Publish Web Novels Overseas: Platform Rules & AI Policies

In this article 12 sections

Disclaimer: All platform rules in this article are compiled from each platform's official pages, verified as of 2026-11-12 (because Royal Road's official pages restrict automated access, the AI section of its Content Guidelines was double-checked word for word via a 2026-10-23 web archive snapshot of that official URL). Overseas web novel platforms may update their terms, royalty splits, or contest rules at any time, so always check the latest official pages before publishing. Discussions of copyright and derivative works in this article do not constitute legal advice; please verify your specific rights independently.

Attitudes toward AI-generated content across these seven web novel platforms range widely, from outright bans to permission with mandatory disclosure: Tapas bans it outright; Royal Road and Shousetsuka ni Narou require tags or usage-status settings; Amazon KDP requires disclosure for AI-generated content but not AI-assisted content; Kakuyomu recommends tags sitewide and requires them for its official contest; Wattpad has no sitewide prose rule, though the Wattys strongly discourage generative AI; and Webnovel remains unverified. Writers publishing across borders should check each site's rules individually before posting.

Key Takeaways

1. Whether you can publish AI-written fiction depends on each platform's ban boundaries and disclosure system: Tapas bans AI-generated novel episodes, covers, and banners altogether; Shousetsuka ni Narou permits compliant AI use, but strictly prohibits pasting AI-generated text verbatim across the entire chapter body field; Royal Road and Amazon KDP allow publication as long as you accurately tag your work or disclose AI use to the platform under their respective rules; Kakuyomu allows publication, recommending tags sitewide and requiring them in designated contests.
2. Definitions of "AI-assisted" versus "AI-generated" are not interchangeable across platforms: On Amazon KDP, if an AI tool generated the actual text, images, or translation, it still counts as AI-generated—and requires KDP AI disclosure—even if you heavily edited it afterward. Royal Road requires the AI-Generated tag for AI-generated prose and the AI-Assisted tag when AI is overused in editing or proofreading, while exempting standard grammar checkers. Shousetsuka ni Narou requires every work to select one of four fixed AI usage-status options before submission or chapter updates.
3. Cross-language AI translation is also governed by AI rules: If you use AI to translate your own original Chinese novel into another language for publication, Amazon KDP requires disclosing it as an AI-generated translation; Royal Road exempts translations from the AI-Assisted tag if proofread by a human fluent in both languages, but requires the tag if unproofread; Shousetsuka ni Narou prohibits directly submitting works consisting purely of raw AI-translated text; dedicated AI translation rules on the remaining four platforms are currently unverified.
4. In-house contests and open calls often enforce stricter rules than everyday serialization: Wattpad's sitewide guidelines make no rule on AI-generated prose, yet the Wattys 2026 strongly discourage generative AI and require disclosure on the entry form. Kakuyomu only "recommends" Kakuyomu AI tags for regular serials, but tagging is mandatory for AI-involved entries in "Kakuyomu Contest 11," and certain publishing-imprint contests outright disqualify works whose main portions are AI-generated.
5. Monetization models and update expectations vary widely by platform: Amazon KDP relies on individual eBook sales and per-page payouts through Kindle+ (formerly Kindle Unlimited), publishing completed books with no serialization schedule requirement; Webnovel ties its Minimum Guarantee System (MGS) to exclusive contracts and daily word-count targets; Royal Road offers no direct on-site monetization, relying mainly on external donation links or partner-publisher deals; Wattpad offers no ad-revenue share, running invite-only paid serialization via Wattpad Originals with weekly updates required; Shousetsuka ni Narou offers ad-share Rewards (on-site tipping and similar features are unverified), while Kakuyomu and Tapas provide ad revenue sharing or reader tipping subject to eligibility thresholds.
6. Never treat reposted rumors as official terms: Verification showed that purported "full Webnovel AI policy" texts circulating in user chapter pages or forums are not official pages. Platforms like Tapas also host overlapping official help pages—some marked outdated or stating conflicting details—so always defer to your author dashboard and official help center documentation.

AI Policy Comparison Across Seven Platforms

Royal Road: Manually Moderated Serialization and AI Tag Disclosure

Submission Rules

To submit a story on Royal Road, the official workflow is to register an account, navigate to Write and then Author Dashboard in the top bar, create a new fiction, and click Submit. Every new submission is manually reviewed for proper tagging and plagiarism, typically clearing review within 12–24 hours and going live within 48 hours at latest, with roughly 10% of submissions rejected; synopses must be at least 50 characters, and covers are optional at a minimum resolution of 400×600 (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Submitting and verifying novels)).

