How about a controversial start? xD
Below is what I PM'd to Wattpad after the results of #Wattys2014 were revealed. I may be accused of being a sour grape but I feel my complaint is legit. Oh and did I receive a reply? Did I heck.
Dear Wattpad
I didn't realise the Wattys were a popularity contest and not a storytelling competition as originally advertised, one judged on writing skills and actual talent. It is pretty clear from comments made that I am not the only one with these sentiments, many others too feel disappointed, misled and in a sense cheated for entering a competition which we had absolutely no hope of winning. For two months or so I held a glimmer of optimism that stories like mine which aren't hugely popular (in their millions), may be in for winning, and within a chance of gaining some recognition amongst the mainstream reading community. But nope. It felt like being back at school where the popular kids unsurprisingly get picked for everything because, well, they're popular and the rest are snubbed for being too ordinary.
I have to emphasise, I don't begrudge any of the winners, congrats to them and they've done really well. In fact the first three awards are well deserved and those I seriously have no issue with. It's the surprise awards I struggle to get my head around. Based on data? Seriously?
Originally Wattpad wrote -
To showcase the awesome and diverse stories that you've read & written in 2014 we will be announcing some Surprise Awards. These awards will be based on a variety of surprise factors (shh... don't tell), and will celebrate a range of categories and talent. This way everyone has the chance to win.
Oh please. How is basing them on data giving everyone a chance to win? Or showcasing diversity? Or even celebrating talent? Again it is the popular books which cropped up gaining more popularity despite Wattpad stating they will include all categories and ratings.
A majority of Wattpad members are teenage girls. Fact. Millions of them go crazy over cliche stories. Fact. So it's understandable that many such stories will be popular, but I think it's the responsibility of Wattpad to encourage readers AND writers to perhaps move away from these repetitive, overly done storylines now and explore other genre, or write something refreshing and different... To encourage members to write on thought-provoking subjects (which may centre around romance if they so wish. I love Romance but can only take so much cliche), to include moral and ethical topics which affect us in real life... To celebrate different cultures, diversity and such issues that be written in the English language to help open people's minds a little. The surprise awards could have centred around so many worthy topics and not have upset the amount of people it did.
Personally the two awards that upset me most were the Interactive Storytelling and the In-progress awards. I've seen many writers ask readers/fans to design pictures and videos for them in return for a follow or a dedication or a mention. Or overly eager fans are simply happy to do so. I must mention there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, it's a fun way of allowing fans to feel a part of the story. But I seriously fail to see how this media can then be deemed award-worthy. Secondly, I spent weeks of non-stop writing to ensure completion of my story within the timeframe (before the deadline date). Many writers did not manage to for various reasons, one being they failed to read the rules properly, despite Wattpad emphasizing again and again that these late entries will not be recognised. Yet authors won an award for their incompetence. Sorry but many like me who worked tirelessly to obey the rules feel hugely insulted by this award.
I probably sound like a sore loser, and to be honest I don't really care, but I assure you many others feel the same way I do and I truly believe we are justified in doing so. The Wattys were incredibly unfair this year, writer friends who never participated and were therefore impartial are in agreement with me on this. If the Wattys2015 categories are of a similar nature then I can guarantee you many writers will be refusing to participate. I mean, why bother when failure is a certainty.
