Wang Chen, who is inspired by her new online readers, is a high-producing member of the booming online writers' group. [Wang Jing/China Daily]

In real life she is a law-major doctoral student, doing research and writing theses. But on Internet, she is the creator of more than 20 stories about netherworlds or ancient dynasties.

Wang Chen, known as Huangying on the Internet, is one of the millions of online writers in China. She has been writing fantasy and dynastic-themed fiction for more than five years.

After being introduced to online fantasy fiction by her college roommate, Wang, then an undergraduate, quickly became entranced by the original stories written and posted by netizens.

"Their works inspired me to set my imagination free," recalled Wang.

Soon after, Wang became on online writer herself.

"A web name could be anything, like 'Telegraph pole' or 'I love eating tomatoes'," said Wang with a smile, explaining that her web name 'Huangying' was actually the name of a cartoon figure she liked.

"Most online writers keep their web names for a long time," she said. "Changing names cuts the connection between writers and their readers."

Wang said she never expected the tremendous number of clicks and comments generated by her first short story.

A report released by China Internet Network Information Center showed online literature readers had reached 162 million in 2009 in China.

Genres vary from fantasy, romance, history and military to business.

Online literature has become the fourth most popular type of online entertainment after online music, online video and online games, according to the report.

Another recently released report, the 2010 Chinese Online Literature Blue Paper, discusses why online literature is so appealing.

According to the report, 40.59 percent of online readers like online literature because they find it "fancy and intelligent", 32 percent are amazed by the "vivid language and scenario", 13.25 percent consider it "a good way to escape from reality", 10.69 percent said they liked it because it is easy to read and 4.68 percent enjoy it because of the ability to "interact with the author and other readers".

Wang said interaction with millions of readers is her biggest source of joy and energy.

"I was encouraged so much by their feedback, which urged me to write more and be more serious about my creations."

Wang also said that although her writing is purely fictional, she still spends about five hours a day confirming relevant historical details in her stories derived to make her writing as accurate as possible.

So far, she has posted more than 20 short stories and novelettes online and published three saga novels. Now she is a contracted part-time online writer at 17k.com, an online literature website based in Beijing.

The website has all rights to the work she posts on it.

"Most online writers chose to give all the rights to their work to the website they work for," said Jiang Bin, senior director of 17k.com. "In this way websites can promote their authors online, in comics, in magazines, through movies, on television or through other mediums".

Earning 0.03 yuan per 1,000 words with each click, Wang said her monthly income varies from less than 100 yuan to thousands, depending on how much traffic she generates.

"I heard someone wrote 400,000 words every month, but I'd rather spend a year to publish just one 300,000-word novel," Wang said.

"Some of them earn up to 100,000 yuan every month while some others write in vain," said Jiang.

The website has signed 50,000 online writers and is adding about 1,000 more every day.

Jiang said the majority of 17k.com's part-time online writers are civil servants and college students. More than 95 percent of the website's authors are part-time writers.

"Full-time writers are under heavier pressure. They have to prove what they're doing is meaningful to their families and friends," said Jiang. "Before realizing their dreams, they have to feed themselves first."

Wang, who is angling for a well-paid job as a professional lawyer after graduation, says she has no plans to make online writing her life-long career.

It will always be a hobby, she said.

"My motive for writing should only be interest, not survival," she said.

China Daily