On mature themes and copyright, the guidelines state: "Erotic fictions are banned from the site." Stories carrying Sexual Content, Profanity, Disturbing Content, or Graphic Violence warnings are allowed as long as erotica is not the central focus and mature material stays inside chapter bodies rather than titles, synopses, or covers; explicit/NSFW covers, sexual content involving anyone under 18, and glorification of sexual violence are strictly prohibited (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Content Guidelines)). Fanfiction based on someone else's setting, characters, or terminology must carry the fanfiction tag and credit the original creator in the description (excluding generic genre terms, public-domain/mythological figures, or works with IP-holder permission), and fanfiction may not include donation links or buy on-site ads; translated works require permission from the original author, copyright holder, and translator alike (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Content Guidelines); please verify your specific rights independently). Individual chapters have a 500-character minimum, with an official recommendation to stay under 10,000 words and around 2,000 words noted as a good stopping point, and no mandatory total word count (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Chapters)).

Update Schedule

Royal Road sets no mandatory update frequency, but its upload tips advise against bulk chapter dumps—"Do not publish more than two chapters a day but instead, do so on consecutive days."—and note that uploading steadily roughly every 3 days attracts more attention than sporadic drops, with scheduled releases and a public release calendar available in the dashboard (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Chapters)). Rankings such as Rising Stars are calculated from complex multi-factor formulas, and the platform does not publish specific update-rate or word-count thresholds (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Discovery & Ranking)).

Monetization

There are no subscriptions, locked chapters, or ad-revenue shares on the site. As an official blog post puts it: "The only hiccup here is that we don’t offer authors a direct way to monetize their work." Starting in 2024, the platform partnered with publishers MoonQuill and Mango Media, allowing authors to sign negotiable contracts directly with the publishers while Royal Road takes a share from the publisher's royalties (Introducing a New Publishing Program | Royal Road). During regular serialization, original authors can add PayPal or Patreon donation links in their dashboard (PayPal's policy requires recipients to be 18 or older); Royal Road takes zero cut, reserves the right to revoke donation privileges at its discretion, and disables donations on fanfiction (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Donation)).

AI Policy

Royal Road initially tried banning predominantly AI-written works, then pivoted—because AI detection proved unreliable—to allowing publication with mandatory tag disclosure (Royal Road AI-text policy | Royal Road). Official rules state: "You should tag your AI-Assisted or AI-Generated content with the appropriate tag." Stories where AI generates the prose while the author prompts, directs, and edits must use the AI-Generated tag; stories where the author conceives the structure but overuses AI during editing and proofreading should use AI-Assisted; chapters containing only small AI snippets may use AI-Assisted alongside a warning in that chapter's author notes; and everyday tools like Grammarly require no tag (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Content Guidelines · A.I. Content), Royal Road AI-text policy | Royal Road). Comments and forum posts may not contain AI-generated text (except quotes), and authors use AI-generated content at their own risk (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Content Guidelines · A.I. Content)).

AI-translated works proofread by a human fluent in both the source and target languages do not need the AI-Assisted tag, whereas unproofread AI translations must carry AI-Assisted (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Content Guidelines · A.I. Content · Translations), Royal Road AI-text policy | Royal Road). For visual art, the rules note that "No such exceptions are granted for AI-generated artwork." (i.e., the "tasteful" exception), though whether AI covers require a tag or are banned altogether remains Unverified (checked pages: Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Content Guidelines · Artwork), Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Submitting and verifying novels), Royal Road AI-text policy | Royal Road). Rule-breaking works may be deleted and accounts banned, without a separate penalty ladder listed specifically for AI violations (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Content Guidelines · Consequences)).

Wattpad: Rated Serialization, Invite-Only Originals, and Wattys Disclosure

Submission Rules

Wattpad's Terms of Service (marked updated 2019-05-13, cited for reference) require users to be at least 13 years old and register an account to access core features (Wattpad Policies (Terms of Service)). Authors must rate each story as Everyone or Mature (17+) upon publication; Mature stories may include explicit consensual sex scenes between adults, while pornography written primarily for sexual arousal, sexual content involving minors, and non-consensual sexual content are banned across the board, with stricter standards applied to images and covers (Wattpad Content Guidelines – Help Center).

Regarding copyright and fanfiction, writing original plots using existing characters or worlds counts as permitted fanfiction, whereas "adaptations" copying original text or unique plot events infringe copyright, and translating, rewriting, writing sequels to, or transcribing someone else's work requires permission (Infringing adaptations and fanfiction – Help Center; please confirm copyright permissions independently). General site rules set no minimum or maximum word count; the Wattys 2026 rules note no upper word-count cap per story, up to a maximum of 200 parts (The Wattys 2026 - The Entry Requirements - Wattpad).

