Should I give up posting novels to Tapas?

KJWhitten 2021-01-29 05:21:48 UTC #6

Have you tried using hashtags related to your comic and novels in your author notes (that part b4 the comments)? I've seen some creators do that and it may help you get discovered more.

Though I suppose you have to ask yourself: Are you in it for popularity, money, and fame? Or are you in it because you genuinely enjoy what you make and want to share it with whoever wants to see it no matter how small the audience?

I did check out what you have and it does look like something that has potential for gaining a fan base around. If you don't have twitter or Instagram, maybe consider using those to help advertise. Its hard in general I think to get your name out there, but with time and patience, you will get your fans. Someone will always like what you make, so don't lose hope.

DokiDokiTsuna 2021-01-29 07:11:08 UTC #7

'Don't have too much passion' for writing in general? Woah, slow your roll there...
'Don't have too much passion' for writing on Tapas specifically? Yeah, probably. ^^;

I feel like maybe it's not clear that the novel I keep mentioning is already finished? ^^; Somewhere in the middle of that story I migrated LL to RoyalRoad and it did pretty well there...if it had gone on just a little longer it might have hit 10,000 views, but I'm satisfied with the 8.6K it did get.
Of course, I already got into that in another thread or two, so I didn't feel like explaining it again.

My point is, the title is literal, you guys! I'm not considering quitting writing entirely (I don't think I could even if I wanted to), I'm LITERALLY just considering not writing on Tapas anymore.

That...actually sounds really bleak. Did you mean for it to sound that way...? 6.6;;;
Anyway, this is a bit off topic, but I kinda feel like it needs to be said: I wasn't looking for 'success'. Webnovels aren't exactly a big thing; I never expected to have 10K subs or anything like that, especially not after the 2-3 measly years I've been here.

All I wanted was a "toehold". A small readership of maybe a dozen or so, whose numbers might at least increase by 1 or 2 over the course of the story, just to show its potential? That's all I was hoping for.

And I never got it. And it doesn't look like I'm ever going to get it (here), which is why I started this topic.

I hope you meant that, because it really is...I kinda miss the days when I didn't care.
Unfortunately, once you get a taste for attention it's difficult, if not impossible, to go back... ^^;

Welp, I guess I have to explain...nowadays, all I say is that 'I hate advertising', but really my relationship with it is kind of a micro version of the issue in the OP: I tried it for a while, I guilted myself about it for a while, but before long I realized I was doing a lot of harm to my self-worth and gaining very little in return.

So I quit (and without even starting a thread to ask permission~). Now I either advertise very passively (and/or in ways that I never have to look at again) or not at all. Call it whatever you want, but I have to look out for me.

Of course, there's also a logical aspect to the situation: I've been in the self-promo threads; I've even started a few. There is nothing there that's worth making myself even slightly uncomfortable over, imho. =/ If I was gonna 'learn marketing', I'd at least use my Twitter/Tumblr and have a decent chance that someone might actually click the links...or see them...

That's actually kinda my point...I want to share my work. Literally. I don't just want the 'possibility' of sharing my work; I already had that when I was 12, dreaming of being a famous author. And 12-year-old me would probably think I was a moron for doing all the work I've done just to spend years waiting for the 'possibility' that someone might look at it.

If there's anything I actually have learned about advertising, it's that you've got to go where the action is. You can't grow a garden out of cracks in the asphalt; you need something substantial to start with, you need to find potential and take advantage of it. You can waste a lot of your life trying to strain results out of what is essentially thin air; your efforts are better spent where they will be better rewarded.

Basically, you need to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. ^^ And I think I've been here long enough to make the call. Most of the 'frustrated author' threads I've seen are the result of just a couple months of disappointment; I finished my first novel back in 2018.

So if what I'm supposed to expect is to have to wait half a decade or longer just to see the beginnings of what will probably be a very small following anyway, I say it's time to move on.

