i come from a background of writing in Mandarin, and have been trying to write here for the last maybe 6 or 8 months.
While I really do like RR and feel it is a good platform, when compared to Qidian everything feels.. same-y? From the outside looking in, unlless you write some Isekai/LitRPG/Xianxia inspired work, in the West, you're not likely to succeed (in broad terms). The market in China meanwhile, as long as you can hit a 10k/day wordcount, is totally open to everything from Ancient Indian epics to slice of life stories set in Kyoto. Is this a function of the Western market not having much mass appeal?

I am highly considering translating one of my works which is popular on Qidian, I mean it has low 10k readership so it's not that big..  but I worry it will be a waste of time if readers in the West are only looking for some Isekai style work. Totally fine writing that if that's what appeals to people, but I just wonder why there is such a stark dichotomy between what is popular in the West vs China/Japan, in which so many other genre are not only viable but get contracted within the first 10 chapters. Don't get me wrong, I hate how cultivation novels will copy each other, but that is not the same as cultivation being the primary genre of marketable success. 

Hi, and welcome!

So you are right, the site's highest tend are litrpg, isekai and Xianxian. However, other authors such as myself write other genres. I for example write fantasy in steampunk and sci-fi, mind bender. 
And you have others. And some get popular. I think is the authors who make the trend. but is up to you to risk it or not.

larareispoetry Wrote: Hi, and welcome!

So you are right, the site's highest tend are litrpg, isekai and Xianxian. However, other authors such as myself write other genres. I for example write fantasy in steampunk and sci-fi, mind bender. 
And you have others. And some get popular. I think is the authors who make the trend. but is up to you to risk it or not.

Thank you for the welcome!

I agree that authors make the trends... if the market understands what they're trying to do..
Take for example a work I did with an MC who failed his way upwardss through Ancient China's imperial system.. that feels like it wouldn't fly here.
There's just too much backgrund knowledge needed, even if I dumb the plot down/change it to an isekai, I can't see it working out.
There's also a question of number expectation.. that is, most chapters in Mandarin will hit the upper 7k readership range within a day or two.. I am unsure what the equivalent here would be, but to have only 200 or so reads after a few months you can imagine is deflating my desire to continue.

I am coming from a position where my contract  lapsed and I need to make something that will cover the financial hole within 3 months. I need something that will click with a Western audience and not bore me to death, but will have potential to do well financially (yes I have checked that huge marketing guide, good stuff in there).

Lin Wrote:

larareispoetry Wrote: Hi, and welcome!

So you are right, the site's highest tend are litrpg, isekai and Xianxian. However, other authors such as myself write other genres. I for example write fantasy in steampunk and sci-fi, mind bender. 
And you have others. And some get popular. I think is the authors who make the trend. but is up to you to risk it or not.

Thank you for the welcome!

I agree that authors make the trends... if the market understands what they're trying to do..
Take for example a work I did with an MC who failed his way upwardss through Ancient China's imperial system.. that feels like it wouldn't fly here.
There's just too much backgrund knowledge needed, even if I dumb the plot down/change it to an isekai, I can't see it working out.
There's also a question of number expectation.. that is, most chapters in Mandarin will hit the upper 7k readership range within a day or two.. I am unsure what the equivalent here would be, but to have only 200 or so reads after a few months you can imagine is deflating my desire to continue.

I am coming from a position where my contract  lapsed and I need to make something that will cover the financial hole within 3 months. I need something that will click with a Western audience and not bore me to death, but will have potential to do well financially (yes I have checked that huge marketing guide, good stuff in there).

If you're thinking to monetize here, you would rely only on donations. RR doesn't make contracts with their authores.

larareispoetry Wrote: If you're thinking to monetize here, you would rely only on donations. RR doesn't make contracts with their authores.

Lin Weimin,

I cannot speak as to monetization possibilities, although I do know of several prolific and active Royal Road authors (gameLit, LitRPG, and/or cultivation) who were able to get their work here published by Amazon.  How long it took them to get to that point I cannot say.  They continue their series here, and new books get formally published from that, so I assume it is working out for them.

