Three Tips to Writing a Good Web Novel

This month, I made more money from writing web novels than ever before. Most of this money came from just one book, Mage of Wolves, which made more income than any of my other books, including my Amazon bestsellers this month. How is that possible? I'm taking advantage of GoodNovel's pledge to pay $400  for writing 80,000 words per month. If that sounds like too many words for you, don't worry--you don't have to write that many words to get guaranteed money for your efforts. You may even be able to make that sort of money from your backlist if you know where to list it. What about your books? Are your books consistently bringing in that kind of money? If not, maybe you should consider writing a web novel. If you don't know where to start, that's okay. The experts at eGlobal Creative Publishing are here to help you ever step of the way.

A good web novel practically writes itself. It's super easy for me to write between 3,000-4,000 words per day of Mage of Wolves because I know exactly what happens next, and all I have to do is write a few chapters. If you set your web novel up in a way that makes it easy and fun to write, you'll be able to consistently record those sort of word counts as well. Keep in mind, I'm also working on six other projects at this moment, and most of them get updated every day. Even if you have a full-time job, you can still make extra money in your spare time writing a web novel.

I'm going to give you three tips to get your web novel started in such a way that you won't have any trouble writing every single day.

Are your books bringing in at least $400 a month?

Tip Number One: Don't Keep a Good Hero Down--But Start Them There

I am a "pantser," which means I rarely plot out my entire book before I start writing. I just have an idea of what is going to happen. I know who my main characters are and what their motivation is, but other than that, I sort of let the story unfold. Whether you're like me or you're a "plotter" who likes to nail everything down before the first word hits the page, you'll want to start your story off with a specific kind of main character--the underdog.

Why is that? you may ask. Well, web novel readers like to read about underdogs. If you peruse some of the more popular stories, you'll see that underdog web novels tend to do well. Start your MC out on the bottom, knock them down a few more pegs, and then help them make their rise to glory. Of course, it can't be too easy. We'll need a few more atrocities now and again along the way to victory, but starting them at the bottom and keeping them there a while before they start to overcome the obstacles you've put in their way.

Some ideas for your MC might be:

A maid in a castle ruled by an arrogant prince

An actor who keeps getting cast in embarrassing, demeaning roles

The nerd in school who has yet to realize s/he has superpowers

If you're not sure where to start, no worries! EGlobal Creative Publishing has dozens of outlines ready to help you get started, and they'll even provide you a Content Editor to keep you on track. And again--that's all for free!

Let's come up with a story that will keep you writing and readers reading!

Tip Number Two: Keep Your Chapters Short

In a novel, it's not uncommon to have chapters of three or four thousand words or even longer. In a web novel, you don't want them to be that long. Keep in mind that a lot of people are reading on their phones, while they are out and about getting errands done or traveling to or from work. They want to be able to read each chapter or episode in one sitting without being interrupted. 

eGlobal Creative  likes chapters to be around 1,000 words. They can be shorter or longer, but if you keep them at 1,000 words, you only have to write two chapters a day to have 60,000 words in a month, which is enough to finish your first web novel in a month. Most of my chapters are between 1,000-2,000 words. Even the simplest plot points can usually be stretched into 1,500 words with some description and dialogue. It's much easier for me to think about writing two short chapters a day as opposed to thinking of writing 60,000 words per month.

Keep chapters short so readers can get caught up on the run.

Tip Number Three: Get in Late; Get Out Early

This is a great tip for keeping readers engaged. Unlike some platforms, there are lots of web novel readers just waiting to dive in and give your story a try. They don't really care about grammar and some of the other issues that traditional novel readers will get hung up on. What they want is action, something exciting to happen, and they want it to happen often. They like surprises. They like drama. They like the unexpected.

"Get in late" means the action has already started to unfold before you even start writing. We're not going to spend a lot of time early on introducing characters, plots, backstory, etc. We want to grab the reader from the very beginning when something exciting happens and fill in all of that other information later. Your story should start in the middle of the action, and as often as possible, each chapter should contain something equally exciting. A lot of readers--thousands, if not millions-- will give your free opening chapters a chance. If you can hook them, they'll be willing to spend their coins to unlock the rest of your story. But you've got to hook them first.

Likewise, unlike other novels, web novel readers love cliffhangers. They expect them! Try to incorporate them into every chapter, if possible. That's a great way to keep readers coming back. If your chapter ends with an unknown that the reader must pay to find the solution to by unlocking the next chapter, they'll use their coins to unlock your chapter, and you'll make more money on reads. You can make good money from your royalties. I consistently make over $200 a month this way from a handful of books. So far this month, Mage of Wolves alone has made $43 in profit share. It's not a huge amount of money, but considering my other novels aren't exactly bringing in the dough right now on Amazon, I'll take it. 

