Thoughts about an offer?

[Representing_Tromba]

I'm having trouble as I've been given a paid publishing offer on another site. I would still be able to post it elsewhere as well as maintain the rights to publish the story physically. However, I'm pretty cautious about this since I've heard so many horror stories about people losing the rights to their stories this way with little to no reparations. Someone looked at their non-disclosure agreement and said it looks legit but I still have this fear in the back of my mind. I don't really care about the profit as I just want to be able to publish the story officially and well enough that people would want to read it while still maintaining the rights. Should I take the offer or not?

NOTE: I am currently looking into the process of starting my own publishing firm so that I publish as a business in the future.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

Are you not allowed to share the contract? If you are may I take a look at it? I can't really give an opinion without seeing it.

 

[KrisVFX]

I'm having trouble as I've been given a paid publishing offer on another site. I would still be able to post it elsewhere as well as maintain the rights to publish the story physically. However, I'm pretty cautious about this since I've heard so many horror stories about people losing the rights to their stories this way with little to no reparations. Someone looked at their non-disclosure agreement and said it looks legit but I still have this fear in the back of my mind. I don't really care about the profit as I just want to be able to publish the story officially and well enough that people would want to read it while still maintaining the rights. Should I take the offer or not?

NOTE: I am currently looking into the process of starting my own publishing firm so that I publish as a business in the future.

Well first thing I would do if I were you, would be these steps.
1.Making sure they come from a legit company.

2.What was the reason they hit me up. (Most of the emails from them are spam emails/messages so they can get as many responses as possible.)

3.in case you managed to find they are legit, ask them to give you other examples of what kind of books from their company have become successful. In case they show you that as well, make sure the book is surly published by them.

4.If everything seems good, you should be getting some kind of contract.
Make sure to read all of it! They might even put some kind of trick even within the contract in order to get as much profit as they can.

5.And lastly, do your research online. Who are these publishing company? Do they make profits? Do they have bad reputation? Also check for reviews or negative comments that might be hidden somewhere in the internet.

Honestly, the internet is filled with countless scammers, so its never too overkill to be cautions about this.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

Honestly, the internet is filled with countless scammers, so its never too overkill to be cautions about this.

We both are posting our stories on that site already. I'm pretty sure the offer was on that site.... you know.. the new site with werewolf romances...

 

[Representing_Tromba]

We both are posting our stories on that site already. I'm pretty sure the offer was on that site.... you know.. the new site with werewolf romances...

Yep. I just didn't want to share the agreement because it has that companies name all over it and I didn't want to say which one.

Well first thing I would do if I were you, would be these steps.
1.Making sure they come from a legit company.

2.What was the reason they hit me up. (Most of the emails from them are spam emails/messages so they can get as many responses as possible.)

3.in case you managed to find they are legit, ask them to give you other examples of what kind of books from their company have become successful. In case they show you that as well, make sure the book is surly published by them.

4.If everything seems good, you should be getting some kind of contract.
Make sure to read all of it! They might even put some kind of trick even within the contract in order to get as much profit as they can.

5.And lastly, do your research online. Who are these publishing company? Do they make profits? Do they have bad reputation? Also check for reviews or negative comments that might be hidden somewhere in the internet.

Honestly, the internet is filled with countless scammers, so its never too overkill to be cautions about this.

They are only a month old at this point. Their paid program just started. I've been doing a ton of research and asked someone else to do research as well. I wish I could ask someone who published with them but there are none.

 

[georgelee5786]

I personally wouldn't take the offer, but in the end, it's your choice

I am currently looking into the process of starting my own publishing firm so that I publish as a business in the future.

Go for it.

 

[Simo]

Is it A&D or Sharestory? If so, as far as I know, it's not particularly bad. You can try and go for it if you like, though its a bit hard getting exposure in said websites they will be posting you in, as you will be contending with stories that have exclusive rights contracts, which means they get priority unless your story does reallyyy well.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

Yep. I just didn't want to share the agreement because it has that companies name all over it and I didn't want to say which one.

They are only a month old at this point. Their paid program just started. I've been doing a ton of research and asked someone else to do research as well. I wish I could ask someone who published with them but there are none.

Alright I'm going to make a lot of assumptions in this post so please don't take it as fact. This is just my view point.

1. I remember you told me something about "applying" for the paid program, so I'm assuming that you approached them first to initiate the contract. Scammers will try to approach you first usual.

2. It's non-exclusive, however their "paid program" from what I've seen uses an unlocking system similar to Webnovel.com. Because of this, I'm assuming that the contract dictates you can't remove the story from their site anytime you want too and there has to be some "exclusivity" to the forward chapters so that readers can pay in their currency or something to that extent.

--- AS someone who had spent money on Webnovel in the past, I understand why they do everything they can to not remove stories, especially those with readers who unlocked them.

So I don't think you'll lose your "rights" to the novel but in order to ensure an appropriate and continuing reader experience there are probably going to be clauses that protect reader investment.

