FreetheLGBT Pride Month Fiesta

Day 27: Getting Your LGBTQ+ Story Noticed

So, you posted the first chapter of your brand new LGBTQ+ story and are now eagerly waiting for people to read your work. What can you do to get more people to find a way and read your story?

Tip 1: Being active on Wattpad helps a lot.

We mean it! It's tried and tested that reading other people's work, leaving comments, voting and generally interacting with your fellow Wattpadders in a positive way is the best way to get yourself out there. That way more users will notice you, see what you've got to say, and might check your works too. That said, we don't encourage you posting comments on other people's stories asking them to read your works, as this is considered rude. 

Tip 2: Get feedback.

Some people state on their profiles if they are open for read suggestions. If you see someone who is open to them, send them a friendly PM.

Tip 3: Update regularly.

Readers on Wattpad love regular updates. The more regularly you update the more you keep readers keen for the next installment of your story. If you are just starting out, try writing some short stories just to give readers a taste of your writing. If they like how you write, they will sooner try a longer piece of work that's still in progress. 

Tip 4: Invest in a good cover. 

While they say, "Don't judge a book by its cover", we all know that a good cover is initially what convinces a reader not to skip it in their recommendations. Make sure you have a proper cover, and not to forget: a good blurb. You can always try your hand at making a cover through Canva. 

Tip 5: Work on a good summary.

A good cover makes a reader stop and look, but if your blurb doesn't spark a reader's interest, it's less likely you'll 'win the click'. You want to try and entice a reader to open up your story and get reading, and a good summary page is what sells your work. 

Tip 6: Tags are your best friend. 

A great blurb takes a little bit of skill ( or great feedback if you're brand new at it), and something to remember is you don't have to cram everything into your blurb to entice readers in. Making good use of tags suitable to your story can tell a reader what to expect when they open it. It also adds some weight to how well your story can be searched for. Some users barely add any tags to their stories and this makes it harder for their work to be found. 

Tip 7: Tags on Wattpad generate their own 'hot' lists and 'new' lists.

Your story has the potential to rank in a specific tag's hot list, therefore boosting its exposure when anyone searches that tag. Don't forget to properly tag your story—you could be missing out! If your story is LGBTQ+, we highly recommend adding the #lgbtq tag. 

Tip 8: Key words in your title are a game-changer. 

We also suggest adding your story's most fitting keyword to its title. Tittle additions help people outside of Wattpad to find your work (for example via Google). In case of boyxboy sotries, we found that the most searched for keyword is just that: "boyxboy". For girlxgirl stories, the most searched for keywords are: "lesbian story" and "lesbian stories".

An example of a story title would then be: "Love Wins—LGBTQ".

However, you can add the keyword in any way you like, for example:

"Love Wins (LGBTQ)" or "Love Wins <LGBTQ>". Also, users already on Wattpad can see at a glance what its LGBTQ+ theme is without having to open your story. You might just 'win the click' that way!

Tip 9: Improving your writing. 

Whether you are new at the craft or have been writing for a while, there is always room tot ake on board fresh advice. If you are looking for ways to get ahead of the game there are a few reading lists provided by Wattpad and its Ambassadors that are devoted to guides that can help. There's one over at Wattpad called " On Writing" and one over at Ambassadors called "Writing Guides". You could also drop by Improve Your Writing for a whole wealth of writing knowledge. 

Tip 10: Advertising your work. 

If you are looking to advertise your story, please use the genre-specific "Share your Story" threads in the Clubs (Wattpad Forums). It's easier to use the Clubs through Wattpad's Web platform, as the app will redirect you. Do be sure to read the Club rules before posting and support other users' works.