Update Schedule

General authors face no mandatory posting schedule, though the Creators FAQ notes that search algorithms favor consistently updated ongoing stories and completed works, offers a Publishing Scheduler in the backend, and suggests roughly 2,500 words per part (FAQ | Wattpad Creators). Applying to the Creators Program requires publishing at least 500 words per week, and ongoing serials selected for Wattpad Originals must publish at least 1 new part per week on a fixed schedule (FAQ | Wattpad Creators, Wattpad Originals - Frequently Asked Questions – Help Center).

Monetization

Writers looking into how monetization works on Wattpad should note there is no ad-revenue sharing: "Unfortunately, there are currently no opportunities to make money from ads on your stories." Official monetization avenues listed by Wattpad include Wattpad Originals, Wattpad Books, WEBTOON Studios, and brand partnerships (Ads on Wattpad – Help Center).

Wattpad Originals is the platform's paid-chapter program, where readers unlock parts using Coins or a Premium+ subscription; on serialized releases, only the latest 10 parts sit behind the paywall, with an older part unlocking for free each time a new chapter drops, and the official FAQ does not disclose author royalty percentages (Wattpad Originals - Frequently Asked Questions – Help Center). Entry is invite-only and curated by Wattpad's editorial team, and ongoing stories must first belong to the Creators Program to pitch (FAQ | Wattpad Creators). According to an official company blog post (dated June 1 without a year, so cross-check against current pages), the Creators Program is also invite-only, requiring at least 500 words written per week, at least one completed novel of 50,000+ words on your profile, and minimum Engaged Readers metrics (Empowering Authors to Write the Next Big Hit - Evolving the Wattpad Creators Program — wattpad).

AI Policy

Wattpad's sitewide Content Guidelines neither ban nor require disclosure for AI-generated fiction text, prohibiting only non-consensual AI/deepfake media; standard enforcement actions include removing or restricting content, adjusting maturity ratings, or limiting/closing accounts (Wattpad Content Guidelines – Help Center).

For the annual Wattys 2026 contest, however, Wattpad states explicitly: "We strongly discourage using generative AI for your stories." Using AI for editing, outlining, research, and grammar checking is left to the author's discretion (The Wattys 2026 - The Entry Requirements - Wattpad). Entrants must disclose on the submission form whether and how AI tools were used (The Wattys 2026 - How to Enter: Submissions and Deadlines - Wattpad). Wattpad warns that heavy reliance on AI-generated material may prevent copyright registration and jeopardize publishing deals, adaptations, or cash prizes (please verify copyright risks independently); there is no dedicated sitewide rule on AI covers, though Wattys entries selected for promotional features that use generative AI may be asked to redo design elements (The Wattys 2026 - The Entry Requirements - Wattpad). AI translation rules are Unverified (checked pages: Wattpad Content Guidelines – Help Center, Infringing adaptations and fanfiction – Help Center, The Wattys 2026 - The Entry Requirements - Wattpad, Wattpad Policies (Terms of Service)).

Amazon KDP: Self-Publishing, Kindle Unlimited (Kindle+) Royalties, and AI Disclosure

Submission Rules

Once your KDP account is set up, you can self-publish eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers for free; magazines, periodicals, calendars, and spiral-bound books are not supported, and previously published titles can be uploaded as long as you hold the rights (Start publishing with KDP). Content Guidelines prohibit hate speech, child sexual exploitation and abuse material, pornography, glorification of rape or pedophilia, and promotion of terrorism (Content Guidelines); during title setup, you must answer whether the book contains Sexually Explicit Images or Title, and answering "Yes" makes the book ineligible for children's categories (KDP Categories).

On copyright, uploading content without the necessary rights can result in rejection or removal, account action, and forfeited royalties (Intellectual Property Rights Frequently Asked Questions; please confirm rights ownership independently); dedicated KDP clauses covering fanfiction and derivative works are Unverified (checked pages: Content Guidelines, Intellectual Property Rights Frequently Asked Questions, Start publishing with KDP). The quality guide sets no hard minimum word count, but lists content that is too short and poor-quality translations as unacceptable (Guide to Kindle Content Quality).

Update Schedule

KDP publishes full books rather than ongoing serials, so there is no update frequency rule. The only recurring cycle is the 90-day KDP Select enrollment period, which auto-renews by default unless the author manually unchecks automatic renewal (KDP Select Enrollment).

Monetization

Individual eBook sales offer 35% and 70% royalty tiers: "Effective July 7, 2026, the 70% royalty option price band is $2.99-$12.99 on Amazon.com"; minimum list prices for the 35% tier scale by delivery file size ($0.99 under 3MB, $1.99 for 3–10MB, and $2.99 for 10MB or above), up to a $200 maximum (eBook List Price Requirements).

