So you just signed up today and you've spent an incredible amount of time surfing Wattpad. You started reading stories on the what's hot list and you start to think, "How can I be mega popular just like them?"
So the next thing you did was pick up the first cliched plot you can think of and started writing, in hopes of becoming the next big thing.
After you posted your first story that you wrote in five minutes time, you constantly refresh your newsfeed with crossed fingers, waiting for a gazzilion comments to drop. A few minutes later, five comments popped up and you gazed up to the heavens and mouthed "Thank you."
Your smile quickly went upside down as you read the comments.
"Your grammar sucks!"
"Update soon!"
"It doesn't make any sense."
"It's too short."
"Cool story bro. Read mine."
What the hell, right?
None of them really gave you a proper feedback. You started wondering about some of the newbie authors you've seen with stories that have 50 million views and 20 thousand comments, you can't help but ask: How does one create something so cliched and be popular in a month? I've seen so many authors in my two years time on Wattpad that gained instant popularity.
If you're new and wondering about the same thing and need answers... Well, I hate to break it to you, kid, but there isn't an exact answer to that. Stories don't become popular overnight. Trust me, not everything you see on What's hot list are the best of the best. No. Don't limit yourself to the first few pages of super cliched plots, and don't let those bright red figures fool you either. There are so many amazing authors out there that are just waiting to be discovered, you just need to look way and beyond.
A Few Tips For Newbies
1. If you're new and asking for feedback at the end of your chapters, please do NOT go berserk and drop the F bomb on people who give you proper criticism. Remember, you asked for it and they only gave it to you.
2. Pay attention to word count. When I revived my very first romance story that was posted back in booksie.com, I seriously wanted to chuck my laptop at the wall because after rereading and editing every chapter, it always comes out to two pages and it only made me want to rewrite the whole story. Now, it has always been my goal to write a chapter that consists of 2,500-3K words that's around 3 to 4 pages, I believe.
3. Try not to write a chapter filled with dialogues. Someone sent me a request one day and when I read it every line consisted of dialogues. It just didn't make any sense. You can't feel the emotions and it lacked descriptions. You don't even know what the hell is going on!
4. If you're like below fifteen and write about your fictional sexual fantasies with "INSERT 1D NAME HERE", please DON'T. That's just... Creepy.
5. Don't be a FAMEWHORE. I always see that word around the Filipino Wattpad community. The past few weeks, I've been addicted to reading tagalog rant journals and it's more interesting than english ones. One stated that Wattpad has stages of Cancer, like the very first stage is the sweet author and the last stage is the very demanding author. I despise authors who says: "I'll update when I get to 10K votes and 25K comments." WTF? Seriously? Get outta here.
6. EDIT. EDIT. EDIT. Believe me, almost all my stories are chock full of errors and in terrible need of editing. What's really funny is you can only see the errors right AFTER you publish it. D-OH! (Slaps forehead in a Homer Simpson manner)
7. DO NOT GIVE UP. I know it's frustrating not getting enough feedback or sometimes none at all. I've been there but I learned to embrace how things are. Just accept whatever you get and in due time, you'll get the recognition you deserve. Advertisement is the key. Post in clubs, choose the right threads, don't go for read for reads, if people want to read and vote for your story, they will. Let the readers come to you.
8. DO NOT POST IN OTHER PEOPLE'S STORIES. This is a major NO-NO. Please read number 7 again. Thank you!
I just don't get why people are so hellbent on being popular? Being popular brings you all kinds of things: Sweet readers, critics, demanding readers and... DEATH THREATS.
I know some authors come off as a bitch sometimes (I'm one of them) but it's basically to tell off rude readers who are so demanding, you would think they're the ones paying you! Pssh. Puh-lease.
My friend was right. She said if she wanted to be popular it would be in real life, NOT on the internet where everyone can bash you left and right behind the keyboard which totally makes sense.
I want to rant some more but this is the few things that's been bugging me to the core.
Adios!
Xoxo
Katie
