The copyright of the works you publish belongs to you. If you sign a contract with a publishing house, part of it will be distributed to the publisher.
There is no difference between online novels and printed novels from the perspective of copyright law protection. It’s just that the creators choose different channels for publishing.
According to the laws of our country, copyright is automatically protected from the date the work is completed, unlike applying for a patent. The law protects copyrights in two aspects: personal rights and property rights.
Extended information
There are two ways to obtain novel copyright: automatic acquisition and registration. In China, according to the copyright law, copyright automatically becomes available upon completion of the work. The so-called completion is relative. As long as the object of creation meets the legal conditions for the constitution of a work, it can be protected by copyright law as a work.
Currently, you can apply for registration through the China Copyright Protection Center and the registration departments of provincial and municipal authorities. Online novels in the form of digital works can also be registered through third-party registration centers run by various associations or trusted third parties. The core guarantee is to support institutions that can prove the time when the work was filed and preserved, and obtain preliminary proof of the ownership of the work. If necessary, enhance the legal efficiency of the evidence through judicial appraisal.