How do web novels charge readers, and are subscriptions and tipping the future?Common models include free early chapters with paid later chapters, or paid final chapters and extras. In recent years, platforms have also introduced subscriptions and tips: tips are voluntary, in any amount the reader chooses, while subscriptions are like plans — monthly, half-yearly, yearly and so on. Utsudo feels these models have more of a human touch, and being sponsored is more rewarding.

Translated from Utsudo’s original Chinese column.

How web novels charge

　　I’ve noticed some platforms, besides the old pay-to-read model, have started offering new options — subscriptions and tips. Compared with the old rigid pay model, these two new options feel morepersonal and warm（？

　　Generally speaking, pay models online basically come in a few types.

　　One sets most chapters free to draw readers in, then charges for the last few chapters or extras. Another opens the first three chapters for free and charges for the rest. Some apparently charge from the start, but that suits people with an established fan base — otherwise no one reads and no one buys, which is so empty QQ

My experience with paid content

　　The one I made paid myself was My Roommate Is a Ghost, which was once selected for POPO’s completed-work reward program. The contract seemed to require it to be paid, so I chose the cheapest option — something like NT$0.1 per chapter.

　　And before it went paid, I even urged everyone on my fan page to hurry and read it for free.

　　Uh,suddenly I feel like I’m really not cut out to be a businessperson XDDDDD

　　Other than that, I’ve never set up a paid model myself. Everything else was contracted with publishers, who made it paid, or sold as print books. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve made my own books or merch to rake in money yet… ahem, I meansell。

　　I’d like to try printing my own books later — watching friends run booths looks like so much fun >//w//<

The new trend of subscriptions and tipping

　　Later, some novel platforms with subscriptions or tips appeared. This model probably came from other fields — games, video, art and so on. Either way, I think it’s a pretty good model, though getting people to open their wallets is never easy QQ

　　The platforms I’ve used that have sponsorship features are roughlyOriginal Planet、Mirror Fiction, Bahamut, which recently launched sponsorship, and the recently joinedPenana。

　　What I’ve been sponsored for so far is, of course, theHey! I Heard You’re a Writer on Ghost Island series. Honestly, I haven’t posted much else lately, so I can’t test how sponsorship works for fiction XD

　　Being sponsored for the first time felt pretty interesting.

　　And since it’s voluntary — sponsors choose to give, and even the amount is up to them — compared with someone buying your work to encourage you, it feels even more rewarding!

　　Subscriptions are like offering members various plans to choose from, which is pretty interesting too. Common ones are monthly, half-yearly and yearly, or different price tiers based on content — very flexible. I never expected even plans to get so creative.

　　For Ghost Island, besides the usual posts, I’m considering making the more in-depth articles paid — probably hosted somewhere else. Later, the paid articles may also be printed as a physical book, so you can read them even without subscribing >//w//<

　　The content will lean more practical, with fewer mood-venting pieces.

　　If there’s any progress or plans, I’ll share the news~

　　Fellow creators, are you planning to venture into new territory?

FAQ

Further reading (in Chinese)

• Previous: #66 (in Chinese)
• Next: #68 (in Chinese)
• Start from the beginning: #01 — Utsudo’s debut
• Column introduction
• Utsudo’s books

About the author

Utsudo is a Taiwanese light novelist and novelist VTuber with more than ten years in the industry and 40 commercially published print books. Her novel 《遺失的情書》 received a 2022 Ministry of Culture youth creative award. The 《嘿！聽說妳在鬼島當作家》 series records her experiences as a novelist in Taiwan.

📚 More on this topic: The Publishing Industry Today & Trends: Ghost Island Column Guide