Here are some facts from working with Qidian (Noodletown)

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by noodletowntranslated, May 24, 2017.

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  1. noodletowntranslated

    noodletowntranslated Well-Known Member

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    You guys might not know about Noodletown cuz its quite small, but I just want to get some facts out there for you guys so you can think about whether you are taking the right side:
    1) 200 old chapters to 4000 American Kaching Kaching Qidian bought the 200 chapters the Galactic Dark Net (ik, its just an ok novel, im getting bored translating it now but dw i wont stop though, and i will negotiate with author for better ending of the novel). Anyways, they bought these 200 chapters for $4000 USD. Like why, I would honestly give it to them for free, but they said they want to thank us for our hardwork in the past. I think any translating groups can verify that Qidian even offered to pay for the old chapters to be used on their site.
    2) USD$35-40 base rate pay per chapter Right now Qidian is paying me $40 per chapter. In the future, they will enable ads and share that revenue with translators and editors as well.
    3) Survival of this community I don't think it depends on WXW or Qidian, but the translators and editors. It's important to get their point of view on which environment they would like to work in and who they like to work for. Believe it or not, WXW is also a corporate-like entity, and it actually represents China's pirate style more vividly than Qidian lol. You guys should all know which side owns the copyrights. The Chinese authors of these books we all love entrusts Qidian to protect their rights, and you guys should really ask how much WXW is paying those Chinese authors for their hard works.
    4) Slave? More like sugardaddy: you set your own quota. Being the lazy bum you guys know, noodletown sometimes don't have stable release speed cuz of exams and stuff. In those cases, I would just msg the qidian guy on wechat and let him know. You know, the quota stated on my contract is 5 chapters per week, and I actually never once met the quota until summer started a few weeks ago. I wasn't fined or anything. Qidian just does contracts with translators to maximize stability, but there is a lot of flexibility.
    5) No quality no pay? NO SHT IF YOU ARE PAYING SOMEONE 40$ TO TRANSLATE, DO YOU WANT QUALITY? But its not that strict. My translation of GDN's quality is so bad that my editor wants to cry whenever he edits, but I'm still getting paid. For it to be rejected, it probably have to be at google translate level and Qidian can't use. If Qidian cant use it and have to find someone else to translate, then why pay the translator? You guys want quality too right?
    6) WXW's Claim: the material they are using is honestly the very first draft of Qidian's contract. So ya, if you are gonna talk in 2017/05/24 i think you should talk about the contract that's being used right now between Qidian and its translators.
    7) Opinion on WXW: I honestly feel that WXW is just trying everything to ensure that it can still make the same amount or more money like old days, without having to pay anything for the copyrighted material they are using. But you know how many people make fun of China using pirated shit without copyright, and you see how easy it is to side with the pirate's side? But this time i honestly don't get why, because both sides offer free sht. I like how he keeps mentioning somethings cannot be mentioned due to NDA, if he really cares about some NDA stated by Qidian's contract, why is he still using Qidian's novels, doesn't it seem sketch to you guys?
    8) Opinion on Qidian: keep the money coming. It's not even the readers' money they are paying us, but their own investment. Readers still gets to enjoy free chapters, while Qidian invests heavily to make sure apps and sites are optimized. Honestly, what had Qidian done to you guys that so many ppl want to shit on them and blindly follow WXW? Both are free mangggg, now we just have to look on the legal and rational side.
    Conclusion: 8 is a lucky number so i will stop there. Ask any questions about the translator's perspective and i will reply.
     
  2. Riqu

    Riqu ~Legendary Lurker~

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    I know Hail the king, dude!
     
  3. Frixx

    Frixx Active Handsome Member

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    wait what? 40$ per chapter? Sign me in!!!!! this is better than my job!.

    Edit: im not a genius guy but just asking... how will they get money from just ads i mean you guys are getting paid high ( for me.... don't hurt me plz)
     
  4. Kronos

    Kronos Mum's SwagYeti

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    i have epubs sooooo
     
  5. Tebix

    Tebix Well-Known Member

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    look what I found:
    ''Can a translation float free from the original work?
    If you translate a work that is in the public domain – like Shakespeare into French – you own all the copyright in your translation.

