10. Where do you get your inspiration?

Thank you all who answer, this will hopefully help give all authors advice or just something to cure boredom with. At least for a little bit.

1. Carefully
2. No
3. Do what you can.
4. Sometimes
5. As many as you want
6. It's much harder now that I'm a mom.
7. To make the world a better place.
8. Playing out the fantasies in my head.
9. Smut
10. Seto Kaiba

 

[AnonUnlimited]

1. How do you become more popular?
2. Does it matter to post daily?
3. What if you can't post daily? What can you do to get your story out there?
4. Does having a lot of books help?
5. How many chapters is good?
6. (For well known or famous authors) How hard was the journey to being where you are? Was it worth it?
7. (For all authors) What if your main goal as an author?
8. What do you enjoy most about writing?
9. What is your favorite genre to write?
10. Where do you get your inspiration?

Thank you all who answer, this will hopefully help give all authors advice or just something to cure boredom with. At least for a little bit.

1. Find out what the more popular novels are writing, write those tags and also put some artwork. This is only as pertains to SH. GL and GB are the most popular here.

2. No.

3. make a schedule and keep to it so readers know when to expect. If all readers come on the same day it’s easier to make it to trending.

4. no idea

5. No idea

6. lol, well known and famous only requires you to write more books for title. Just write 5-10 1 chapter books and you’re famous! :D

7. Write and sell books, not webnovels.

8. When I get to rip into people for being bad at mafia.

9. Moral, difficult dilemma.

10. what’s that?

 

[gaylolis]

1. Do something that everyone else doesn't want to do.
2. Depends on the platform and audience.
3. Cater to audience that doesn't demand daily updates.
4. Does it mean as having lot of reference books or lots of written books? If you're just starting out, just treat everything like a draft.
5. As much and as little it can give a satisfying conclusion to your story.
6. I'm just doing my own thing. I'm happy that people do appreciate my work from time to time without me trying to pander.
7. Actually, writing is just a way to reach my personal goal. Kinda exact opposite.
8. Doing it in my own special, comfortable way. There's the feeling of being so at home I couldn't get enough of it. Though it doesn't only appear when writing. As long I'm comfy with it, I can be in the zone whenever I want.
9. I love the combination of Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Slice of Life.
10. Anything can be an inspiration, if you want to. Just open up your mind and you'll be surprised on where you'll get ideas for your next chapter.

 

[Deleted member 57675]

1. How do you become more popular?

Git gud.

2. Does it matter to post daily?

No.

3. What if you can't post daily? What can you do to get your story out there?

Then don't. Do 2-3x a week.

4. Does having a lot of books help?

Read, yes. Unless its just collecting dust.

5. How many chapters is good?

Don't ascend to 1000 chapters.

6. (For well known or famous authors) How hard was the journey to being where you are? Was it worth it?

Don't know. Am amateur, haven't even started.

7. (For all authors) What is your main goal as an author?

Git gud. Post. Traditionally publish. Fame (the good kind). The usual.

8. What do you enjoy most about writing?

Pulls thoughts out of head like a magical wand pulling a bunny out of a tophat.

9. What is your favorite genre to write?

10. Where do you get your inspiration?

Novels.

Thank you all who answer, this will hopefully help give all authors advice or just something to cure boredom with. At least for a little bit.

 

[Deleted member 68927]

1. How do you become more popular?
2. Does it matter to post daily?
3. What if you can't post daily? What can you do to get your story out there?
4. Does having a lot of books help?
5. How many chapters is good?
6. (For well known or famous authors) How hard was the journey to being where you are? Was it worth it?
7. (For all authors) What if your main goal as an author?
8. What do you enjoy most about writing?
9. What is your favorite genre to write?
10. Where do you get your inspiration?

Thank you all who answer, this will hopefully help give all authors advice or just something to cure boredom with. At least for a little bit.

1. Post on the forum a lot.
2. In the beginning, yes. After that, you can post three times per week or less.
3. Aggregator sites. Honoku novels will take your novels without you having to put them up. Muse's Success needs for you to register your novels yourself and wait for approval. There is also Novel Updates, if you are writing a cultivation novel or one set in China. They won't take your novel any other way.
4. As someone with 13 posted stories I have to tell you this. Sometimes. I have people who read The Herbal Dungeon and then read some of my other BL. If you promote your newest story with one of your most viewed one, that also helps.
5. I think that it depends on the chapter length. For my fairy tale, I had 244. The views dipped after the third volume. (Which had NTR because the plot demanded it. Something that was resolved later. My readers never forgave me. XD)
6. Not famous, I can't tell you a thing.
7. Write 100 books. Complete. They don't have to be book length. But, they have to be 100.
8. That giddy feeling I get when I write. Like talking to an old friend.
9. Fantasy. (I write mostly BL, but I am trying to get out of my comfort zone and write a non-romance for a change.)
10. There was a Ted talk posted on the forums that explained this. Basically, it said that there is a little person, invisible, that whispered the words to us at odd times. I call mine Theo and work him to the bone.

I hope you are having a nice day.

 

[Monaka]

Carefully.