For the sake of this list, I define serialized writing platforms as online platforms that allow you to post your work (whether it is original content or a work of fanfiction) online in the form of a web serial. Use this list if your goal of posting is to find readership more so than feedback, and sometimes even to make a few dollars.
This is not a list dedicated to sites with the goal of receiving feedback. If you are interested in getting feedback, please check out this list of feedback resources.
Can I publish after posting my work on a social writing platform? Generally speaking, you will be unable to traditionally publish your work after it has been published to a social writing platform. There are no limits to self/indie publishing.
Can I get paid on social writing platforms? There are a few social writing platforms that have a structure for paying writers. Some of those options are listed below.
Can I post my story on more than one social writing platform at a time? If you are not part of a paying social writing platform, I wouldn't worry. Before signing up for any paying sites, look over the site's terms of service closely to determine.
Can AI be trained on what I publish to serialized writing sites? As seen in this article on The Washington Post, content submitted to ALL of the below sites has and will be used to train ChatGPT.
How can I check if a serialized writingn platform is a scam or has a bad contract? Always check Writer Beware. According to Victoria Strauss here: "Many serial reading/writing apps [...] have complicated contracts that impose a lot of restrictions, including long contract terms, claims on your future work, non-disparagement clauses, financial penalties for anything the app decides is an author breach, and more."
How up-to-date is this list? I will attempt to update this list updated. I do not use social publishing sites, so I'm basing everything I write here on community opinion. If you happen to know more about a new/established site (especially regarding pay structures), please send that information to /u/Ouulette on Reddit. Thank you.
Wattpad is by far the largest and most active of the communities on this list. Writers can post either fanfiction or original works, and readers react with inline comments and "likes" for each chapter. Wattpad does have a feature for paid stories, although generally speaking you must be a Wattpad Star to join and thus must already be established on Wattpad. That said, it is possible to feature a patreon on your profile.
Unfortunately, the community has been unsettled after a massive data breach in Jan 2020 and the subsequent purge of the forums later in the year. Furthermore, many feel that the recent addition of premium subscriptions and paid books has changed the atmosphere of the platform. There has been some speculation that these changes mark the downfall of Wattpad as there is no longer any means of building a readership except for outside platforms such as discord groups or Reddit. That said, Wattpad remains the mammoth of this list and a bright and lively community.
For those interested, you can read more about Wattpad on the /r/Wattpad subreddit here.
Inkitt is a medium-sized platform that is perhaps best understood as a more serious version of Wattpad. Writers typically post original works (fanfiction is rarer), which readers can leave star ratings and reviews akin to GoodReads. Inkitt doubles as a reader-driven publishing house, so as a story gains popularity, Inkitt provides in-house publishing resources. Inkitt also has smaller but active writing forums and writing groups where writers can make friends and gain readership.
There are those on Reddit that will tell you that Inkitt's claim to being a publisher is a bit dubious, and they take on a more "vanity publisher"/scam business model. Inkitt founder responded in the form of a video here.
RoyalRoad is a medium-sized but dedicated community for writers of fantasy and sci-fi, especially isekai/portal fantasy or epic fantasy/sci-fi serials. They are well known for their active writing forums and for having a robust and supportive community. There are no paid opportunities provided by RR itself, but writers frequently feature their patreons on their profiles.
Please note, there was recent drama surrounding Royal Road accusing the owners and the community itself of being homophobic. See full details here, on /r/HobbyDrama.
Medium is unique on this list in the sense that it is perhaps the only large social publishing site on this list that deals mostly in nonfiction/articles and short stories. Readers can react to your work in the form of a clap. If you sign up to be a Medium partner, then they will pay you for attracting readers to your articles/short stories.
Archive of Our Own (AO3) is a relatively new website that has in a few short years become the new center of fanfiction. While original content remains the minority on AO3, it has a slowly growing presence on the site. Readers can show their love with comments and kudos. AO3, given that it does not show ads and is run entirely on member donations, understandably does not pay their writers. Yet the fact that AO3 historically always exceeds their donation drives should show how loved and supportive this community is overall.
Tapas promises to bring "bite-sized fiction" that was originally geared towards visual novels but has since expanded to prose stories as well. In staying with their gimmick of "bite-sized stories", each chapter has a limit of 15k characters. The community is alive and supportive, as well as their very active forums. Readers can leave comments and likes on chapters. Writers can choose to post their work for free or they can apply to become a premium member who can hide their chapters behind "ink" that readers pay for.
Neovel is a new social writing platform with a slick aesthetic that seems to be gaining some steam. Writers can post either fanfiction or original works, and readers rate each story with stars. Neovel has a pay structure that is available even to freshly joined writers, as outlined on this PDF.
Sadly will be closed in February of 2025.
Additional Social Writing Platforms:
These are on an alphabetized bullet list because I do not know enough about these communities and have not seen many comments/opinions expressed about them on reddit. If you know something about these platforms, please let /u/Ouulette know on reddit so she can revise this list.
Fanfiction.net - sister site of Fictionpress.com, soley fanfics, used to be very lively
Fictionpress.com - sister site of Fanfiction.net, soley original content, used to be very lively
Radish - writers can choose to post their work for free or they can apply to become a premium member who is paid for views on their content.
SpaceBattles - forum where you can post original fiction with a focus on Sci-Fi
Vocal - similar to Medium, can post articles/short stories
Scams:
Always check Writer Beware. According to Victoria Strauss here: "Many serial reading/writing apps [...] have complicated contracts that impose a lot of restrictions, including long contract terms, claims on your future work, non-disparagement clauses, financial penalties for anything the app decides is an author breach, and more."
Here is a list of known scam platforms, by no means an exhaustive list.
Web.novel is a scam platform that uses bots to spam writers' DMs on Wattpad with a contract. Writer Beware wrote a post on it here.
GoodNovel is another scam platform that uses bots to spam writer's DMs with a contract. Writer Beware wrote a post on it here.
Dreame/Stary. Writer Beware wrote a post on it here.
This includes all apps owned under the Dreame umbrella: see here.
Sofanovel
Libri
NovelSnack / AnyStories / Readink. Writer Beware wrote a post on it here.
NovelCat. Writer Beware wrote a post on it here.
Updated 12/29/2024
This list is far from complete.
If you have suggestions for any portion of this list, please contact /u/Ouulette on Reddit.
This list does not benefit the compile-er in any way.