Wattpad is an online social reading and writing platform where users can read and publish stories. With over 90 million users, Wattpad has become one of the most popular platforms for aspiring writers to share their work, and there so in this article we will cover How to Write Stories on Wattpad.
Writing stories on Wattpad requires creativity, consistency, and perseverance. While it may seem intimidating at first, there are strategies you can use to increase your chances of building an engaged audience and getting reads and votes on your stories.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know about writing stories on Wattpad, including:
- The benefits of writing on Wattpad
- How to get started on Wattpad
- Choosing the right genres and topics
- Outlining and plotting your story
- Writing compelling characters
- Crafting vivid settings
- Developing an engaging writing style
- Editing and proofreading your work
- Formatting your story for Wattpad
- Creating eye-catching covers and titles
- Promoting your story effectively
- Building relationships with readers
- Advice from successful Wattpad writers
By the end of this guide, you will have the knowledge and strategies to write engaging stories that connect with readers on Wattpad. Let’s get started!
Contents: How to Write Stories on Wattpad
What is Wattpad?
Wattpad is an online social reading and writing platform and that provides the following functionalities to potential writers:
- It allows users to read and publish stories for free. Writers can share their work across a variety of genres like romance, sci-fi, poetry, fanfiction, etc.
- Readers can provide real-time feedback and comments on stories as they are written, which allows writers to interact with their audience.
- The platform has over 90 million monthly users. This massive readership provides huge exposure potential for writers.
- Wattpad stories are available via the website and mobile apps so they can be read on phones or desktop.
- Writers retain full copyright ownership over their work published on Wattpad. The company uses a Creative Commons license model.
- Some Wattpad writers have even been able to secure book deals through publishers noticing their work on the platform.
- Key features include the ability to add multimedia like images and videos to stories, link out to content, join online clubs and forums, and participate in writing challenges/contests.
Wattpad combines social networking with reading and writing stories. Its popularity and reach make it a significant platform for writers looking to build an audience and get their work in front of millions of readers. The interactive community also allows for instant feedback. Overall, Wattpad provides great exposure for writers.
Benefits of Writing on Wattpad
Some of the main benefits of publishing your stories on Wattpad:
- Reach a large audience – With over 90 million users, Wattpad gives you access to an enormous audience of readers looking for great stories. Writers have the potential to gain millions of reads on the platform.
- Get instant feedback – The Wattpad community is highly engaged. You can get comments, votes, and feedback on your story as you write and publish chapters. This allows you to interact with readers and shape your story based on what resonates with them.
- Develop your craft – The practice of writing and publishing on Wattpad will help you improve your storytelling craft. You can experiment, get feedback, and learn what works and what doesn’t.
- Possible opportunities – Some writers have even been able to secure book deals and get their Wattpad stories published. The platform has helped launch writing careers.
- Sense of community – The community feeling on Wattpad can provide encouragement and motivation to keep writing. You get to connect with fellow writers and readers who share your passion for stories.
In summary, Wattpad is a powerful platform that gives you an audience, feedback, and opportunities to develop your writing abilities and possibly get discovered. The community aspect also creates a supportive environment for writers.
How to Get Started on Wattpad
Getting started on Wattpad is simple and completely free. Just follow these steps:
Step 1: Sign Up for an Account
- Go to www.wattpad.com and click “Sign Up”
- You can register with your email, Facebook, Google, or Apple account
- Choose a unique username that will be your identity on Wattpad
Step 2: Fill Out Your Profile
- Upload a profile picture so readers can get to know you
- Write a short bio describing yourself and your interests
- Link any social media accounts like Twitter, Instagram, etc.
Step 3: Install the Wattpad App (Optional)
- Downloading the Wattpad app on your iOS or Android device allows you to write and interact with the community on the go
- But it’s not required – you can use Wattpad fully on your desktop browser
Step 4: Adjust Your Account Settings
- Go to “Settings” to adjust notifications, privacy controls, and account information
- Make your stories visible to the Wattpad community
- Opt into or out of features like the Wattpad Stars program
And that’s it! With your profile set up, you can now start writing and publishing stories.
Choosing the Right Genres and Topics
On Wattpad, you can write stories in any genre – romance, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, and more. But it helps to be strategic with what you write if you want to maximize your readership. Here are tips on choosing genres and topics:
Research Popular Genres
Look at the “Hot Lists” chart on Wattpad to see which genres are currently popular and have the most readers. These include:
- Romance – This is by far the most popular genre on Wattpad. Romance stories dominate the charts. Subgenres like teen romance, fantasy romance, and vampire romance are hot.
- Teen fiction – Stories featuring high school, coming-of-age, and teen drama perform well.