As a new, USA-based author of a LitRPG story, I can tell you it is receiving a steady interest from over 60 readers after 18 chapters, uploaded at over two chapters per week.  That is by no means a commercially viable number, but I thought you might wonder what a new, unknown author without any advertising might experience.  I would like more, but for me, with no publishing plans, it feels like a good start.  Since you are already known by a Chinese audience, your work is very likely to do a lot better.

RR is not really parallel to Qidian.  Since you have a finished story that has never been published in English, consider publishing it as an ebook instead.  The main benefit of posting a story on Royal Road is the comments you get, but what good are comments on a story you have finished?  Money is better, lol.

sunandshadow Wrote: RR is not really parallel to Qidian.  Since you have a finished story that has never been published in English, consider publishing it as an ebook instead.  The main benefit of posting a story on Royal Road is the comments you get, but what good are comments on a story you have finished?  Money is better, lol.

Could you tell me a bit more about how this site is different? Is it the demographic?
I have read other netizen say there's no contract system, but what am I missing?

Lin Wrote:

sunandshadow Wrote: RR is not really parallel to Qidian.  Since you have a finished story that has never been published in English, consider publishing it as an ebook instead.  The main benefit of posting a story on Royal Road is the comments you get, but what good are comments on a story you have finished?  Money is better, lol.

Could you tell me a bit more about how this site is different? Is it the demographic?
I have read other netizen say there's no contract system, but what am I missing?

I don't know anything about Qidian, but if you are expecting to get paid directly by Royal Road, you will not.  They will post, however, a link to  your Patreon or PayPal at the top of each chapter.

Lin Wrote:

sunandshadow Wrote: RR is not really parallel to Qidian.  Since you have a finished story that has never been published in English, consider publishing it as an ebook instead.  The main benefit of posting a story on Royal Road is the comments you get, but what good are comments on a story you have finished?  Money is better, lol.

Could you tell me a bit more about how this site is different? Is it the demographic?
I have read other netizen say there's no contract system, but what am I missing?

At the point when the Royal Road site was created there were already English-language sites for posting fiction. Royal Road didn't even begin as a fiction site, it began as a fan site for Legendary Moonlight Sculptor Then forum members started writing fanfiction of Asian LitRPG and Isekai, and original fiction similar to these stories.  People posted these stories here because it was the only (or one of a very few) English-language communities where there were readers who not only knew what these genres were, they actively wanted to read them.  Cultivation stories, apocalypse stories, and progression fantasy were the genres RR's community added next.  Maybe some urban fantasy and superheros too.  Any genres besides these are new to this site and some have much bigger communities on other sites, so there's no reason for their fans to come here to read.

Western tastes can vary from day to day. Varied backgrounds will always seek varied content. One day I might be looking for a slice of life story, another I might be in the mood for isekai or just a plain old superhero. On this site, the LitRPG, fantasy content is kingand I think that comes with the rise in popularity of certain content elsewhere on the net, but that doesn't mean there isn't any interest in what you personally want to write. If someone on the site is specifically looking for your type of story they'll probably become a supporting fan just to see more of it (if not monetarily, than as least as a morale booster). As for your story a character working their way up through an imperial system, it might be considered be a good progression story, but I think most western audiences in general would expect to at least see the character have some sort of special skill or ability that gives them some sort of exploitable advantage. Like a person with a special tactical combat understanding using it to navigate political conversations and win arguments to advance their position, for example. As long as the system they work through easy enough to understand and the audience is interested in the setting the story takes place in as well.

If you're looking to monetize quickly, though. That's hard. The problem is one of visibility. RR is a site that makes it so easy for nearly anyone to post their content for free so you're competing with a LOT of other content from hobbyists with passion projects they'd post regardless of money to struggling creators looking for their big break or just to develop a fanbase over time that will put enough money in the pocket of their creator that they can invest time in continuing the work. A lot of people seem to aim for Amazon's various options for self publishing after building up their fan base here. There are other sites other than RR that might be more similar to what Qidian seems to be that will offer contracts and aren't so focused on a particular genre, but they may also require an investment of time or a large amount of content to get the offer. Not knowing which other sites you may have been to, I wouldn't know which to suggest, especially when some I've seen people tend to pass on because of the amount of work they demand from inexperienced writers.

The Royal Road is not a representative of the western literature by any margin.

It is a relatively small site, with the small community with the very narrow interest, compromised mostly of the amateur writers, yet being extremely competitive to push those who don't tow the line away, or at least discouraging them heavily to them.

