I took a break from blogging and querying to explore the wonderful world of Wattpad, and it was not a waste of time. For years, I assumed the popular online platform for readers and authors was a bunch of unpolished first drafts of manuscripts, cringe-worthy fan fiction, and plotless erotica (and it kind of is), so I didn’t dare post my work there. However, after diving into Wattpad headfirst over the past year, I discovered it is so much more than amateur hour and it has become a valuable resource in my author toolkit.
From writing contests, to mentorships, awards programs, and publishing opportunities, Wattpad is indeed for serious writers. Sure there are plenty of amateurs out there, but I discovered hundreds of binge-worthy reads from talented, undiscovered authors just looking for their big break. I have had the privilege to connect with several other young adult and romance authors and form a community of sorts, where we read and respond to each other’s work, give insight on everything from book covers to story titles and, of course, cheer each other on.
When one of my writer friends won the Watty Awards, an annual Wattpad-sponsored award program which features the platform’s best authors and gives them a chance at publishing and movie/TV deals, I was ecstatic. She loved and supported my book, giving helpful feedback and sharing it with her reader base, so I was overjoyed when the short-list of winners came out and her book was on it! Her amazing and now award-winning new adult novel A New Reflection is now being promoted around the world on Wattpad and gained thousands of new readers. Who knows what the future holds, as many Watty award winners go on to be published or optioned for television and movies.
I also had the opportunity to enter a few Wattpad community-sponsored awards contests and made the Top 25 in Historical Fiction as well as some other honorable mentions for my novel nostalgic coming-of-age novel which is set in 1995, and I am just getting started. While my bid for the Watty’s didn’t pan out in 2023, I did get a valuable mentorship experience in the Watty’s Bootcamp Mentorship Program with a prolific young adult author who is popular on Wattpad, has self-published and been published traditionally. She was a wealth of information for me as a new author and I am grateful for her time and advice.
Sharing my work publicly on Wattpad took some courage, but I have gained many avid readers who thoroughly enjoyed my novel. What a confidence boost! Their praise and love of the characters gave me so much validation and joy on this writing journey. I set out to pen my first novel about a bullied teen girl who learns to turn her wounds into wisdom and reinvent herself, which is a story near to my heart as I endured some painful bullying in high school, to both heal myself and help others going through a similar situation. It is so gratifying to get responses from readers in real time who connect with this story and sympathize with the main character Rose. On Wattpad, readers can provide in-line comments about the story and other people who come along can interact with those comments. As a writer, I can respond to reader comments as well, which often strikes up conversations and friendships. Wow, what an amazing experience for a budding author!
The only challenge for me was to find my people on Wattpad, and it took a while. If you only write and don’t read other authors’ work, you will likely remain isolated in this community. It was’t until I started reading Wattpad books with similar themes and subject matter, that I started interacting with other authors and building my network. Unfortunately, as a busy mother, I find it challenging to read recreationally and continue my writing, but I am working it out day by day. It’s the best way to build my presence on Wattpad until the next Watty Awards come along.
I haven’t given up on querying and going down the traditional publishing route, but this pit stop on Wattpad is helping me to gain confidence, find critique partners, and acquire beta readers… for free! I can’t wait to connect with more writers and explore all the great stories on this platform, and of course, share my second YA novel WHEN WE WERE WILDFLOWERS which is close to being finished. My goal is to have it polished and ready to go for the 2024 Watty Awards which take entries in August. Fingers crossed that my Wattpad experiences will help me become a better writer.
Happy writing!
Marie
Marie McKoy 