Good novels. It's hard putting it simply when there are diverse kinds of webnovels out there. At the very least, they should have basic storytelling quality.
I know it's quite late, but surveying like this is a chore, and I don't know if you'll get a reasonable summary. You'd get better result using google forms/others with this kind of questions. And the forum is filled with more writers than readers, so you already fail to get your survey target.
Anyway, it's Horror.
What kind of updates do you want?
What's your ideal size of a chapter based on the update schedules?
Many reasons. But if I got to say it, a story with many filler sentences that break the pacing and generally just uninteresting, making you put in an effort just to continue reading it.
Depends on the niche/genre, but usually yes. If it has a niche that's hated, you should expect it to never reach 4 stars in its whole existence, despite it secretly being a literature masterpiece. The other way around is more prevalent here. There are many series with inflated ratings >4,5 stars. Good for them, though.
1. Female MC, yet more importantly, that it's not tropy. It needs to have a unique selling point in the synopsis. Something interesting that makes you engaged with thecharacter. Just saying "character X is going on adventures/having a romance situation/needs to achieve Y" is pretty uninteresting. We all saw hundreds of these. I'm not looking to read a copy of a concept that was already walked to death. What makes a character engaging enough to want to delve further into their situation. Don't disclose everything, but try finding something that isn't more of the same.
2. Cover matters in so far to me that I'm throwing all away that lie to me. Have a female character on the cover and start something that's about a guy? We are already starting on the wrong foot and won't recover from this.
3. See above. The synopsis needs to tell something special and can't sound generic.
4. Fantasy. Usually, non-human MC transformation, or magic, as that's often not as generic. As long as they don't make the characters generic.
5. The author should have a clear schedule. Some form of assurement they aren't just stopping delivering chapters. And if they do, they at least should tell us so. The same goes for any delays.
6. Above 1500 words is average. The rest depends on how regular chapters appear.
7. Doesn't matter. A good story can be long, as long as I want to read about the character.
8. Almost impossible to summarize.
a) Characters being tropey is a huge thing. Make them act and interact like people, not as walking cliches. Also, the average Isekai protagonist seems to be a psychopath if they can fight without issues. I put a story away at the first paragraph, because the transferred MC killed a goblin first thing. No normal person can just kill. And if they can do, they aren't relatable or engaging.
b) Don't let them be assholes. If they get innocents killed and don't even feel bad about it, then why would I want to see this scum succeed? Any moral action will be judged. It may be a balance to not-being-a-doormat, but usually ruthlessness against the whole world weighs heavier than someone just trying to get by and helping when they can afford to do so. Also, them being overbearing or moral hypocrites is pretty terrible.
c) The world should be engaging. Cultivation world, for example, are seldom so, because they are only about power grinding, and interactions basically don't matter down the line. The same can be said about any other concept of a world that has no real depth. Readers will notice.
9) Yes, I read some, but it's particularly sad if a good concept gets abandoned, so not many bring that kind of trust. As an example, I loved the story "Alchemitization" on RR, but it was abandoned. However, it did a lot right to get my attention.
10) Probably below four of five, with slight inclination below. Everything above is very much up to taste, especially if you like niche stuff. But below there are usually other issues piling up, than just a concept that isn't for everyone. Stuff like style, grammar, bland characters.
11) I comment quite often. Yet very often if I find something that either strikes me illogical or that I'd like being explained. As an author, you should more than anything else strive to keep your story consistent. Which means there shouldn't be gaps in your writing. The characters need to only do what they are supposed to be capable of, they can't teleport, they only possess what they got, they behave as they are characterized till here, etc., and if you cannot provide at least an explanation for critical questions, this is on you.
Also, if something very interesting happens.
If something is just bad, I don't bother commenting.
1. Female MC, yet more importantly, that it's not tropy. It needs to have a unique selling point in the synopsis. Something interesting that makes you engaged with thecharacter. Just saying "character X is going on adventures/having a romance situation/needs to achieve Y" is pretty uninteresting. We all saw hundreds of these. I'm not looking to read a copy of a concept that was already walked to death. What makes a character engaging enough to want to delve further into their situation. Don't disclose everything, but try finding something that isn't more of the same.
2. Cover matters in so far to me that I'm throwing all away that lie to me. Have a female character on the cover and start something that's about a guy? We are already starting on the wrong foot and won't recover from this.