P.S. Yeah, I think I've convinced myself now. If nothing else, it'll be nice to take a break from the horror show that is THE DASHBOARD for at least a year. =P
Speaking of which, I see you guys looking at my books; don't think it'll change my mind. XD The trilogy and Wheels (which I completely forgot I wrote, somehow) are staying, but LL is going, so any likes or subs you leave there are gonna be meaningless in a few minutes.

On the off-chance that you aren't just trying to make me feel better and you really do want to read it, you can find it here: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/34999/lune-levant

rajillustration 2021-01-29 07:27:42 UTC #8

Wait it's already done? Like done done? So you just...want to delete it although it's...finished? I'm kinda confused by what's happening now.

DokiDokiTsuna 2021-01-29 07:31:33 UTC #9

It's done, and the full thing is on RR. But the Tapas edition, despite being the original, only got up to Chapter 20-something due to...well, see the OP. :T

If it had been finished, I'd have just left it, but the reality was that I had 30-something more chapters to post and ZERO motivation to do so, so...yeah.

ratscout 2021-01-29 08:36:26 UTC #10

You know, I think if something is making you truly miserable, it's definitely okay to stop. I've had some projects that I didn't finish--and even now just talking about them makes me feel just the slightest achey inside--but I've sort of come to realize as an old woman that it's okay to stop working on things that don't make you happy. It hurts to let them go, but you sort of realize you can take ideas from them and incorporate them into a tighter, finer story. I have to say, I am definitely happy I discontinued my older stories because I have done just that: Crafted them into other stories that I'm truly in love with and wouldn't give up on for the world. The reason I start out by saying this is because it seems like you're no longer getting enjoyment out of your story, so I think it might be time to reassess what you do with it.

Getting that out of the way, I have to suggest doing read-for-reads (or B for reach). Read-for-reads are FANTASTIC because they often reveal the people on this site who are really, truly, as passionate about writing as you are, because they are willing to spend a little piece of their day reading your story so that you will read theirs, too. I've met a lot of people on those threads who are supportive, helpful, and great readers. Not only that, but it feels so good to just have people who consistently read your story, and the easiest way to find those people is through read-for-reads. Yes, it's scary putting yourself out there, but most people really are just trying to help when they give you critiques on this site, and if you ever get a mean one, just admit what you know to be true: the person who gives you a mean critique sucks and move on with your life. XD Will this method necessarily net you millions of readers? No. Will it net you some? Yes. I think what most people have to realize is that, if you want to do writing as a career, you have to treat it as a job. Therefore, you need to put as much work into it as you would a job. At any rate, even just having one person reading your work makes you that much more excited about writing it.

KJWhitten 2021-01-29 17:04:05 UTC #11

Then your heart is in the wrong place if you are more concerned about building an audience and popularity than creating a comic or novel that you enjoy yourself. Popularity should be a secondary concern in my opinion.

But if you feel drained from the grind, then taking a hiatus for some time may be good. I wouldn't quit making novels unless, in your opinion, you will feel happier by stopping.

DokiDokiTsuna 2021-01-29 17:05:44 UTC #12

So...you read all the way to the end of that post, but neglected to read the first few lines where it clearly states:

lunagraves714 2021-01-29 17:13:48 UTC #13

Why is there always an assumption that we “don’t have passion” or are chasing “popularity“ if we feel like quitting some days...? Like come on, putting yourself out there in an online community is hard enough without that kind of judgement.

KJWhitten 2021-01-29 17:34:47 UTC #14

I was just responding to what you said to me specifically.

But I suppose you should ask yourself about how you feel about the Tapas audience and if they are right for your content. I've seen novels do surprisingly well on Tapas while others not so much. So idk its up to you.

therosesword 2021-01-29 18:06:51 UTC #15

It's been my experience in life that when someone starts talking about quitting something (unless it's smoking or something like that) they have already made up their mind and are looking for someone to say the one thing that assures them it's the right decision.

No one can make that decision for you. You've already made it, you're looking for validation. That's a tad bit unfair to people. Understandable, as it is a big decision, but ultimately it is yours and yours alone.

Best of luck.

