Do you ever wonder how to get your novel or story into the hands of readers who will truly appreciate it? Maybe you've tried self-publishing your eBook but were disappointed with the results. The traditional publishing route may have rejected your work several times.
Indeed, multiple big-time authors such as J. K. Rowling and even Stephen King got rejected several times, before going on to be massive successes. However, many aspiring authors also don’t bounce back as easily and 7 out 10 times that’s due to the mode of publishing they chose.
Many new fiction writers do not fail due to poor writing. Rather, they fail due to a lack of demand. In other words, it doesn't have a following and very few people are aware of your work. So, after they publish, only a few family members and close friends support them with very little other traction.
Luckily, you do not have to fall down this elusive hole. As a fiction writer, you have another option when trying to publish your work. A way that will help you establish your brand as an author and build a healthy following of readers who may potentially follow you should you take the plunge to get independently or traditionally published. Today we’ll explore two of the most popular platforms (Webnovel and Wattpad) to help you decide which would be better for you.
Let's get started!
So, Which Is Better Webnovel or Wattpad?
The answer to this will depend on your current needs and goals for your business. Both Webnovel and Wattpad allow you to publish your novels in a serialized fashion (a chapter at a time) to get your content to your potential readers faster.
Writers have shared mixed reviews of both websites online with many arguing that Webnovel offers a broader range of content than Wattpad, but when it comes to the tools given to authors
on both platforms, Wattpad takes the lead.
Thus opinion will be different on a case-by-case basis, however, so, you will have to form your own opinion based on the available opportunities, writing tools, and features of both platforms from our detailed comparison below.
Webnovel or Wattpad: Opportunities and Competitions
There are ample competition and opportunities on both sites. Wattpad and Webnovel both hold writing competitions where you can submit your work and be ranked against other writers participating in the same competition. Wattpad, for example, holds its annual Watty Awards where every author on the platform has a chance of getting discovered for their book.
While over on Webnovel, they host the Webnovel Spirity Awards where authors get the opportunity to win up to USD$10,000 and a film adaptation of their story.
Writers' Audiences and Relationships on Both Platforms
Your audience plays a major role in determining which publisher is best for you. As an example, suppose you have been publishing books on Wattpad for three months and have only had 400 views and 26k words published. With only 7k words, it could garner more than 3k views on Webnovel in one week as different stories do better on different platforms.
Why is this so? The audience is different. Because of a different audience, Webnovel's book was more popular. It is also important to keep your book on Webnovel's algorithm, but I feel it is easier to do so than on Wattpad's algorithm. Decide what audience you want to reach when making your decision.
Understanding this is crucial if you want to grow as a writer to build relationships with other writers. Wattpad allows users to communicate within the app, even if the community and forum have been disabled. As a result of building meaningful relationships, writers can improve themselves and promote their books.
Author Support on Webnovel vs Wattpad
Webnovel has an open discord that every writer is invited to join. Help is always available on the discord. Beginning writers needing support will find the discord and forum on Webnovel extremely helpful. But in-app communication between writers is nonexistent.
Unless you have developed a reading base, you are practically on your own when you are on the app or website. Wattpad differs in this regard.
Wattpad or Webnovel: Resources for Writers
Authors can find a variety of resources on both Wattpad and Webnovel. Wattpad provides articles describing how to sharpen your skills as a writer and adjust to Wattpad's format, as well as tips on how to engage a large online audience and grow your fan base.
A few Wattpad authors have also published entire books about how they found success and how they wish to help other writers. Popular author Anna Todd (author of the After series), for example, got her start on Wattpad publishing One Direction fanfiction then was picked up for movie adaptations and a six-figure publishing deal after her book became a hit on Wattpad.
On Webnovel, writer resources are available directly on your creator's page in Inkstone. Content Editor Live Support is your personal help desk and is located in your Inkstone.
You can find books that explain how to write a Webnovel. Unlike Wattpad which disabled its forum in 2018, Webnovel offers a support forum where writers can seek help. Neither site lacks resources for its writers, and both are constantly working to improve their offerings.
How Does Editing and Formatting Work on Webnovel vs Wattpad?
The formatting and editing tools available to writers in Wattpad and Webnovel are very different. Wattpad allows users to bold their stories, underline, and italicize, as well as use emojis and special characters. Webnovel does not permit special characters, bolding of text, underlining, and italics and emojis can only be used in chapter and paragraph comments.
Wattpad's format and editing options are more comprehensive than Webnovel's. There is, however, a publishing timer option in Webnovel. Webnovel's publishing scheduler makes it a lot easier to follow your publication schedule if you want to remain consistent and provide your readers with a trustworthy program.
There are also differences in the average length of chapters and the number of chapters between publishers. Wattpad stories generally have 40 to 80 chapters and 1,500 to 2,000 words per chapter. There are typically 100-300 chapters per Webnovel novel, each with 800-1,500 words. Not only are the formatting and type of novels different, but they are also different.
Webnovel is currently expanding its range of genres, but Wattpad has a wider variety of genres. It is important to determine if your genre is compatible with the publishing company you wish to work with before choosing your website.
Reference
https://www.wattpad.com/36887232-welcome-to-wattpad-what-is-wattpad
https://toughnickel.com/self-employment/Webnovel-Is-It-a-Legit-Author-Platform
https://www.hercampus.com/school/tamu/wattpad-vs-webnovel/
I think Webnovel is better for new writers than Wattpad, opinions? - Webnovel.Forum
The 4 Best Platforms for Fiction Writers to Get a Fan Base - ToughNickel
Anna Todd Earns Book and Movie Deals for One Direction Fan Fiction (businessinsider.com)