Web fiction

Web fiction is the umbrella term for "written works of literature available primarily or solely on the Internet." Its most common type is the web serial; the family also includes web novels, fan fiction, interactive novels and webcomics, with blogs and social-media storytelling counted as publication formats. Unlike most books, a web fiction work "is often not published as a whole": installments go online as they are finished, and the form can use web-only features such as clickable maps, pop-up character bios and tag sorting. The early landmark was The Spot (1995 to 1997), told through character journal entries, and since 2008 the form has grown quickly, with revenues in China topping US$2.5 billion.

For writers the term names the ecosystem a serial enters. Platforms such as Wattpad, Royal Road and Scribble Hub supply publishing, discovery and monetization infrastructure, mapped in the serial platform landscape; monetization itself remains the hard part, led by donations, advertising, Patreon and self-published collections.