What Is Webfiction?

Ergofiction is dedicated to promoting webfiction. But what is it? This page is directed at those of you unfamiliar with the wonders of webfiction, in an attempt to answer any questions you may have and give you some starting points on where to look. We’ve broken it down into several sections; feel free to skip ahead to the part that interests you most.

A quick guide:

1. What is webfiction?
2. Why should I read it?
3. Where can I find it?
4. Links and resources
5. Anything else?

What is webfiction?

Novelr has a nice small definition page worth looking at.

But as with most (relatively) new formats, the definition of ‘webfiction’ (and the terminology used) differs slightly from person to person. In a lengthy article comparing said definitions, Jan combined the best of each to come up with the following:

Webfiction is a story written to be published on the internet. Any form will do, as long as it tells a tale.

Currently, a large proportion of webfiction runs on a patronage system — do check out our On Patronage page for more information.

Please note that in some circles, the term webliterature (or more commonly, weblit) is used instead of ‘webfiction’. The two are largely interchangeable although ‘weblit’ may be more inclusive, encompassing non-fiction and poetry as well.

Why read webfiction?

We shouldn’t need to convince you, but here’s a brief list of reasons:

• It’s (mostly) free. (Although of course supporting the authors is encouraged, see on patronage!)
• It’s easily accessible.
• It’s environmentally friendly.
• It’s convenient — portable, delivered straight to your inbox via RSS, etc.
• There’s something for everyone. From short stories to never-ending serials, from science fiction to soap operas.
• It’s interactive: ask the author questions, chat to other readers….
• It’s independent! Support the underdog!

Where can I find webfiction?

There are a lot of webfiction-related websites — we are compiling a list here.

A good starting point is Web Fiction Guide, one of the largest directories out there, listing a wide range of online stories along with user reviews.

Not sure where to start? Feel free to contact us asking for recommendations.

Links & Resources

See here.

Anything else?

Did we not answer your question? Feel free to get in touch.