- Fanfiction – Fanfics imagining new stories for existing characters/franchises have a huge following.
- Mystery/thriller – These suspenseful stories consistently attract readers looking for something gripping.
- Fantasy – Stories with magic and paranormal elements. Subgenres like fairytale retellings and mermaid fantasy are widely read.
Consider Trending Themes/Tropes
Look at what specific themes and tropes are trending and incorporate them into your story ideas, like:
- Friends to lovers
- Enemies to lovers
- Secret relationship
- Love triangle
- Bad boy romance
- Opposites attract
- Forbidden love
- Slow burn romance
Know Your Niche
While chasing trends can help, it’s also important to play to your strengths and interests as a writer. Lean into your unique niche, perspective, and passion.
Watch Out for Over-Saturated Genres
Some genres on Wattpad like poetry, non-fiction, and general fiction have lower readership. Be aware that it may be harder to get noticed in them.
In summary, choose genres and topics strategically by researching the site, looking at trends, knowing your niche, and considering popularity. This helps maximize your potential readership.
Outlining and Plotting Your Story
Before you start writing, it’s important to outline and plot your story so you have a solid foundation. Here’s how:
Brainstorm Story Ideas
- Draw from your own interests, passions, and obsessions to come up with unique concepts
- Find inspiration from the world around you, tune into your imagination
- What kinds of stories have you always wanted to tell?
Develop a Premise
- Distill your story idea down to a strong, compelling premise
- The premise should establish the protagonist, main conflict, and central story question
Example premise: Jess is a teenage girl who just moved to a new town. She feels like an outcast and has trouble making friends – until she meets a mysterious boy with a secret. Will Jess uncover the truth about the boy’s past and find a way to fit into this new town?
Create an Outline
- Map out the beginning, middle, and end of your story in broad strokes
- Jot down the major plot points, character arcs, and story beats you aim to hit
- An outline provides direction but still gives you flexibility to explore scenes
Develop Detailed Character Profiles
- Really get to know your main characters inside and out
- Define details like their backstory, personality traits, goals, and fears
- Fleshing out characters makes them feel more real on the page
Plan Your Setting
- Decide when/where your story takes place and key settings readers will see
- Descriptions of settings like schools, neighborhoods, cafes, etc. help immerse readers
- You can draw maps or find images to inspire your fictional world
Thorough preparation creates a strong framework so writing your story is easier. Allow your creativity to flow within the structure.
Writing Compelling Characters
Dynamic, complex characters that readers can relate to are crucial for engaging Wattpad stories. Here are some tips:
Give Them Depth
- Go beyond surface-level traits and give characters rich backstories and experiences that shaped them
- Share details like their family life, interests, past struggles, dreams, pet peeves, etc.
Motivations and Goals
- Determine what your characters want most and what motivates their actions
- Give them pressing external goals like starting a band or winning a competition
- But also explore internal goals like overcoming insecurity or finding a sense of belonging
Strengths and Flaws
- Give your characters a blend of admirable strengths and relatable flaws
- Flaws like clumsiness, anger issues, or poor communication skills can endear characters to readers
Distinct Voice and Personality
- Give each main character a distinctive voice based on their background and personality
- Dialogue is a great way to showcase unique voices
- pepper in quirky personality quirks and habits
Inner Conflicts
- Inner turmoil draws readers in and gives characters complexity
- Are they wrestling with competing desires? Dealing with traumatic experiences? Struggling with self-doubt?
- Putting your character through the emotional wringer can be compelling
In summary, vivid characters come to life through backstories, motivations, strengths/flaws, distinctive voices, and inner conflicts. Make readers really care about your characters.
Crafting Vivid Settings
The world you build for your story provides the stage where the action unfolds. Immerse readers through vivid descriptions of settings like:
Physical Locations
- Describe buildings, neighborhoods, towns, cities, planets, or any locations central to your story
- Details like graffiti on school walls or chipped paint in a diner help make settings feel lived-in
Time Period
- Is your story set in the past, present, or future? Use period or era-specific details
- For historical fiction, accurately capture locations and technology of the time
Socio-economic Environment
- Details like peeling wallpaper in a struggling family’s apartment or high-end designer furniture in a mansion can indicate characters’ social class
Natural Landscapes
- Describe climates, terrain, flora and fauna if your setting includes places like forests, deserts, oceans, or mountains
- Powerful landscapes like oceans and redwood forests can set an epic tone
Sensory Details
- Engage readers’ five senses – sights, smells, textures, tastes, and sounds that characters experience
- E.g. the crunch of autumn leaves underfoot, notes from a guitar wafting through the air
With vivid descriptions, you transport readers right into the world of your story. Settings come alive.