If you can work these three tips into your web novel, you'll be on the right track toward creating a story you not only can't wait to write each day, your readers will keep coming back to find out what happens next, putting more money in your pocket.

If you want to find out more about how you can join eGlobal Creative Publishing's Author Boot Camp program, check out their web site here or email me at authoridjohnson@gmail.com and I'll help guide you through the process. You will never pay eGlobal for anything. Their services are completely free to you.

Next, we'll explore more plot options and how you can keep your story going for a long time, insuring you're able to make as much profit as possible off of every story.

Check out Mage of Wolves only on GoodNovel here.

Writers--Who Could Use an Extra Couple Hundred Dollars a Month?

How is your writing career going folks? If I'm honest, my book sales are way down this year. For the first time since I started writing and publishing my work, over six years ago, I will make less money this year from book sales than I did the year before--way less. It's not from a lack of trying on my part. It's just the economy right now.

However, I've been able to supplement quite a bit of my loss in book sales through webnovel writing this year, which has been a godsend! I'm not sure what I would do if it wasn't for the money I've gotten from writing webnovels.

How are your book sales this year? If they're down, I can help!

I know it's hard to believe when you come from a background like me where you're constantly having to sell books to get money. I can't tell you how many times I've published a book and have waited for sales to take off--and they just don't come. When they do, it's through a ton of advertising, which is costly. Then, there's newsletter swaps, maintaining and growing that mailing list, all of those things that drive sales take time and money. Sometimes, no matter what I do, the sales just aren't there....

Are you writing, publishing, and hearing crickets?

When you sign up to work with eGlobal Creative Publishing as a Boot Camp author, they will train you so that you can write the perfect webnovel. You'll get royalties and a writing bonus based on the popularity of your book. The lessons I learned from this training have helped me with my writing on several webnovel sites, and they can help you, too. Best of all, they assign you a Content Editor who is there to help you every step of the way.

Find more information here: https://www.eglobalcreativepublishing.com/author-boot-camp

Since becoming an author with eGlobal, I've taken my webnovel writing skills to other platforms, like GoodNovel, where I make over $500 a month.  Even if you don't have time to write a new novel, eGlobal can work with you to help you get your backlist to millions of new readers. I don't have any books in my backlist that will earn me a couple of hundred dollars this month. If you do, that's great. But is that profit? Are you taking out what you spent on advertising, newsletter, editor, etc.? If so, good for you! I bet you could still use an extra couple of hundred dollars. I can't make any guarantees, but I can promise you it will be worth your time to talk to them and see what they can do for you..

In December, I know I will make at least $400 from my story, Mage of Wolves. I think I will make a lot more than that because I will have a lot more daily views. Check back with me in a month and see how it goes. In the meantime, I'll be posting tips for writing a great webnovel that readers will love and let you know how a nonexclusive contract can also earn you money with eGlobal.

It's your writing career. Take control of it! Send me an email right now, and let's get started. authoridjohnson@gmail.com

Webnovel writing  is the gift that keeps giving this Christmas season! 

Bella Moondragon is a pen name. Read Mage of Wolves here.

What is a Web Novel?

Web novels are similar to other novels in that they are plot driven stories written for the purpose of entertaining readers. They're called web novels because they are primarily accessed via the Internet, either on websites primarily designed for getting these stories into the hands of millions of readers or those websites associated apps which can be accessed on a phone or other hand-held device. 

There are some differences between writing web novels and regular novels, and I will be writing several posts to help you understand the intricacies of writing a great web novel and how that differs from writing a traditional novel that you might publish on Amazon or other platforms. While I won't go into great detail at this point, some of the differences are the length of chapters (web novels tend to have chapters that are between one and two thousand words, whereas novels usually have longer chapters) the length of the web novel itself (some web novels are millions of words long!) and the content of the web novel (high drama and lots of intrigue keep readers coming back to web novels!).

More and more platforms keep popping up for web novels. Some of them don't pay authors anything at all, not even a share of the royalties the site earns from readers. Others pay only a few cents per read. Some pay advances and royalties. Others have contests that allow writers to earn quite a bit if they win. A few offer authors "writer benefits" that allow exclusive content to earn writers a specific agreed upon amount regardless of how many readers access the novel on a monthly basis. Regardless of which of these you choose, signing with a publishing company that specializes in web novels is sure to help you make the most from your web novels. One such site that I recommend is eGlobal Creative Publishing.

Let's talk about the readers. The vast majority of web novel readers live in countries where English is not their primary language. Many readers live in China, India, Thailand, Singapore, and other Asian nations. One of the sites I publish on tells me where readers are located, and while I'm still seeing the majority of readers in Asian countries, as well as India, I'm seeing more readers in Africa recently. Another interesting change is a growing readership in the United States, Canada, and the UK. While this is still a small amount of readers, at least for my books (about 12%) it's still an interesting change. This tells me that this model is growing more popular around the world, which means now is a great time to get in! The majority of these readers, regardless of their native language, want to read in English. Web novel sites are seeking writers whose first language is English.