Authors targeting Kindle Unlimited payouts must enroll in KDP Select, which requires keeping the eBook digital-exclusive during each 90-day term (distributable only through KDP and public libraries, with public-domain works ineligible; KDP Select Enrollment). Amazon now titles its payout help page Royalties in Kindle+ (formerly Kindle Unlimited): royalties are paid from the monthly KDP Select Global Fund based on Kindle Edition Normalized Pages (KENP) read or listened to for the first time by subscribers, with the monthly fund total announced in the official community and no minimum payout floor listed on the help page (Royalties in Kindle+).

AI Policy

KDP AI disclosure hinges on separating generation from assistance: "We require you to inform us of AI-generated content (text, images, or translations) when you publish a new book…"—and likewise when editing and republishing an existing title—whereas "You are not required to disclose AI-assisted content." (Content Guidelines). Writing the work yourself and using AI afterward to refine, proofread, or brainstorm beforehand counts as AI-assisted; if an AI tool created the actual content itself, it remains AI-generated and must be disclosed even after substantial human editing (Content Guidelines). Exact wording and placement in the backend disclosure UI, as well as whether readers see a public badge, are Unverified (checked pages: Content Guidelines, Guide to Kindle Content Quality, Beta: Kindle Translate).

For artwork and translations, "AI-generated images include cover and interior images and artwork."—allowed on KDP provided you disclose them and comply with copyright guidelines (Content Guidelines). AI translations must also be disclosed; Amazon's in-house AI translation service, Kindle Translate, operates as an invite-only Beta whose translated editions display a storefront language label and must pass Kindle content quality rules (Beta: Kindle Translate, Guide to Kindle Content Quality). Non-compliant titles may be rejected or removed from sale (Content Guidelines).

Webnovel (Qidian International): Serialization Contracts and the MGS Guarantee

Submission Rules

Authors can start posting immediately after logging into Inkstone; a book becomes searchable and browsable once it reaches 4,000 words and passes review, and becomes eligible for a contract application at 12,000 words (WebNovel Author Benefits). Official creation guidelines list plagiarism/infringement, impersonation, spam advertising, and sexual content involving minors as moderated violations, and require selecting a content rating upon book creation (WebNovel Content Creation Guideline); exact upper boundaries for adult content and general sitewide fanfiction rules were absent from the retrieved text and are marked Unverified (checked pages: WebNovel Content Creation Guideline, WebNovel Author Benefits, Inkstone). Advice suggesting 1,000–1,600 words per chapter (minimum 800 words) and excluding fanfiction from final rankings comes from a single contest page rather than a mandatory sitewide rule (Inkstone).

Update Schedule

Casual posting carries no mandatory schedule, but Webnovel's Minimum Guarantee System (MGS) requires contracted premium books to update at least 1,500 words every day of the month—or 2 chapters per day of at least 1,000 words each—with Leave of Absence (LOA) passes available (WebNovel Author Benefits). Official operations articles note that top authors typically post 2–3 chapters daily, MGS tracking runs on GMT+8, and completing a full qualifying month automatically earns an LOA (Inkstone).

Monetization

Once an original novel hits 12,000 words, authors can submit a contract application form; official pages note an acceptance rate below 10%, while review turnaround is listed as 7 business days in an Inkstone article versus 14 days on the Author Benefits page—check your dashboard for current timing (Inkstone, WebNovel Author Benefits).

Contracts are exclusive: "Works signed with WebNovel cannot be published or contracted on other platforms." Previous-month earnings are settled on the 10th of each month, with minimum payout thresholds of $100 via PayPal or $200 via bank transfer (WebNovel Author Benefits). Exclusively contracted novels that enter the paid program receive 4 consecutive months of MGS starting the following month: meeting daily update targets tops up monthly single-book earnings of $60+ to $200, or awards an extra $200 bonus when monthly earnings reach $200+ (Inkstone).

AI Policy

Whether Webnovel allows AI-generated prose, whether tagging or disclosure is required, how to disclose, AI cover rules, AI translation rules, and enforcement penalties are all marked Unverified in this review. Official writing academy articles contain notes regarding AI, but because Inkstone pages load dynamically and some articles returned a "does not exist" error on re-check, we could not re-verify the text; please rely on the platform's latest official announcements (entry portal and checked pages: Inkstone, WebNovel Content Creation Guideline, WebNovel Author Benefits). Keep in mind that purported "full Webnovel AI policy" texts reposted in user chapters, mirror sites, or forums are not official pages and should not be relied upon.

