As a writer, crafting your masterpiece is only the first part of your journey to becoming a published author. With the modern boom of self-publishing and ebooks, the dream of becoming a published writer draws ever nearer. That dream becomes even closer to reality with writing platforms that let you publish your book even before you’re finished. But with so many choices, how do you decide which digital publishing platform is right for you?

 

This article focuses on digital publishing platforms that allow you to publish your finished manuscript or works-in-progress, so you can publish as you write while gaining priceless feedback from your readers, many of which pay you royalties. These types of sites are perfect for new and novice writers who have never published before, or for writers who have published before but wish to workshop their novels either during or after the writing is done.

 

With shorter reader attention spans, the rise of quick bites of “bingeable” content, and free, online digital publishing, more and more authors are choosing to start publishing their books even before they’re finished. Why you may ask? Many authors feel posting their works-in-progress can help them revise their work, defeat writer’s block, and learn about the ins and outs of publishing--all before their book is even finished. Digital writing platforms also allow writers to create a sense of community in an otherwise solitary occupation.

 

The following round-up is the best digital self-publishing platform that allows you to publish finished works or chapter-by-chapter--all with reader feedback to help you craft or polish your next masterpiece.

 

Fictionate.me 

Best for: new writers, serial, and fantasy fiction

One of the newest platforms to the game, Fictionate.me is perfect for writers who want to “workshop” their WIP. The site is geared toward sci-fi and fantasy with popular sub-genres like action, adventure, thrillers, and romance. Writers choose a payment model for their readers to decide on how they get paid--pay per book, pay per chapter, or monthly subscription, which allows authors to maximize their earnings. Because the site focuses on publishing works-in-progress, serialized fiction, and provides instant feedback to improve your craft, this is a great platform for newbie novelists but is also great for writers who have a finished product who want to get feedback chapter by chapter. Writers can grow their audience by getting into the top charts of their genre. Fictionate has a paywall similar to Medium, where readers pay to read your work--meaning you make royalties, no matter how many followers or subscriptions you have.

 

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Wattpad

Best for: serial or young adult fiction

Wattpad is now considered the largest fiction reading platform, centering itself mostly on teen-focused, novella, and novel-length works. The audience size can be a hit or miss--because it’s so large, you have the possibility of amassing a huge fan base, or because it’s so large, you’ll be overlooked and won’t get much engagement. Wattpad’s audience also skews younger (ages 13 to 20), so this site is great for writers of young adult fiction. Wattpad does offer different ways to monetize your writing with different programs--Wattpad Books, Wattpad Studios, Wattpad Brand Partnerships, and Wattpad Paid Stories; however, Wattpad authors with huge followings and readership are the ones who get paid the most, which leaves out a lot of new talent.

 

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Tapas

Best for: fanfiction, comics, and graphic novel creators

Considered the leading digital publishing platform for webcomics and novels, Tapas prides itself on its “bite-sized stories you can’t find anywhere else.” This digital publishing site is the go-to for writers of comics, webcomics, or graphic novels. Stories on Tapas are 3-5 minute “chunks” of content for younger readers. Because it is geared toward comics, traditional fiction writers have a hard time building an audience. While there is a pay model for writers, creators must hit benchmarks with follower and subscriber counts, which can be very difficult for the average person to reach. Tapas does offer an online artist community called Tapastry, where creators can support and inspire each other.

 

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Webnovel

Best for: new authors, serial fiction, finished manuscripts, long-term revenue

Claiming to be the pioneers of online literature, Webnovel promises to “nurture your dreams” of becoming an author. On Webnovel, authors share the revenue earned from subscriptions on the site, direct sales (from other platforms), and monetization of their copyrights. This site is good for writers who already have a novel draft and are looking for publication, and established writers looking to have a steady revenue stream. That being said, writers can still publish chapter by chapter to workshop their writing with their readers. The Contracted Works Guarantee System helps new writers in their exploratory phase before they’ve made it big. This allows for writers to earn monthly income based on certain stipulations outlined on their website and is also a stepping-stone for writers who want to earn a full-time income from their royalties. Readers can vote for your writing with Power Stones, which increases your rankings to attract more fans. Much like Wattpad, writers can gain attention from major publishers and online retailers like Amazon. Webnovel also promotes that they can adapt books to other forms of media like movies, television, animation, and stage drama. However, the best perks on this site (like editorial teams and advertising) are mainly for contracted writers. 

 

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Royalroad

Best for: new and rising talent, serials, WIPs, self-marketing superstars

Royalroad touts its online publishing platform for new and rising authors to find a place to publish and receive feedback from readers and other writers. Readers and writers can both use the platform for free, but monthly and yearly subscriptions are offered for both to utilize full website features. Royalroad is great for serialized fiction so writers can publish chapter by chapter, whether your novel is finished or not. Authors get payments through reader donations, so payment isn’t a guarantee. For authors serious about marketing, they can create their own ads with built-in ad templates, with tiers for pricing (i.e., 330k impressions for $50). A good feature on this site is authors have to differentiate their work between fanfiction and original fiction, which helps avoid plagiarism. Authors must submit their fiction to be approved, which may take 2 to 3 days, but this degree of vetting means the quality of work on this site is higher than others. The site ranks stories as New Releases, Latest Updates, Best Rated, Trending, Most Popular, etc., to help boost impressions and fan base.

 

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Booksie

Best for: multimedia creators, authors ready to publish their finished manuscript

Designed to “inspire writers to unlock their imagination,” Booksie is an online social publishing site that allows both writers and readers to use for free. Booksie has the largest genre selection within which to publish, including books, poems, short stories, articles, essays, audiobooks, and even songs and podcasts. Their global audience has a wide variety of ages, starting at thirteen all the way up to adults, so adult fiction writers are welcome. Booksie is free but does offer premium memberships for writers, which allows for boosting of your content, receiving payments from your readers via PayPal, stats and reader data, and a link to connect your works to Amazon, among others. Booksie also boasts a built-in epub generator to allow writers to make your manuscript into a full-length ebook or print book that is ready for sale. Another gem is Booksie employs publishing advisors and hosts a free self-publishing guide to help you along your publishing journey. Users (readers or writers) can create their own publishing “houses” where writers publish their work. The “Shelfit” feature allows writers to promote their work across the site, which means free advertising for writers.

 

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While there is certainly no shortage of fish in the sea of online publishing, the most difficult task is choosing the right one for you. With research and education, you can find the best platform for you, whether you’re through with your manuscript or not. The beauty of digital publishing is you as the writer get to stay in control, and you have the freedom to go ahead and publish, even if you’ve only written one chapter.