Most web novel readers are reading on their phones, so it's imperative to keep that in mind while you're crafting your story. Short sentences and paragraphs are appreciated. Plots that keep their attention so that they're not distracted by what might be happening out a subway window or by a conversation at a cafe are also important. Keeping chapters to between a thousand and two thousand words lets the reader finish an installment while they're running errands or standing in line at the grocery store. 

Many web novel readers are reading on their phone. Photo from Pixabay.

Many successful web novels read a lot like soap operas. This is done on purpose to keep the reader engaged. We'll talk about this more in future posts, but essentially, every chapter needs to leave the reader wanting more. High drama, unexpected plot twists, and characters who are often shocking and stir emotions will get you far when it comes to web novel writing.

Web novel sites tend to publish comics, or Manga, in addition to novels. Initially, a lot of readers came to these sites for these types of stories, but as the popularity of web novels grows,  more novels are being published. 

While a lot of web novel sites also publish Manga, web novels are becoming more popular. Illustration from Pixabay.

A lot of sites will publish both exclusive and non-exclusive stories. Most sites allow you to publish without a signed contract with them, which means you will not be earning any money for your work, but you can build your readership. This is fine if your writing is just a hobby and you don't care to make any money for your time and effort. However, getting a contract with one of the sites is always better so that you can at least get some of the royalties your work generates. Even for non-exclusive stories, if you sign a contract, you will be getting paid something. If you have regular novels that you've published wide, meaning they are not in the Kindle Unlimited program, many web novel sites will be interested in publishing your work in web novel form. This might take a little work on your part, like shortening your chapters, but once the work is done, it's done, and you can make some extra income from works you've already completed. Listing on all of these sites also takes time. You can let eGlobal Creative Publishing take care of that for you. They'll send your book out to several web novel sites for you so you only have to upload your work one time, to their portal.

The real money comes from publishing an exclusive story with a contract. Currently, eGlobal Creative Publishing is looking for authors who want to complete their Author Boot Camp program where they will write a story that may qualify for an advancement as well as royalties.

Many web novel sites have writer benefits, but it can be tough to meet their requirements. For example, if you write 1500 words per day for a month, without missing a single day, for WebNovel, the biggest web novel site, then they will pay you a guaranteed $200 per month for up to three months. That's not too bad when it comes to web novel pay outs--and remember that figure does not include any royalties you may earn through reads. If you do the math, WebNovel is paying you $200 per month for 45,000 words. That is the highest level of "writer benefit" from WebNovel. I will also note it is extremely difficult to get an exclusive contract with WebNovel.

Now, let's look at GoodNovel. If you write 40,000 words a month and publish on at least twenty days per month, you will earn that $200. So, you can write a little less, publish a little less frequently, and get the same amount of money. However, that's the lowest level of "writer benefit" from GoodNovel. If you write more, you earn more. If you publish between 60,000 words and 80,000 words in twenty days during a month, you will earn $300. And... if you write more than 80,000 words in a month and publish on at least twenty days, you can earn $400 per month. Guaranteed--not including royalties, bonuses, etc.

You might be thinking that is an awful lot of writing in one month, and I agree--it is! A lot of people cannot write that many words in a month. Let's break it down. If your goal is to earn top dollar, so you want to write 80,000 words in a month, that's 2667 words per day for thirty days. It may take you an hour or two, maybe three, per day to write that many words. Even though some web novel sites pay a lot in writer benefits, it's almost impossible for most writers to reach these levels. This is why I recommend partnering with a company like eGlobal that will help you make sure you stay on track and get your writing done through their Content Editor program. You will be assigned a Content Editor to help you stay on track and make sure your novel is finished on time.

Make the extra money you need by partnering with GoodNovel. Photo from Pixabay.

Let's say you don't have two or three hours a day. Do you have an hour? Most people can write about a thousand words in an hour. That's a chapter a day. If they're writing a story they love, it flows so easily, they'll reach their daily word count quickly enough. If you can write two chapters a day, you'll have your first web novel finished in less than a month! And eGlobal publishes quickly so you can start seeing royalties as soon as possible.

Web novels are a huge opportunity for writers to make more money for their stories, engage more readers, find a new market, and have a lot of fun writing stories they'll love to tell as much as readers will love to lose themselves in their plots. 