Developing an Engaging Writing Style
Your writing style and use of language sets the tone for your story. Here are techniques to make your writing engaging:
Find Your Voice
- Your authorial voice will develop naturally the more you write, but you can start shaping it consciously too
- What tone and style feels most natural for you? Witty and conversational? Poetic? Blunt and sarcastic?
Show, Don’t Tell
- Show important moments through scenes and action rather than summarizing everything
- E.g. describe characters arguing at a party rather than saying “the couple fought a lot”
Lean Into Your Strengths
- Play to your innate strengths as a writer. Are you talented with dialogue? Description? Humor? Lean in
Read Your Words Aloud
- Reading out loud helps you polish writing that sounds natural and ditch awkward phrasing
Active Verbs
- Verbs like sprinted, shrieked, devoured are more vivid than ones like went, said, ate
Immersive Language
- Choose words that evoke emotions, senses, and imagery to transport readers
- E.g. “a shiver danced down her spine” or “the air was redolent with the scent of pine needles”
Keep developing your voice and style. Discover what makes your writing pop.
Editing and Proofreading Your Work
Meticulous editing and proofreading is crucial before you publish chapters on Wattpad. Here are editing tips:
Take a Break Before Editing
- Get some distance from your writing before self-editing to see it with fresh eyes
- Aim to leave at least a day between finishing a draft and editing
Check Your Overall Structure
- Make sure plot events unfold in a logical order and flow well
- Are there any continuity errors, plot holes, or confusing parts?
Read Dialogue Aloud
- Dialogue should sound natural when spoken
- Cut filler words people don’t actually use like “um”
Reduce Verbosity
- Look for opportunities to cut unnecessary words and sentences
- Be concise and don’t ramble
Check Pacing and Scene Length
- Avoid large blocks of text. Break it up into bite-sized paragraphs
- Draw out tension in cliffhangers. Don’t resolve everything too quickly
Proofread for Typos
- Run spellcheck and read carefully to catch typos
- Read backward line-by-line to catch more
Polishing your writing ensures readers get the best possible reading experience.
Formatting Your Story for Wattpad
Wattpad has specific formatting options to optimize stories for reading on the platform. Follow these tips:
Organize Your Story Into Parts and Chapters
- Break up your story into parts or “books” if it’s exceptionally long like a novel
- Divide further into chapters of around 1,000 – 3,000 words each
Add Chapter Titles
- Give each chapter a short descriptive title like “The Meeting” or “Revelations”
- Intriguing titles can preview action and hook readers
Include Special Formatting Like Line Breaks and Italics
- Properly format line and stanza breaks in poetry excerpts
- Use italics for emphasis, internal thoughts, letters etc.
Add Images at Chapter Breaks
- Include creative scene images at the start of chapters
- Provide visual cues about chapter content
Link Out To Songs and Playlists
- If certain songs inspire scenes, link them for readers to play while reading
- You can also link to full playlists for your story
Clean formatting improves readability. Take advantage of Wattpad’s special features.
Creating Eye-Catching Covers and Titles
Your story’s cover and title are the first things readers notice, so make them appealing.
Eye-Catching Cover
- Create unique cover art featuring characters, settings, key objects
- Canva and Wattpad Cover Creator have free design templates
- Or hire a graphic designer on Fiverr for custom covers
Impactful Title
- Choose a title that hints at your central story conflict or theme
- Brainstorm lists of potential titles and pick one that pops
- Short, punchy titles tend to work well
Cohesive Branding
- Your title and cover should align with the tone and genre of your story for cohesive branding
- A lighthearted rom-com needs a different look than an edgy dystopian thriller
High Quality Images
- Use high resolution images that look polished and professional
- Avoid pixelated or blurry images
Follow Wattpad’s Rules
- Covers featuring full nudity, gore etc. violate guidelines – keep it PG-13
- Be sure to own rights or have permission to use any images
Professional covers and titles signal your story is worth reading. They attract more clicks.
Promoting Your Story Effectively
It takes active promotion to get your story noticed on Wattpad. Here are effective strategies:
Share Chapters to Your Social Media
- Post your latest chapters to your Twitter, Instagram, Facebook etc. and ask readers to check it out
Join Wattpad Reading/Writing Groups
- Join group chats and clubs around your genre where you can promote your story
Use Hashtags
- Include relevant hashtags like #romance #teenfiction so your story appears in searches
Create a “Teaser” Video
- Make a quick video previewing your story’s premise to generate buzz
Run Wattpad Contests and Giveaways
- Offer prizes like free merch to drive engagement with your story
Collaborate With Other Writers
- Team up with writers in your genre to cross-promote each others’ stories
Post at Optimal Times
- According to Wattpad, Tuesday evenings tend to see high traffic
- Promote new chapters when most users are active
Persistently getting the word out through various tactics is key to gaining readers. Promotion is an ongoing effort.