Shousetsuka ni Narou: Submission Rules, Cheers Revenue Share, and Mandatory AI Usage Settings

Submission Rules

Anyone can register a free account with an email address (User Registration | Help Center | Shousetsuka ni Narou). Individual episodes require "Please enter the body text within 70,000 characters." (translated from Japanese), with episode titles capped at 100 characters and prefaces/afterwords capped at 20,000 characters each (Creating a New Episode | Help Center | Shousetsuka ni Narou). R18 works may only be posted to the group's dedicated R18 sub-sites and are off-limits to users under 18; posting R18 content as all-ages on the main site can lead to forced deletion, while R15 content requires checking the self-rating tag (Can I Submit Works Restricted to Readers 18+? | Help Center | Shousetsuka ni Narou).

Derivative works (fanfiction) are banned as a general rule: "On Shousetsuka ni Narou, posting derivative works is prohibited in principle." (translated from Japanese)—with exceptions limited to public-domain classics, song-lyric motifs, historical figures, authorized on-site or non-commercial works, and copyrighted properties officially licensed for fan works by site management (Regarding Derivative Work Submissions | Guidelines | Shousetsuka ni Narou; please verify licensing scope independently). Plagiarism subject to takedown requests by original authors, chapters composed entirely of unedited AI output, and falsifying AI usage-status settings are all prohibited (Submission Precautions | Help Center | Shousetsuka ni Narou).

Update Schedule

Narou imposes no minimum update frequency, though its Narou Cheers Program factors update activity into Cheer Score calculations—noting that steady updates of reasonable length make it easier to earn more Rewards, while discouraging authors from updating just to earn Rewards (Narou Cheers Program | Site Guide | Shousetsuka ni Narou, About the Narou Cheers Program | Help Center | Shousetsuka ni Narou).

Monetization

The ad-revenue sharing Narou Cheers Program requires works to be both "all-ages (including self-rated R15)" and "original" (R18 works are ineligible); 1 Reward equals 1 JPY, redeemable starting at 500 Rewards for Amazon gift cards or via cash transfer to a domestic Japanese bank account, and Rewards expire at the end of the 11th month following issuance (Narou Cheers Program | Site Guide | Shousetsuka ni Narou, About the Narou Cheers Program | Help Center | Shousetsuka ni Narou). Publisher commercialization inquiries are forwarded by management free of charge, and once commercialized, authors are barred from replacing their on-site serial with a summary/digest stub (Commercialization Inquiries for Posted Works | Site Guide | Shousetsuka ni Narou). Paid on-site chapters, subscriptions, or reader tipping features are Unverified (checked pages: Narou Cheers Program | Site Guide | Shousetsuka ni Narou, Commercialization Inquiries for Posted Works | Site Guide | Shousetsuka ni Narou, About the Narou Cheers Program | Help Center | Shousetsuka ni Narou).

AI Policy

Under current Narou AI rules, AI tools are permitted, provided authors select one of four mandatory work settings: Direct AI Use, Indirect AI Use, Assisted AI Use, or No AI Use (Regarding AI Usage Status | Guidelines | Shousetsuka ni Narou). Selecting "Direct AI Use" displays a fixed notice on the work's info page stating the body includes directly used AI-generated text and automatically attaches the Direct AI Use keyword; selecting "Indirect AI Use" displays an info-page notice without adding a keyword, and both options offer a free-form notes field; selecting "Assisted AI Use" or "No AI Use" is not shown publicly to readers, though partner companies are informed during contests or commercialization offers (Submitting Works Using AI | Help Center | Shousetsuka ni Narou). New works cannot be submitted without choosing an option, and since September 1, 2026—a restriction now in effect—previously published works cannot post new episodes or edit work details until the setting is completed ([Important] Mandatory AI Usage Status Settings and Feature Release Notice | Shousetsuka ni Narou Group Official Blog).

Official rules stipulate: "Using generated text verbatim across the entire body field is prohibited." (translated from Japanese), alongside bans on pasting prompts into the chapter body, falsifying your AI setting, or abusing the notes field; offending works are set to private, and malicious violations lead to account suspension (Regarding AI Usage Status | Guidelines | Shousetsuka ni Narou). Using AI to translate your own original novel falls under the same framework—categorized by how you edit and process the generated text—and directly submitting a work composed purely of raw AI-translated text is prohibited ([Part 2] Answers to Questions Regarding Mandatory AI Usage Status Settings | Shousetsuka ni Narou Group Official Blog). Illustrations uploaded via Mitemin must select "AI-Generated Image," must not infringe third-party rights, and may not include photorealistic images indistinguishable from real photographs (FAQ | Mitemin, Notice of Illustration Upload Feature Additions and Posting Rule Changes | Shousetsuka ni Narou Group Official Blog); standalone AI rules for "book covers" are Unverified (checked pages: Regarding AI Usage Status | Guidelines | Shousetsuka ni Narou, Submitting Works Using AI | Help Center | Shousetsuka ni Narou, FAQ | Mitemin).