I'll continue to write more posts to help you learn the ins and outs of writing web novels, but I'm also willing to help you get started on your web novel journey right away. Whether you have a back list of stories you'd like to have considered for non-exclusive contracts, or you want to take advantage of eGlobal Creative Publishing's Author Boot Camp, I'm here to help you. M

Are you ready to get started? Email me at authoridjohnson@gmail.com right now, and let's get you started writing your web novel today.

And check out my Mage of Wolves on GoodNovel!

Check out Mage of Wolves on GoodNovel.

What is a WebNovel and Why Should I Be Writing Them?

If you're a writer and you've never heard of a webnovel (also known as a webseries or sometimes a light novel) then you might be missing out on an entire market with millions of readers who could potentially be waiting for your next story.

Webnovels are the preferred way that readers in many countries around the world get their content. They are on websites that cater to this type of entertainment for hours every day, reading books, commenting, and spending their money to be entertained.

While most of these readers are in non-English speaking countries, mostly in Asia, but also in India and other countries, they are reading in English and they are starving for new stories.

What does this mean for you? It means there's a whole new market of readers out there who are anxiously awaiting your next story!

Are you ready to reach millions of new readers?

Of course, there are differences between writing a webnovel and writing a traditional novel you might publish on Amazon if you are a self-published author or send off to a traditional publisher. But it's not difficult to change the way you write to make your work appealing to this new audience. On this blog, I will be posting tips to help you make the necessary changes you need in order to make your writing so enticing to this new market, they will be begging you to post a new chapter.

There are a lot of perks to publishing webnovels, too. For one thing, forget about advertising. While you can make posts on social media and send your links to newsletters if you want to, it's not necessary. Readers will find you, and if they like what you're writing (and they will!) they'll keep coming back for more and bring their friends.

Another bonus is that editing is not that important. Of course, you want anything you publish to be in the best shape possible, but webnovel readers are used to reading works by authors who are writing in English as a second language, so they are a lot more forgiving if you accidentally miss a typo or misuse a synonym. Can you imagine publishing with just a quick proofread (maybe from yourself or a friend) instead of going through the lengthy editing process?

Make your writing dreams come true!

Additionally, there's no need to worry about building, maintaining, and financing a mailing list. As an indie author, I've spent years growing and cultivating my mailing list. I spend a lot of money each month to maintain that list as well. While I intend to keep publishing novels on Amazon and other retailers, so my mailing list isn't going anywhere, it isn't necessary for webnovels. If you don't have a mailing list, you won't need to start one. If you're tired of sending out emails once a week or twice a month, etc., you won't need to do that anymore once you start gaining a following on a webnovel platform.

Finally, perhaps the biggest plus of all, some webnovel sites and exclusive webnovel publishers "writer benefits." This is a guaranteed amount they will pay their authors based on how many words they write per month, once you've signed an exclusive contract with them. This is huge! How many times have you poured your heart into a book, keeping your fingers crossed and praying that you make enough money back from sales to at least break even from the cover, editor, proofreader, advertising, etc.?  Once you've signed an exclusive contract with a webnovel site, you can rest assured, as long as you put the words in, you will earn the writer benefit each month.

If this sounds too good to be true, believe me, it's not. I have published on several webnovel sites, and I've completed extensive training from experts about how to write a successful webnovel. My webnovels have hundreds of thousands of reads on multiple sites, and I've made a nice sum of cash from them this year alone. The same people who trained me are available to train you--for free! In fact, you will even be eligible for royalties from your work as well as a Content Editor to help you along the way and potentially an advancement.

These services are completely free to you. When you become an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author, you pay nothing but have access to a wealth of information from one of the largest webnovel publishing companies in the world. Their years of experience will work to benefit you and help you start a profitable career as a webnovelist.

Most webnovel readers access content on their phone.

If you are interested in getting one of your novels up on webnovel sites to see what it's all about, but you don't want to start a new project right now, no worries! eGlobal also accepts stories that are published elsewhere under their nonexclusive contracts. You will still get paid royalties for your work, and you own all of the creative rights. Keep your book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc., but access millions of other readers at the same time.

If you're interested in hearing more, feel free to email me at authoridjohnson.com. I'm happy to answer your questions. Just put "eGlobal" in the subject line and ask me anything you'd like to know. 

Find more information about eGlobal's offerings here: https://www.eglobalcreativepublishing.com/author-boot-camp

In the meantime, if you'd like to check out my story on GoodNovel, the one that will earn me over $400 this month, guaranteed, you can find Mage of Wolves here (it's published unde a pen name, Bella Moondragon.)

Check out Mage of Wolves on GoodNovel

In upcoming posts, I'll be giving tried and true tips for writing webnovels, making your stories engaging, character and plot development, and a lot more. Be sure to follow this blog so you don't miss out.

Let's chat! Find me at authoridjohnson@gmail.com

Pictures from Pixabay/Bookbrush/Book cover by Sparrow Book Cover Designs