The professional works have much broader scope, but are also traditionally published.


 

Lin Wrote: Take for example a work I did with an MC who failed his way upwardss through Ancient China's imperial system.. that feels like it wouldn't fly here.

As a western reader I think that would make for a great story to read if it leaned into a somewhat comedic tone. It won't be the most popular story on the platform but I am sure many would enjoy it.

Lin Weimin, I completely understand your concern and I was once amazed by the western audience too.
Although I myself wasn't fully a pure eastern asian, I found the majority differences is on the perception and sensitivity in certain topics.

One example is "Black face" sensitivity majorly a problematic trope in the west USA, but in classic Chinese literature, black face as a concept of justice and bravery are the concept circling around, like ZhangFei in the Romance of Three Kingdom and Justice Bao. Their darker complexion serves as an important symbol in the story and yes, they are the protagonist too. But when translated to English and an western reader is to read those classics, they will call them racist against black. 

So that's my dilemma. I have other examples too.
As much as Beautiful Boxer (Thai) gain numerous awards and is widely known as a trans-positive movie. It hardly gain any love from the west (USA), as some call the story problematic when Toom pursued a boxing career against her own will and excel through it. Western audience prefer stories such as The Danish Girl with a complete transformation within her hopes and dreams and according to her will till death won't change her mind at all. The conflict is clear that the cultural differences between western vs asian, like embrace something against our will vs everything must be within our own will. Also the idea of "the survivor is the winner" vs "I'll die for what it takes". 

The complications on such cultural differences further intensify when an Asian express their opinion that they dislike The Danish Girl, was perceived as transphobic by the Westerners. Which also problematic when the Asian transgendered themselves voicing their opinions that they love Invincible East by Tony Ching, was called transphobic when the movie character was played by a woman and the character is a major villainous antagonist (that killed a lot of people... brutally). The reason for the westerners to have such difference in thoughts are mainly due to numerous english stories and movies depicting trans as murderers and villains, and thus, having Invincible East to a western audience, is a form of transphobia, and they could never understand why Asian perceive it as a character that empowers the trans community (she's god-damn beautiful and as the name suggested, she's invincible! And because of Brigitte Lin's constantly taking male characters role, she was considered an idol amongst asian lesbian community too).  

The next popular Asian fiction tropes I'm going to mention is about the palace harem trope! Yup! Western readers not going to love that. As the major genre within the Chinese storytelling industry, many love the dramas such as YanXi palace, full of inner political dramas and catfighting. But for western audience, they might not enjoy such idea. As much as they prefer the GRRM style cruelty, western audience have a different perspective on Harem genre, mainly influenced by Japanese Harem tropes. Some even call the Chinese palace harem dramas as problematic against women stereotypes (ya know, the up-level catfighting). And most even unable to understand why some palace drama fans even love the antagonist/villainess in the drama. 

Okay, what else? Let's reverse the whole idea. What are the tropes Asians weren't interested in? I would say, probably Sci-Fi, high fantasy. Yet, I do think Asians do have a larger appetite for anything. 

TL;DR? And so... here's my summary... translated fiction might not work. Some may gain success, just don't let the cultural differences discourage you.

Morning,

First of, there is no "Western" point of view/culture/audience. We have European (and there is a huge difference between a, say, Hungarian or German, or English European), and then we have Americans (US and Latin). We aren't even talking about political sides inside each country. From China, technically Arabia and Russia are also the West...
What in one sphere of influence is standard (let's call it that) is completely incomprehensible or even disturbing in other places. Who is portrayed as a shining hero here would be inviting the wrath (or total disinterest) of everyone else over there.
Take that movie about the black fighter pilots in WW2. The Americans loved it, because it played on inclusivity, heroic past, whatever. Over here in Europe? Not so much. First, we don't have that many black people here (in my town we have more Chinese than blacks - in fact, I don't think, we have even one black...), and second, at least a part of Europe was on the other end of said black airmen's guns. 

So, if we assume, you mean US-American when talking about the West... I can't help you there :)

If you want to make money fast from your story, posting it on RR or any similar site won't accomplish that for you. Even the patreon and whatever sites are just to collect pocket money for most people. (I would think). Selling your story as an e-book would get you more money faster, more likely.