Kakuyomu: Submission Guidelines, Ad Revenue Share, and Recommended AI Tags

Submission Rules

Kakuyomu's guidelines limit submissions to works created by the registered member, though cross-posting stories published on other sites is allowed if permitted by the other platform's terms; sexual or violent depictions must be kept to the minimum necessary for the story, enabling R15-equivalent self-ratings is recommended, and excessive depictions may trigger revision requests or unpublishing (Guidelines - Kakuyomu). Derivative works are restricted to properties on Kakuyomu's official permitted-IP list for on-site publication only, while fan works (including parodies) based on other commercial titles are barred (Guidelines - Kakuyomu; please verify copyright boundaries independently). Regarding formatting, "Images cannot be posted on work pages or individual episode pages." (translated from Japanese), uploading text files is not supported, and chapter titles are capped at 100 characters (About Submitting Novels - Kakuyomu Help Center).

Update Schedule

Kakuyomu sets no minimum update rate and instead cautions authors: "Please refrain from posting works or episodes with excessive frequency." (translated from Japanese) to prevent rapid-fire feed spamming, while providing scheduled publishing and release-calendar features (Guidelines - Kakuyomu, About Submitting Novels - Kakuyomu Help Center). When entering specific contests, updates made after the submission window closes are excluded from judging (2nd Kadokawa BOOKS Fantasy Full-Length Novel Contest Entry Guidelines - Kakuyomu).

Monetization

Authors who register their real date of birth (minors need guardian consent) can join the Kakuyomu Loyalty Program, which returns 70% of ad revenue to creators; overseas residents may join, though cash bank payouts require a domestic Japanese bank account, and Rewards remain valid for 12 months from issuance (About the Kakuyomu Loyalty Program - Kakuyomu Help Center). Enrolled creators who opt in can also receive reader Gifts, and Gift totals have no bearing on rankings or contest judging (About the Kakuyomu Loyalty Program - Kakuyomu Help Center). Redemption ranges run 100–10,000 Rewards for BOOK☆WALKER Coins, 500–10,000 Rewards for Amazon gift cards, and 3,000–1,000,000 Rewards for bank transfers, with transfer fees (200 JPY for 3,000–29,999 Rewards; 300 JPY for 30,000+) deducted from the user's payout (Guidelines - Kakuyomu, About the Kakuyomu Loyalty Program - Kakuyomu Help Center).

AI Policy

Generative AI is permitted sitewide, and Kakuyomu recommends adding one of three Kakuyomu AI tags matching your usage: AI Body Text Use (roughly 50% or more of chapter prose is AI text), Partial AI Body Text Use (under roughly 50%), or AI Assisted Use (brainstorming, research, or proofreading), with everyday writing software and built-in spellcheckers excluded (Guidelines - Kakuyomu). An official announcement explicitly reassures authors: "Having the tag will not put your work at a disadvantage in rankings or elsewhere." (translated from Japanese; [Important] Request to Use Recommended Tags When Using Generative AI in Submissions - Kakuyomu News).

Because tagging is only "recommended" for standard serialization, specific penalties for leaving tags off—as well as dedicated AI translation rules—are Unverified (checked pages: Guidelines - Kakuyomu, [Important] Request to Use Recommended Tags When Using Generative AI in Submissions - Kakuyomu News, About Submitting Novels - Kakuyomu Help Center). However, tags are mandatory for AI-involved entries in "Kakuyomu Contest 11" ([Contest Entry Rules] Please Check Before Entering "Kakuyomu Contest 11" - Kakuyomu News), and the 2nd Kadokawa BOOKS Fantasy Full-Length Novel Contest disqualifies works whose prose drafting or structural core is primarily AI-generated while requiring entrants to note any AI tools and uses in the work description (2nd Kadokawa BOOKS Fantasy Full-Length Novel Contest Entry Guidelines - Kakuyomu). Since work and episode pages cannot display images, AI cover rules do not apply (About Submitting Novels - Kakuyomu Help Center).