DokiDokiTsuna 2021-01-29 18:13:45 UTC #16

...To be honest, although my mind was mostly made up, what I was looking for was a reason that I should not give up that I maybe hadn't thought of. So, close, but no cigar.

In any case, the decision has already been made, so this is all pretty much just theater at this point. ^^; You guys can talk about whatever, I guess, but if you're looking to respond to the OP, just bear that in mind.

milejdyvan 2021-01-29 19:30:05 UTC #17

So here's my take and I know you already made your mind (based on your latest response) but I didn't have tíme to respond before.

One thing that somewhat bothers me about your perspective is the idea that "others don't have to write that well to get reads". That is a very false statement if I may say. Although you may feel like something is mainstream or not unique enough does not mean that the writer didn't put a heck ton of effort into it. If something becomes popular, there IS something there that brings people to read it. Demeaning that and saying that the writers are not good at writing is just diminishing what they are good at.

Yes, popular does not equal good always, but good is subject to opinion. And as a writer, you have to understand the mentality of a reader. The truth is that a basic reader does not care if the writing isn't top notch, this is stuff that critics and other writers notice. A reader just wants to have a good time. I would know this as when I was an avid reader on various sites, I didn't care for typos or wouldn't quit just because the grammar was bad. I was a teenager. Who cared at that point. It was the story and the ideas that had to keep me hooked.

Saying this, should you quit? Well that is up to you. In my opinion, if there is something holding you on this app, then it might be bad for you to leave but I wouldn't know what your situation is. Does your story/writing fit the demographic on here? Again, that is something that you need to decide. If you want to continue on Tapas, then it's perhaps good to play by the rules. Do you want readers but not getting any? Then promote your story. Sorry if it sounds mean but it sounds like you're excusing your own laziness to promote. It's fun, and it's cool to find unique ways to do so. I personally have been pretty bored of the tapas forums recently so I switched to Twitter and so far it's been a much more fruitful experience. Again, it's different for everyone.

We all start at the bottom and from there it's just about the drill. If you want to quit, go for it. I went through the same thing when I escaped the hell hole of an app called wattpad, and migrated to the Chad Tapas app. In my opinion, it is superior, but also fits my story better as I've been lucky enough to get a readership in a MUCH smaller time frame than wattpad. I do consider wattpad as a learning process though since I tried to make my writing as good as possible and found readers there too. It was only when I was sure it was okay enough to post somewhere else that I did so. In that sense you could consider this same thing for tapas if you feel like there is a better option for you. Nothing necessarily wrong about that.

Again, my only issue is with how you compare it to the others. Not saying you can't compare, that IS the point of a competitive app, but once you start diminishing others' success is when I feel like there is a line crossed. Leave if it's bad for your mental state, but don't make it the fault of others' good time.

Ordinaryaverageguy 2021-01-29 19:38:11 UTC #18

I think I feel you. Sometimes the disappointment in visible success at the thing you love doing feels like too much & breeds doubt.
But, you're only talking of discontinuing use of one platform for your work. The writing's done! It seems akin to having your hooks baited & ready to go fishing. Seems a small thing to go ahead & put your lines into the water on this side of the boat as well as the other side.
Sorry if I've misunderstood your position.

TedGravesArt 2021-01-29 20:25:44 UTC #19

I don't envy novel writers. Getting people to read a comic is hard enough, getting people to read a novel is about a billion times harder.
I post on several comic sites, and compared to all of those other sites, Tapas does a terrible job at pushing views toward new content. I can't stress enough how truly awful their site is at propping up small creators. It's not set up for that. I got far FAR less views on Tapas until I started advertising on here, and even then it's hard. I know it feels yucky, but as a creator I just think you've gotta get used to it. No one will read your stories if they don't know about them. There are 7.6+ billion people on this planet, and mathematically speaking, I guarantee thousands of those people are rabid fans of your stories, they just don't know it. They can't, unless you find a way to put your books in front of them.
Sounds like you've already made up your mind about leaving Tapas, and yeah I get it. Your logic checks out. Not sure why you're not just passively posting all of your books up here though, why take them down?

