Wattpad 101: Your guide to the world of Wattpad

The 7 Sins of Wattpad (What not to do)

When it comes to critiquing specifically, if you agree to do it. Then do it. Don't read the last paragraph of their work and then make some generic comment. Don't lie. Don't give an overly positive critique of something you didn't even bother to read.

For an editor, be up front with your ability. Don't act like you are an editing queen when you're in 8th grade. You may be the best editor in 8th grade, but you are still in 8th grade. Don't act like you are a professional grade editor when you still don't know how to write dialogue properly.

5) Demand more payment than you offer -

I suppose its personal choice here, and if you demand payment and someone's willing to pay, I guess that's just capitalism at work. I still can't believe it when I scroll through the critique boards and find someone demanding " a follow, a dedication, AND a comment in one of their books" just so they'll write a single comment into one of your books. And they'll demand it up front! That... is just insane.

6) Jealousy -

This is going to be the hardest pill for most of you to swallow, whether you realize it or not. It seems on the surface like a simple thing. Of course, I shouldn't be jealous of my comrades. They write, just like I do. Some people gain popularity, others don't. It's a natural part of life.

To that, I have one response. One Direction. People with 1D fanfics can sometimes explode with millions of reads, thousands of stars, 1000s of followers. As some might see it, these girls, whose apparant claim to fame is riding on the coattails of 1D popularity, are treated like the best writers on the site because they figured out the math... short 1D fanfic + girl + love = stars and followers. You get jealous. Admit it. You get upset that "good" books, "original" books, get completely decimated by fan fiction. A 100 generic stories, all about a girl meeting 1D and then them wooing her, all perform better than 100 unique, original, well-written ideas. And it bugs you. (This isn't to say there aren't good fan fictions, but if you're one of those that tend to get jealous, you know which kind I'm talking about)

Here is what you need to do about it. Stop letting it bother you. It's not the "decline of intelligence in the world." It's not the end of "legitimate" writing. It's simply a popular subject with the interest of a unique subset of people. Many of them are just 1D, Bieber, 5sos fans who liked the band enough to write about them. Some of them aren't even writers/readers, yet will get more stars and more comments than people who want to write for a living. It is... a simple fact of life.

And, you shouldn't be jealous. You shouldn't resent people. You should not put up posts on the forums lamenting that the world is screwed up because one badly written 1D fanfic written in two hours by some person will do better than something you painfully spent months writing. You should be happy for their success. I know... the thought of doing that makes the knots inside of you bundle up until you're ready to involuntarily vomit. However, you need to let it go.

Everyone on this site has a right to be here. Whether they enjoy reading and writing because it's about their hot go to band or because it's been their passion to read and write from childhood; you all have a right to be here. Quit feeling like this is an exclusive club and that fan fiction writers are invading your turf. Their writing is wholly unique to their interests. Those readers and fans never had an interest in your fantasy/detective/romance novel. They came to this site for 1D and that's what they got. You never had a chance... so let it go. Once again, this isn't saying there aren't 1D fans who enjoy other things, but undeniably a popular thing will draw the interest of people because it is popular, and every minute you dedicate to reading something 'because it has characters you're familiar with' is a minute you aren't looking at other works.

Let's go outside of the 1D. Other authors that get millions of reads, yet you're certain your work is better than theirs. First off, what arrogance you have. You think you know what's good and what's not? In a society where a cat eating a cheeseburger can become a staple of culture that has lasted a decade, who are we to say what has a right to be popular or not. Your work may not be as great as you think. Or it might be great, just not terribly interesting to the people you show it to. That's just a part of life.

And don't hate on the authors that write because it gets them stars. To that I say, so what? At least they are practicing and learning. At least they are working with the language and gaining something. If that something is nothing else but self-confidence... who are you to strip that away from them? Let it go. Let it go. Don't let it hold you back anymore. Hey, someone should write a song like that.

7) Attacking people -

It seems so painfully obvious that it shouldn't need to be mentioned. And I'm certain many of you do it and don't even realize it. I'm guilty of it. I admit it. I look back at some of the things I've said in the past and go... "gee wiz, I was kind of a nasty person." It happens, however, try not to do it.

Try not to do what? Condemn people for having tastes that are different than you. This often stems from that jealousy thing. You'll post comments about these "stupid awful 1D people" (not to keep picking on them), full of vicious comments and vitriol. To you, it is blowing off steam. However, you're putting it on a public forum. So don't you think 1D readers are reading you calling them stupid or disgusting? Don't you think 1D writers are reading your comments about how their work is abysmal? Does it not matter to you that what you are doing is basically bullying?

Imagine a scene where you are reading in school. You pull out a book you like. Let's say Romeo and Juliet. You're reading it in class, and then you hear some snickering behind you. You don't look, but suddenly a group of girls that you never talk to are having a conversation and you can't help but listen in.

"Do you see that girl over there reading Romeo and Juliet? How freaking lame."

"I know right? What an idiot. That stuff is just romance filth. Other kids my age these days embarrass me. She probably just reads that stuff because she can't get a guy. SO gross. What a disgusting freak."

How do you think you'd feel? Now make it twilight. Or 1D. That's right. You're the bully now. You're the one making people feel bad for liking what they like.

It goes farther than that. Attacking people for being popular. Attacking people for not responding to you because they are busy. Attacking people for enjoying something you think sucks. Attacking people because they sound immature, or ignorant, or because they are a 12-year-old girl and act like one. Everyone on here, myself included, needs to get off their high horse. We need to realize we are all just people. And we all have interests in reading and writing.

If you let the hate go and the jealousy. If you just enjoy reading and writing in the way you want to enjoy it, then that is all it takes. Don't be a bully. Enjoy Wattpad, and help make it an enjoyable experience for everyone else as well.