Tapas: Episodic Serialization, Subscriber-Gated Monetization, and Full AI Ban

Submission Rules

Creators must be at least 13 years old, warrant that their work is original and non-infringing, and create new series from a desktop web browser—series creation is unavailable in the mobile app (Terms of Service – Tapas, How do I publish on Tapas? – Tapas). On mature themes, novels may not exist solely for sexual gratification (plotless erotica is banned), and sexualized depictions involving minors are strictly forbidden; images containing nudity or sexual acts (including novel covers, banners, and episode illustrations) are banned on the app, while non-sexual nudity and censored sexual acts are allowed on the web (Content and Community Guidelines – Tapas). Copyrighted or trademarked material may not be copied into a series, with no dedicated fanfiction exemption clause (Content and Community Guidelines – Tapas; please verify copyright questions independently). Each novel episode caps at 15,000 characters and up to 5 images (max 2MB each), and mature or violent material must enable the Mature toggle and appropriate warning tags (Series Basics: How to publish a novel episode on Tapas – Tapas).

Update Schedule

Standard creators face no mandatory posting schedule, though Tapas's featuring guide calls for regular updates and recommends 500–1,500 words per episode (How do I get my novel featured? – Tapas). The Early Access page lists at least two updates per month plus a 3-episode buffer, though its page title carries an outdated label (Publishing Opportunities | Publish on Tapas - outdated); the Premium page simply asks for a consistent release schedule without specifying numbers (Premium | Publish on Tapas).

Monetization

Creators aged 18+ unlock monetization tiers per series based on subscriber counts: 100 subscribers unlocks ad revenue sharing (roughly 70% to the creator), 250 subscribers unlocks Support tipping applications, and 500 subscribers unlocks the Merch Shop (Earning Money | Publish on Tapas). When readers tip with Ink, creators receive 100% of net proceeds after third-party processing fees (30% on the app, 15% on web; Support Program – Tapas). The Premium page lists novel eligibility as already participating in Early Access or Creator Bonus plus hitting one of three 12-month milestones—5k+ subscriber growth, 5k+ total revenue (currency unspecified on the page), or 1.5 million view growth (Premium | Publish on Tapas)—whereas another help article states Tapas stopped accepting Premium novel submissions in January 2022 (How do I publish on Tapas? – Tapas); because both pages remain live, check your creator dashboard for current availability.

AI Policy

Tapas enforces a blanket ban on AI-generated material: "As of 01/23/2023, AI generated content is not allowed to be posted on Tapas. This includes comic and novel episodes, covers and banners." (Content Guidelines Update: AI generated artwork | Tapas). Its Content and Community Guidelines reiterate the ban, citing concerns over unauthorized derivative works and ineligibility for U.S. Copyright Office protection (Content and Community Guidelines – Tapas). There is no disclosure-based exemption, and AI covers and banners are explicitly barred; violations risk account penalties, and Tapas may remove content without prior notice (Content Guidelines Update: AI generated artwork | Tapas, Terms of Service – Tapas). Dedicated AI translation rules are Unverified (checked pages: Content Guidelines Update: AI generated artwork | Tapas, Content and Community Guidelines – Tapas, Terms of Service – Tapas).

Pre-Submission Checklist When Writing with AI

If your writing workflow involves AI tools, run through this neutral checklist before cross-posting to international platforms:

1. Check how your target platform defines "AI-generated" vs. "AI-assisted": Every site draws the line differently—Royal Road classifies AI-drafted prose guided and edited by the author as AI-Generated, and human-plotted stories with heavy AI editing/proofreading as AI-Assisted; Amazon KDP treats any actual content created by an AI tool as AI-generated (requiring disclosure) even if you heavily rewrite it afterward; Kakuyomu splits its recommended prose tags around the ~50% AI-text mark. Read the exact guideline wording each time you add a new site.
2. Evaluate prose, cover/interior art, and translation separately: Even when every word of your novel is handwritten, your cover art, chapter illustrations, or translation workflow can still trigger AI rules. An AI cover violates Tapas rules outright and requires mandatory image disclosure on Amazon KDP; similarly, translating an older Chinese manuscript with AI requires checking each site's rules on bilingual human proofreading or translation disclosure.
3. Complete backend settings or apply required tags accurately: Where a site asks for upfront disclosure, disclose honestly; where it requires usage settings or tags, select the matching option. Shousetsuka ni Narou, for instance, explicitly lists falsifying AI usage-status settings as a prohibited offense, so configure your tags accurately before hitting publish.
4. Audit contest rules separately—they can be stricter than sitewide rules: Sitewide permission does not guarantee contest eligibility. Wattpad's Wattys 2026 strongly discourage generative AI and require form disclosure; Kakuyomu's "Kakuyomu Contest 11" makes AI tags mandatory, while the 2nd Kadokawa BOOKS Fantasy Full-Length Novel Contest disqualifies entries whose main portions are AI-generated. Always read the current contest guidelines line by line before entering.
5. Keep your outlines, drafts, and revision history: Saving outlines, early drafts, and human revision logs makes it much easier to verify where your manuscript falls against each platform's thresholds later on (for example, Shousetsuka ni Narou shares AI usage status with partner publishers during contests or commercialization talks). For manuscripts drafted in Maliang Writer, review your target platform's rules before exporting so you know exactly which tags or disclosures to prepare.