Truth. There are some days where I sit down at my tablet feeling like I want to give up and stop, but I don't want to let my (few) readers down. I want to keep telling the story that they're invested in, for them, and for me.

YaoiParadise 2021-01-29 20:48:45 UTC #20

I think a lot of people forget that while Tapas is a comic/novel app, there is a very high social aspect to it as well, and you have to consider the audience if you want to succeed.

If you're so worried about readers, you have to put work into getting them. They're not just going to fall into your lap (unless you get really, really lucky). Making yourself appealing as an author is important in the webnovel world as an indie creator.

Checking your profile, it also looks like all of your works are short. It's important to keep in mind that Tapas (and its audience) is geared toward SERIAL works. Things that update regularly over a long period of time. Imo it's partially due to the fact that regular updates constantly push you back up to the top of the list when people are idly looking for new stories. Hence why when looking for submissions for premium works, Tapas puts an emphasis on considered works being 80k words are longer.

That considered you might be right in not posting to Tapas (especially since your attitude here is putting down other writers who have probably put in a lot of work to get the views/subscribers they have even if you consider them subpar writers)! Different platforms work for different people. It looks like you've already made up your mind looking back at your post, and that's probably for the best! Gaining popularity on Tapas takes a lot of work, advertising and socializing included.

TedGravesArt 2021-01-29 22:27:26 UTC #22

12- Unhelpful cynicism

SleepingPoppy 2021-01-29 22:28:30 UTC #23

i think it's awesome you found somewhere your work is better received. It doesn't really matter where anyone posts their work. If it works for you, it works.

As far as a reason to stay, it doesn't hurt to have a couple mirror sites. having tapas as a backup instead of main might take some of the sting out of the numbers. Then if things work out better later, hurray? Especially if you're still planning on hosting comics here. If you build an audience for one, there might be some bleed over from people that like your work.

I feel like it's way harder to discover novels that hit ones buttons, than it is comics. It's understandable even if someone's a really capable writer, it can be discouraging.

DasIstWunderblyat 2021-01-29 22:34:31 UTC #24

Is that fall on "Negativity bullshit" or not?

I deeply apologize

Rhonder 2021-01-29 22:59:38 UTC #25

cliffnotes thoughts:

re- it's silly to try and make someone feel bad for taking steps in their creative journey towards creating something that performs well Different people have different goals and they're mostly all viable. The steps to those goals aren't always the same. Just because being super dedicated to a particular platform or story aligns well with one person's goals doesn't mean that it'll be the same for everyone~

re- I feel like mirrored platforms are generally beneficial tho. I don't claim to know Tapas's novel interface very well but if it requires little effort to format scheduled updates and the novel is already complete, I would personally just schedule them all and walk away if the dashboard was stressing me out. If you do decide to do more novels at a later date on this site, whatever scraps of readers you can passively pick up will be valuable, otherwise no loss. Include a link in the author's note to make sure people know where else to find you tho xD

If it is a hassle tho I do absolutely understand not wanting to spend the time. I only continued to crosspost my first comic to Webtoons, for example, because it required very little effort to do so. It didn't do well there but the process was worth in my case for the reach I was able to get- those folks are all people that will see my "hey I have a new series now, check it out!" post next month

sevenstarsofeightIam 2021-01-29 23:42:45 UTC #26

All of us come to a platform like Tapas for a sense of connection, camaraderie, and support. That we show up at all speaks of our inherent worth and value. I have wanted to be a writer since the early sixties. I have spent my years undiscovered, unconnected.

But, I have in no way failed. I continue to write. My first completed work is on Amazon and now Kindle -- albeit on some back shelf where no one looks. I have books on Issuu.com. (This is me shrugging.) I see myself as a sputtering candle pressed on every side by darkness. I must say, I shine as much for myself as anyone else.

I hope you stay on and persevere. Before you make a decision to quit, do an internet search: read the story of the man who invented the ballpoint pen. I'm crossing my fingers for you.