Writing for Wattpad - An Announcement
I have been asked many times why I write on a platform like Wattpad. Why do I put my books on there for free, instead of editing and querying them, finding an agent and going the traditional route, or even self publishing them on Kindle?
The answer isn’t straightforward, and often times I do ask myself that question when I look at where I want to go with the books I am writing. In all the different reasons, I can boil it down to a few that are the most meaningful right now.
Writing Community
There is something to be said for engaging in a writing community, and I should likely do a Concepts post on that in the near future.
The community I have (online) for my writing is one I have come to rely on as both a way to encourage myself, and to not feel so alone in the world of putting pen to paper. I have found a tribe of like-minded people through Wattpad, and we talk to each other every day. It has been a truly amazing addition into my life, to have found them.
That community has made it easy for me to want to keep writing and share more!
Comfort Level
Putting myself out there on Wattpad, way back when I “published” For Alice, With Love on the platform was not easy. It was nerve-wracking to say the least! But now, as I am gearing up to start posting my seventh full length novel, it is no longer nail-biting. It is exciting! I get messages from readers who are eagerly awaiting my new book. I have an instant connection, and it makes me motivated to press that “publish” button at the top of the chapter!
The route to having your work read is as simple as pushing that button. Some folks might think it is giving away the farm to put my writing out there for free. I’ve been told I am selling myself short. I don’t think I am. With the opportunities that have come from braving my fears to post that first book, I think it has worked out.
Compensation
When I started posting on Wattpad, making money was not even on my radar! There was no Paid Stories program, and only a handful of books I knew of had made the leap from Wattpad to bookshelf, and the Wattys wasn't even something I considered.
Fast forward a couple of years, and the ways that writers on Wattpad can see success from the hard work they put in is really amazing!
I’m proud to say I have two books in the Paid Stories program, and I was commissioned to write Season 2 for the Paid Stories Infinite Story A Royal Deception. The biggest achievement in all this, is my Watty-winning book is heading to bookshelves next year!
The bonus is that I am compensated for the long hours I put in, writing and honing a craft I love. It makes a difference in my family’s life, financially. How amazing is it to be able to say my passion is paying my bills?
And now, like a food blogger who needs to share their story about the food they made before they give you the recipe, here is the real reason for the post.
Exclusivity
I have signed on with Wattpad to partner with them in writing solely on their platform. I’ll be considered a Wattpad Exclusive Author, and all of my books can be found on their platform for the foreseeable future.
With transparency on my part, I can tell you that I am being compensated for that exclusivity, which is pretty frickin’ awesome! So think of it like a writer in residence, or a collaboration type situation, but I don’t have to move myself or my writing anywhere new!
Some of my fellow Wattpad writing tribe have also signed on to give this partnership a whirl, and I’m so excited to see where we all go from here. We're a talented bunch, so you can expect big things!
Nothing else changes, you can still find my existing books on my profile, Paid Stories program or free, and of course, April 5th, 2022, Out of His League will be available in stores! (Pre-order here)
To say I believe in the mandate of Wattpad, and how they are taking the writing and reading world by storm is an understatement. I was already committed to them as a partner with my writing goals both short and long term, and being able to officially partner with them in this way is very exciting!
Wattpad has the ability and opportunity to turn the publishing industry on its ear, finding incredible, diverse, unique stories to bring to the world! They’re just getting started on the content production road. I can’t wait to see what they do next, now that Naver is the umbrella from which they can stand up under with strength! Wattpad Webtoon Studios is going to be so busy!
I wouldn’t be where I am today in my journey if not for Wattpad, and the people there who believed in my stories. It has been a wild and crazy ride from first being featured to now, and I am so grateful for that ride, which isn’t over yet!
