Everyone starts their writing journey somewhere, and I know a lot of writers who found their writing shoes (pencils, pens, typewriters?) on Wattpad. Wattpad is more than just a reading and writing platform, it’s a community of amazing people from a plethora of backgrounds coming together with their passions.
A few weeks ago I logged onto twitter, and I asked the Twitterverse why Wattpad was important to them. Before I get into their awesome stories, I want to tell you mine.
Rewind to sixteen year old me, and the year is 2013. I’d always loved writing, but I rarely showed the world. I put together an embarrassing fan fiction after I heard about the wild success of Anna Todd’s After. I thought, “Hey, I could totally do this.” After a few chapters, the story was booming. I had a hashtag on twitter and over thirty thousand reads. It was so encouraging, and even though I’d always had the dream of being an author, this was the first time I truly believed it.
I took a small break from writing, so jump forward a few years and I was twenty. I had been on and off the platform for awhile, but I had a story I’d been working on offline for awhile. I uploaded it, and the response was astronomical. Within a few months I was featured by HQ, got over a hundred thousand reads, and was eventually long-listed for a Watty. The story is constantly ranking, and I always have amazing feedback. Beyond that, I was able to create an awesome community from my audience. Before I wasn’t sure if my story would fit somewhere and be able to get such an amazing audience. Clearly, I was wrong.
This isn’t where my story ends, though. Like many other Wattpad writers, I’ve met some amazing people along the way. The community is so supportive of one another, no matter where they are in their writing journey. I’ve learned so much, whether it be from talking to industry insiders, learning through chats, or talking to people from so many backgrounds. Wattpad has broadened my horizons beyond what I ever thought was possible.
If you hadn’t discovered it yet, why is Wattpad important to me?
I was able to join a passionate community of diverse writers.
I think my story is similar to a lot of other Wattpad writers. Every writer has a different journey and story, whether it’s online or offline, and in the technical era I think it’s important to take note of the awesome steps some sites, such as Wattpad, has taken to bring writers and readers together. Writers can find community many places, but for me Wattpad was that place.
Wattpad has successfully broken barriers for writers who felt their amazing stories wouldn’t fit elsewhere. They have given a platform to so many amazing people to share their stories and connect with readers who love their content. The community is amazing. And, to me, that’s why Wattpad is important.
Like I mentioned earlier, I asked Twitter why Wattpad is important to them.
Want to check out my Wattpad? Click here!
Here are some of the awesome answers I received:
https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/1106164191956738050 https://twitter.com/esyoungauthor/status/1114307873255849984 https://twitter.com/chanelletime/status/1114324583342006272 https://twitter.com/BookishRetreat/status/1106365684689317892As you can see, Wattpad is important to many people. These are only a few answers from the millions of folks who call Wattpad their online home.
If you use Wattpad, what do you love about it?
Makayla Sophia 
Leave a comment