FAQ

Q1: Can I publish an AI-written novel on Royal Road?

Yes, as long as you tag it properly. Works where AI generates the prose under the author's prompting and editing must carry the AI-Generated tag; heavy AI use during editing or proofreading should carry AI-Assisted, while standard grammar checkers need no tag (Royal Road AI-text policy | Royal Road). Authors use AI at their own risk, and rule violations can result in story deletion or account bans (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Content Guidelines · Consequences)).

Q2: What is the difference between AI-generated and AI-assisted on Amazon KDP?

Using an AI tool to generate the actual text, images, or translation counts as AI-generated—even if you substantially edit it afterward—and must be disclosed to KDP when publishing or republishing. Writing the work yourself and using AI to refine, proofread, or brainstorm ideas counts as AI-assisted and requires no KDP AI disclosure (Content Guidelines).

Q3: Do I need to label an AI translation of my own Chinese novel on overseas platforms?

It depends on the platform: Royal Road requires no tag if proofread by a human fluent in both languages, or AI-Assisted if unproofread (Knowledge Base | Royal Road (Content Guidelines · A.I. Content · Translations)); KDP requires disclosing it as an AI-generated translation (Content Guidelines); Shousetsuka ni Narou bans submitting works made up purely of AI-translated text, and otherwise sorts works by how the generated text is handled ([Part 2] Answers to Questions Regarding Mandatory AI Usage Status Settings | Shousetsuka ni Narou Group Official Blog); AI translation rules on the other four sites remain unverified.

Q4: What happens if I skip the AI usage setting on Shousetsuka ni Narou?

New works cannot be submitted until "AI Usage Status" is configured; since September 1, 2026, existing works without the setting cannot post new chapters or edit work info, and may also be excluded from contests and commercialization inquiries ([Important] Mandatory AI Usage Status Settings and Feature Release Notice | Shousetsuka ni Narou Group Official Blog). Intentionally selecting a false setting results in the work being made private, with account suspension for malicious violations (Regarding AI Usage Status | Guidelines | Shousetsuka ni Narou).

Q5: Do Kakuyomu's AI tags hurt rankings?

According to Kakuyomu, they do not put your work at a disadvantage. Official announcements state explicitly that carrying a recommended AI tag causes no penalty in rankings or elsewhere. Adding Kakuyomu AI tags is a sitewide "recommendation" for regular serials, but tagging is mandatory for AI-involved entries in "Kakuyomu Contest 11" ([Important] Request to Use Recommended Tags When Using Generative AI in Submissions - Kakuyomu News, [Contest Entry Rules] Please Check Before Entering "Kakuyomu Contest 11" - Kakuyomu News).

Q6: How do authors make money on Wattpad?

Wattpad does not share ad revenue. Once invited into the Creators Program, authors can aim for the invite-only paid program Wattpad Originals (where readers unlock the latest 10 parts with Coins or Premium+, with revenue-split percentages undisclosed), or monetize through Wattpad Books, WEBTOON Studios, and brand partnerships (Ads on Wattpad – Help Center, Wattpad Originals - Frequently Asked Questions – Help Center).

Q7: Can I use an AI-generated book cover on Tapas?

No. Tapas banned all AI-generated content starting January 23, 2023, and its official announcement explicitly covers comic and novel episodes, series covers, and banners alike with zero tag-based exemptions; violations risk account penalties and immediate content removal without prior notice (Content Guidelines Update: AI generated artwork | Tapas, Terms of Service – Tapas).

Final Thoughts

Once you pick an international platform for your web novel, make sure to double-check two things before uploading: first, all rules in this guide were verified as of 2026-11-12, and because overseas platforms update terms frequently—and occasionally leave older help pages live alongside newer ones—always treat your author dashboard and current official help center pages as the final authority; second, everyday serialization policies do not automatically carry over to special events, so before entering an on-site writing contest or applying for a contract or publishing deal, separately review that program's AI restrictions, disclosure rules, and copyright terms (please verify copyright questions independently).

Related Reading:

• Hands-On Test: Keeping LitRPG Stat Screens Consistent with AI
• Chinese Web Novel Genres Explained for International Readers and Writers
• Testing AI Fiction Writing Across Eight Languages