Building Relationships With Readers
To retain readers of your story, focus on relationship-building. You can:
Reply to all Comments
- Take time to thoughtfully reply to readers’ thoughts and feedback
- This shows you value their opinions
Ask Questions in Author’s Notes
- Asking readers questions like “Which character is your favorite?” sparks discussion
Share Story Updates
- Let readers know in author’s notes when the next chapter is coming
- Or if you have to take a brief hiatus
Run Polls About Your Story
- Poll readers on plot twists, character arcs, and story outcomes they’d like to see
Share Behind-the-Scenes Details
- Give sneak peeks of works in progress or inspirations
Show Appreciation
- Thank readers for voting, commenting, and supporting your story
When you nurture a community around your work, it cultivates loyalty. Readers become invested in your success.
Advice From Successful Wattpad Writers
Learn from the experiences of these top Wattpad writers:
Commit to Consistent Updates
- “Posting new chapters frequently keeps readers hooked.” – Beth Reekles, author of The Kissing Booth
Make Your Chapters Short and Action-Packed
- “I keep my chapters under 1500 words to maintain the fast pace.” – AhmadTogether, 130M reads
Always Be Improving as a Writer
- “I go back and edit chapters constantly to improve the writing.” – Floranna, 159M reads
Use Reader Feedback
- “I let comments influence the story direction – readers know what they Use Reader Feedback “I let comments influence the story direction – readers know what they want to see happen.” – NiaRivers, 84M reads
Participate in Reading/Writing Groups
“Joining the right Wattpad clubs with my target audience led to more reads.” –
BrittLauren, 70M reads
Learn from Other Successful Stories
“I analyze stories on the charts to learn what is resonating with readers.”
– JojoMarie, 186M reads
Stay Passionate About Your Story
“I pour my heart and soul into each chapter because I’m so invested in the characters and world.”
– Anna Todd, 1.6 billion reads
Prioritize Writing What You Love
“Stay true to the kinds of stories and characters you are most passionate about.”
– Beth Ehemann, 250M reads
Consistently improve your writing craft, interact with readers, stay passionate about your vision, and learn from other successful Wattpad authors. This formula can help you build a devoted audience. Conclusion
We’ve now covered everything you need to know to start writing amazing stories on Wattpad – from developing gripping plots and characters, formatting for the platform, creating eye-catching covers, promoting your work, and cultivating loyal readers.
The most important thing is to tap into your unique writer’s voice. Craft stories from the heart about subject matter you genuinely care about. The Wattpad community is there to support you every step of the way on your writing journey.
So what are you waiting for? It’s time to get out there, take risks, and share your stories with the world. You never know what exciting opportunities lie ahead.
We can’t wait to start reading your work!
If you found this guide helpful, please leave a comment with your key takeaways or any topics you want us to cover in the future. And don’t forget to follow me here on Wattpad for more writing tips and updates on my latest projects
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Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQ) How to write a story in Wattpad
Q: What is Wattpad?
A: Wattpad is a platform for writers to publish and share their stories online.
Q: How can I write a story on Wattpad?
A: To write a story on Wattpad, you need to create an account and then click on the “Write” button on the top navigation bar.
Q: What are some tips for writing my first Wattpad story?
A: Some tips for writing your first Wattpad story include: planning your story in advance, creating relatable characters, writing an engaging opening, and interacting with your readers.
Q: How can I start writing a Wattpad story?
A: To start writing a Wattpad story, you can click on the “Write” button on the top navigation bar and then choose the option to start a new story.
Q: How can I find an audience for my Wattpad story?
A: You can find an audience for your Wattpad story by promoting it on social media, engaging with other Wattpad users, and participating in writing communities.
Q: Are there any tricks to writing a successful Wattpad story?
A: While there are no guarantees for success, some tricks for writing a successful Wattpad story include having a catchy title, uploading regularly, and responding to comments and feedback.
Q: What is the Wattpad Creators Program?
A: The Wattpad Creators Program is a program that allows writers to earn money from their stories on Wattpad through advertisements and other monetization options.
Q: What are the Wattys?
A: The Wattys is an annual Wattpad writing competition where writers have the chance to win awards and recognition for their stories.
Q: How can I participate in the Wattpad Creators Program?
A: To participate in the Wattpad Creators Program, you need to apply and be accepted into the program. The eligibility criteria and application process can be found on the Wattpad website.
Q: Are there any brand opportunities with Wattpad?
A: Yes, Wattpad offers brand opportunities for writers through partnerships and collaborations. These opportunities can include sponsored content and other forms of promotion.