3. See above. The synopsis needs to tell something special and can't sound generic.
4. Fantasy. Usually, non-human MC transformation, or magic, as that's often not as generic. As long as they don't make the characters generic.
5. The author should have a clear schedule. Some form of assurement they aren't just stopping delivering chapters. And if they do, they at least should tell us so. The same goes for any delays.
6. Above 1500 words is average. The rest depends on how regular chapters appear.
7. Doesn't matter. A good story can be long, as long as I want to read about the character.
8. Almost impossible to summarize.
a) Characters being tropey is a huge thing. Make them act and interact like people, not as walking cliches. Also, the average Isekai protagonist seems to be a psychopath if they can fight without issues. I put a story away at the first paragraph, because the transferred MC killed a goblin first thing. No normal person can just kill. And if they can do, they aren't relatable or engaging.
b) Don't let them be assholes. If they get innocents killed and don't even feel bad about it, then why would I want to see this scum succeed? Any moral action will be judged. It may be a balance to not-being-a-doormat, but usually ruthlessness against the whole world weighs heavier than someone just trying to get by and helping when they can afford to do so. Also, them being overbearing or moral hypocrites is pretty terrible.
c) The world should be engaging. Cultivation world, for example, are seldom so, because they are only about power grinding, and interactions basically don't matter down the line. The same can be said about any other concept of a world that has no real depth. Readers will notice.
9) Yes, I read some, but it's particularly sad if a good concept gets abandoned, so not many bring that kind of trust. As an example, I loved the story "Alchemitization" on RR, but it was abandoned. However, it did a lot right to get my attention.
10) Probably below four of five, with slight inclination below. Everything above is very much up to taste, especially if you like niche stuff. But below there are usually other issues piling up, than just a concept that isn't for everyone. Stuff like style, grammar, bland characters.
11) I comment quite often. Yet very often if I find something that either strikes me illogical or that I'd like being explained. As an author, you should more than anything else strive to keep your story consistent. Which means there shouldn't be gaps in your writing. The characters need to only do what they are supposed to be capable of, they can't teleport, they only possess what they got, they behave as they are characterized till here, etc., and if you cannot provide at least an explanation for critical questions, this is on you.
Also, if something very interesting happens.
If something is just bad, I don't bother commenting.
Good novels. It's hard putting it simply when there are diverse kinds of webnovels out there. At the very least, they should have basic storytelling quality.
Yes, for most readers here. As for me, I pick two or three random chapters and see if I like what I see.
I know it's quite late, but surveying like this is a chore, and I don't know if you'll get a reasonable summary. You'd get better result using google forms/others with this kind of questions. And the forum is filled with more writers than readers, so you already fail to get your survey target.
Anyway, it's Horror.
2 chapters per week. +-2.000 words
I enjoy short stories the most, so anything goes. As long as the plot really warrants its long length.
Many reasons. But if I got to say it, a story with many filler sentences that break the pacing and generally just uninteresting, making you put in an effort just to continue reading it.
This is a good question. It's asking if readers actually bother looking into Latest Series section.
Anyway, yes.
Depends on the niche/genre, but usually yes. If it has a niche that's hated, you should expect it to never reach 4 stars in its whole existence, despite it secretly being a literature masterpiece. The other way around is more prevalent here. There are many series with inflated ratings >4,5 stars. Good for them, though.
A synopsis is both a fictional premise and a narrative promise. You must consistently narrate the issues of the fictional premise. Don't violate the fictional premise.
If you're narrating a fictional premise that focuses on a parent-child relationship, then the story must focus on exploring their relationship. Don't throw away the spirit of the story.
I'd be disappointed if the story turned into a clichéd romance where the mother/father/sibling is merely a supporting character or background character. I've seen many such false premises, especially in shoujo manhwa with FMC labeled daughter and the like.
Fantasy, drama, mystery, SoL, and action in general. In particular, I like dark fantasy that isn't grimdark (nihilism). Perhaps we could call it grimlight, a dark fantasy story with morals where suffering isn't sensational entertainment but rather an exploration of human values.
Suffering leads characters to the meaning of life, instead of sadism, gore, or sensational violence. The MC doesn't have to be perfect; she/he can make mistakes, lose, and run away, but she/he must have a moral compass that she/he is humane.
I dislike stories that are grimdark (nihilism), obscene, rape, torture, sadism, dehumanization, and other moral deviations that are normalized by the narrative.
