Publishing with Tapas: An Author’s Experience in Digital Storytelling

By: Spencer Hoshino

I previously wrote about my experience publishing with Tapas through Mespery, so I was excited for the chance to expand on it here.

My book, Paper Wishes, first gained popularity on Wattpad in 2016 after Watty Award-winning writer JeepersGigi, also known as Jinx, recommended I post it there. (Her titles Killer Queen won the New Voices 2016 Wattys, and Mr. Macabre Presents was a 2018 Wattys Shortlist contender.) Shortly after uploading, Paper Wishes became a Wattpad Featured title, quickly amassing nearly 900,000 reads in under a year.

Perhaps due to its success, then-Tapas Content Manager Gabby Luu (who later became their Editor-in-Chief from 2022 to 2023!) reached out to me on Facebook around January 2017. I was already familiar with Tapas and intrigued by their “bite-sized content” concept, so I eagerly agreed to sign a non-exclusive contract. Tapas published Paper Wishes on Valentine’s Day that year with a custom cover designed by Vinna Chan. They made me feel incredibly valued, even sending me cool pocket t-shirts featuring their mascot, Tapamon!

From what I understood at the time (though things may have changed since), Tapas offered two publishing options: independent publishing, where authors earned ink tips as payment or contracted publishing. After Tapas signed me, they promoted Paper Wishes by featuring it on the front page and later supported a ‘Spring Into Love’ promotional giveaway in 2018.

As Tapas began focusing more on localized Korean webnovels, my book’s popularity declined. (Total mood. I might regret saying this publicly, but I also prefer reading Korean rofan over my own novel. lol.) The last payment I received from Tapas was in 2022, but I remain grateful for the exposure and income the platform provided when Paper Wishes was at its peak.

Over the years, I’ve turned down offers from other web publishers, including Wattpad’s premium publishing opportunity, which required exclusivity. Looking back, signing with Tapas was one of my best decisions. I appreciate the trust they placed in me and the platform they provided, and I’d happily recommend them to other aspiring authors.