Welcome pilgrim.
You have made it thus far in your quest for eternal glory -- you have written a story, edited at least thirty times (if you haven't, come back after you've edited), and want to see your story hit those charts hard. Sadly, it seems that no one is interested in your masterpiece.
That's because everyone on Wattpad is a jackass.
It's true. We're all self-centered. We all want our story to be at the top, not yours. Myself included (though I'm pretty good with failing).
But really, do those reads really matter?
Your story should be written for yourself and written to your best ability (and then some). Feel proud -- you've done something not many would do. You've exposed to the world your brain child and that's really brave (especially considering all the rude people out there). But we all know that everyone loves to be appreciated and reads are one of the best ways to feel special. So they totally matter.
So how do you get those elusive reads that end up promoting your story?
First, let's get into what you shouldn't do.
1) Don't break the rules. That is, don't post your story link everywhere (it's a great way of getting people to loathe you. Most of my black list is composed of people who do that. And I promise that I'm not the only critic who gets seriously peeved with that. We beef about certain people amongst ourselves. I kid you not).
2) Don't hate on people whose opinion you asked for. If you asked someone for an honest critique, do not give them excuses. Seriously, they're taking time out of their day to help your writing. Appreciate it. Speaking from experience, some critiques can take over an hour to complete. So be polite. It goes without saying that if you entered into an agreement where there is some sort of payment, you better damn well do it.
Now, most of you reading are probably going, "Check and check. Okay so what should I do?"
1) Post your story in the "Share your story" thread in your genre. And check out other stories that have been posted there. The entire point of that thread is for you to put your masterpiece out there and to find some cool new reads. So don't just post your stuff, check out what your fellow Wattpaders have been creating.
2) Be engaged. This is not one to be taken lightly. It takes a lot of time and effort to be engaged in the Wattpad community. But if you're dedicated, go start some threads. Ask questions, chat people up, make friends. That's what this is about -- Wattpad is a community of people who love stories. So go meet people who are just like you.
3) If anyone does anything for your story (be it a vote or a comment), thank them. It's just common courtesy. They're doing something to help you so thank them. And take their opinion into consideration.
4) Don't be afraid to promote someone else's story. First of all, you've enjoyed their story, so why not let them know it? Every writer wants to know that their work made someone's day better. Secondly, by promoting someone else's work you're showing that you are an active member. And the writer will really appreciate it -- maybe they'll check out your stories and promote your stories as well. Wattpadders are very reciprocal; If you do something nice for someone, they'll almost always do something nice for you. So don't be afraid to tell someone that their story is amazing. Especially if it's the gospel truth.
Been doing all that and still nothing? I feel ya. There's only one thing left to do:
Keep trying.
Keep editing your work, meeting people, and reading other works.
All good things come to those who work hard (forget waiting).