How do we know that moral deviation is normalized by the narrative?
Well, the indicator is simple: if the MC justifies the moral deviation and even enjoys it, then the story is morally deviant. The villain may be morally deviant, but if the MC also deviates, then the narrative has clearly normalized moral deviation.
novelty, experience of feeling, inspiration, as if entering the world of fictional imagination.
Of course, I love LN covers featuring elegant and cute characters. However, I tend to avoid covers featuring sexy characters.
A synopsis is both a fictional premise and a narrative promise. You must consistently narrate the issues of the fictional premise. Don't violate the fictional premise.
If you're narrating a fictional premise that focuses on a parent-child relationship, then the story must focus on exploring their relationship. Don't throw away the spirit of the story.
I'd be disappointed if the story turned into a clichéd romance where the mother/father/sibling is merely a supporting character or background character. I've seen many such false premises, especially in shoujo manhwa with FMC labeled daughter and the like.
Fantasy, drama, mystery, SoL, and action in general. In particular, I like dark fantasy that isn't grimdark (nihilism). Perhaps we could call it grimlight, a dark fantasy story with morals where suffering isn't sensational entertainment but rather an exploration of human values.
Suffering leads characters to the meaning of life, instead of sadism, gore, or sensational violence. The MC doesn't have to be perfect; she/he can make mistakes, lose, and run away, but she/he must have a moral compass that she/he is humane.
2 - 4 chapters per week.
Regular weekly chapter updates, no dropping midway without any news.
1500 - 3000 words per chapter.
How many thousands or even millions of words doesn't matter as long as the fictional premise is answered and finished.
This is sensitive. It's a personal preference.
I dislike stories that are grimdark (nihilism), obscene, rape, torture, sadism, dehumanization, and other moral deviations that are normalized by the narrative.
How do we know that moral deviation is normalized by the narrative?
Well, the indicator is simple: if the MC justifies the moral deviation and even enjoys it, then the story is morally deviant. The villain may be morally deviant, but if the MC also deviates, then the narrative has clearly normalized moral deviation.
I don't understand your question. Every story starts with zero views. Of course, I don't judge fiction by numbers.
Maybe yes, maybe no. Ratings are subjective. They reflect market tastes rather than the literary quality of the fiction.
As a reader I rarely comment and will only comment if there is something that interests me in the content such as a hook, mystery, etc.
As a reader:
1) Real stakes and character depth. Writing style matters too, as does the PoV. I tend to drop stuff written primarily in 1st person. Basically, I look for depth in story, characters, and world. If you've got cardboard-cutout stereotypes as your main selling point, I'm not going to bother reading it. Do something new. Take a chance. Tell YOUR story.
2) Not really. Not nearly as much as title and the blurb. (Called a Synopsis on the series posting form here).
3) The blurb/summary/synopsis matter. Deliver your hook, and typically you'll want to do so in 200 words or less. Then set the tone for the story and it's main themes.
4) Honestly, a bit of everything, but I tend toward well-developed fantasy settings, or hard sci-fi.
5) Depends primarily on chapter length and your schedule. Consistency and Quality is more important than Frequency to me. I'd rather fewer updates with higher quality content, than lots of frequent poor quality chapters.
6) I'd say between 5500 and 6500 words / chapter and 1 chapter a month is preferable to shorter, less fleshed out, chapters.
7) Length isn't a big deal. I care more about actual quality of the prose and story.
8) Besides AI-Gen shit, anything that doesn't deliver on high-quality prose. Grammar. Spelling. Pacing. Narrative structure. Character depth, or real stakes.
9) Views don't matter to me. Neither do ratings. All of that is subjective. I'll look for the things that interest me, and if I'm intrigued I'll give it a read. When I have time.
10) Generally after finishing a chapter, I'll leave a comment (or light critique if that's desired).
As an author:
Those are some great questions you're asking, but if you're just starting out, I'd advise to just write what you want to write. If you enjoy writing it, it will show, and people are more likely to enjoy reading it. Don't try to be anyone but yourself. Define and shape your own style, and do what works for you. Your readers WILL find you, as long as you remain consistent.
As an author:
Those are some great questions you're asking, but if you're just starting out, I'd advise to just write what you want to write. If you enjoy writing it, it will show, and people are more likely to enjoy reading it. Don't try to be anyone but yourself. Define and shape your own style, and do what works for you. Your readers WILL find you, as long as you remain consistent.