    However, if you happen to translate a work that has never been published before, there is something called the archive right.

    There are special rules governing works that have never been published before. In the UK – at least until 1989 – the original author of an unpublished work would have protection whenever they died for 50 years after first publication. There is a curious overlapping right, designed to encourage people to publish manuscripts from monasteries and strange unpublished works, that gives the archive right to the person who first publishes something that has never been published before.

    Take the example of Proust again, who died more than 70 years ago. If we assume his translator Scott Moncrieff did not die, we could say that the copyright of Scott Moncrieff has floated free from the original copyright and that Moncrieff is now entitled to effectively 100% of the income from that translation.

    So as a translator, you can have your copyright float free from the original author at some point. A translation can float free and it can float free in layers.''
    source: http://www.cblesius.co.uk/articles/CopyrightAndTheTranslator-WhoOwnsYourTranslations.html
     
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  6. Rreelentless

    Rreelentless Captain Sheriff Admiral Colonel Major General

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    Did you think that this would spiral into the hate circlejerk it turned into?
     
  7. arceus

    arceus The Invisible Reader

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    My reaction to OP:

    [​IMG]
     
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  8. mudslap

    mudslap Well-Known Member

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    But in the end, WW refused it. In the end, I wonder what's the proper action for a peaceful outcome. Hmmm...
     
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  9. noodletowntranslated

    noodletowntranslated Well-Known Member

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    YOO DUDE WE TRYING OUR KANYE BEST OKAYYYY? But for real doe, srry we will try harder... more chaps out this week
     
  10. Liener Rynnsfield

    Liener Rynnsfield Holder of Alpha Stigma

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    Hail The King. I want more of it. Please.... (puppy eyes)
     
  11. GembelELITE

    GembelELITE low-profile member

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  12. ORoger

    ORoger Well-Known Member

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    I mean the opinion on the matter of someone that is contractually obliged to not speak bad of QI, in my opinion may be a bit biased, but I don't know
     
  13. Kronos

    Kronos Mum's SwagYeti

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    Blasphemy!

    "Conclusion: 8 is a lucky number so i will stop there. Ask any questions about the translator's perspective and i will reply."


    We all know 7 is the lucky number!!!! this heretic! PITCH FORKS AT THE READY MATES!!!
     
  14. Makuba

    Makuba Wyrd bið ful aræd

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    You honestly think that what Qidian is doing is healthy for the community? This community is growing because it's free. When Qidian will inevitably put up a paywall, most of the readers will simply move back to reading JP, KR or Western fantasy. And when that happens Qidian will cut their losses and leave this community a broken and shattered shell.
     
  15. Jigoku Shounen

    Jigoku Shounen An Envoy From Hell

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    Feels like there are something suspicious in this thread....
     
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  16. noodletowntranslated

    noodletowntranslated Well-Known Member

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    nah man it takes like 2 hrs to translate so its like 20USD per hour.
    Anyways, Qidian's rich manggg, they basically have 97% of the chinese reading market, and they are getting IPO later this yr so they have tons of money to spend. Also cuz they believe that later on with Ads they can make it a worthwhile investment
     
  17. Riqu

    Riqu ~Legendary Lurker~

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    Don't worry! I'm still waitng!
     
  18. Liener Rynnsfield

    Liener Rynnsfield Holder of Alpha Stigma

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    Did the egg come first or the chicken?
     
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  19. Vicious

    Vicious [Egg on rice]

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    So I guess buying already translated works is cheaper than hiring a translator.
     
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  20. noodletowntranslated

    noodletowntranslated Well-Known Member

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    I think thats fair for the writers/translator/editors, the producers of the goods enjoyed by the community right? In china each chapter only costs a few cents, so its like a dollar to read for a week. In my opinion, i think if we are getting so much joy from reading, we should give bak a little to show our appreciation right?
     
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