3. This depends on how much you value the story or Intellectual Property you're creating. If you want to completely own it, it's better to sell it as a traditional book or host your own website/patreon etc... when you work with another party such as a platform you're going to have to share some rights to your IP's with them for them to post it while delivering it to the end client (the reader). That's what the contract is about.

As I said, unless I see the contract itself I don't know what it is, and everything I wrote here is based on the information I've seen so far.

 

[RepresentingSilence]

Write a chapter talking about the evil vile Winnie the Pooh who rules the hundred acre Woods with an iron fist all to feed his massive hunny addiction and then write another talking about all kinds of "crazy" "conspiracy theories" like MK ultra and operation mockingbird etc and how true they are and other none politically correct things and if they're still interested in publishing you they are probably legit

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Alright I'm going to make a lot of assumptions in this post so please don't take it as fact. This is just my view point.

1. I remember you told me something about "applying" for the paid program, so I'm assuming that you approached them first to initiate the contract. Scammers will try to approach you first usual.

2. It's non-exclusive, however their "paid program" from what I've seen uses an unlocking system similar to Webnovel.com. Because of this, I'm assuming that the contract dictates you can't remove the story from their site anytime you want too and there has to be some "exclusivity" to the forward chapters so that readers can pay in their currency or something to that extent.

--- AS someone who had spent money on Webnovel in the past, I understand why they do everything they can to not remove stories, especially those with readers who unlocked them.

So I don't think you'll lose your "rights" to the novel but in order to ensure an appropriate and continuing reader experience there are probably going to be clauses that protect reader investment.

3. This depends on how much you value the story or Intellectual Property you're creating. If you want to completely own it, it's better to sell it as a traditional book or host your own website/patreon etc... when you work with another party such as a platform you're going to have to share some rights to your IP's with them for them to post it while delivering it to the end client (the reader). That's what the contract is about.

As I said, unless I see the contract itself I don't know what it is, and everything I wrote here is based on the information I've seen so far.

This is pretty accurate to what I'm seeing in the contract.

Write a chapter talking about the evil vile Winnie the Pooh who rules the hundred acre Woods with an iron fist all to feed his massive hunny addiction and then write another talking about all kinds of crazy "conspiracy theories" like MK ultra and operation mockingbird etc and how true they are and other none politically correct things and if they're still interested in publishing you they are probably legit

LMAO. I mean, I could do that but I'm not that dishonorable.

 

[RepresentingSilence]

This is pretty accurate to what I'm seeing in the contract.

LMAO. I mean, I could do that but I'm not that dishonorable.

There is no dishonor in speaking what is only truth

 

[Representing_Tromba]

There is no dishonor in speaking what is only truth

I wasn't referring to that. I meant upholding my end of the contract.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

And as we speak... @KrisVFX @BluePheasant @georgelee5786 and I have our stories as "featured" for the fantasy genre since it was just updated.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

And as we speak... @KrisVFX @BluePheasant @georgelee5786 and I have our stories as "featured" for the fantasy genre since it was just updated.

That's awesome!

 

[PancakesWitch]

What page is it?

 

[Deleted member 57675]

Avoid webnovel and webnovel copycats.
Ask lawyer for certainty.

Press the red button that says fuck it.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

What page is it?

Page? As in Webpage?

 

[Temple]

They are only a month old at this point. Their paid program just started.

I guess what I can just add are most (if not all) sites that do this fail or just don't grow. The very few ones that succeed are already huge sites to begin with and then they start monetizing heavily. Like Wattpad and Webnovel.com. So I'll be very cautious of any company that tries to do it right off the bat.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

I guess what I can just add are most (if not all) sites that do this fail or just don't grow. The very few ones that succeed are already huge sites to begin with and then they start monetizing heavily. Like Wattpad and Webnovel.com. So I'll be very cautious of any company that tries to do it right off the bat.

I don't know about Wattpad, but I know with Webnovel there were a lot of translators and authors who used that site and wanted to monetize it as well. Authors still have the option to choose to be free, but most don't. Scribblehub grew because NU was already huge in the beginning although Scribblehub is mostly free and using advertising to try and make its money.

EDIT: There was also from what I understand a recruitment that the admin of SH did for a big time author from RR or some other place to come here who also brought along quite a few readers and writers. I think that's part of the reason GL and GB are way more popular here but I didn't follow it closely at the time so I'm really not sure if this is accurate.

I never intended to monetize a webnovel because there is just too many messy things that can happen with it. Webnovels in general I feel aren't worth forcing or asking people to pay for, but that's my personal opinion and there are many who are willing to put out money for them.

 

[georgelee5786]

And as we speak... @KrisVFX @BluePheasant @georgelee5786 and I have our stories as "featured" for the fantasy genre since it was just updated.

Yes, we are now members of the superior class (this was said in a superior sounding German accent[This is a joke])