What is the goal of BlackStoriesUnite?

To build a community that uplifts, highlights, and consumes Black writers, Black characters, and Black stories. For more information about how to do that, view the chapter titled "GOALS."

__
How do I get my book(s) noticed by BlackStoriesUnite?

1. Follow the BlackStoriesUnite account. Vote and comment on every chapter in this profile guidebook.
2. Use the hashtag #BlackStoriesUnite on any story that is written by a Black author, or any story that contains at least one Black main character.
3. Submit books by commenting their titles (+ author's tags) under the appropriate reading list categories found in chapters "FIRST HALF SUBMISSIONS" and "SECOND HALF SUBMISSIONS"

__
How do I know if my story is eligible for submission?

As of now there are only five requirements for submission. Each story:

1.Must be written by a Black author, or include at least one Black main character.
2. Must be a coherent body of work.
3. Must already have at least three in-story chapters uploaded.
4. Must be regularly updated if not complete.
5. Must follow Wattpad's rules and content guidelines.

View the chapter titled " ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA" for more in depth details on eligibility.

__
I'm unsure of which reading list my book fits into. How can I decide on a category?

BlackStoriesUnite currently has twenty-four reading lists available and waiting to be filled. Each reading list has a list of themes/sub-categories to help you decide whether or not your story would fit into the larger category. Most stories can probably fit into more than one reading list, which is why you are allowed to submit a single story four times. Again, a story can be submitted to a maximum of four different reading lists.

The details and themes about the first thirteen reading lists can be found in the "READING LIST ELIGIBILITY" chapter.

13/25
Dreamy Literature || Black Fantasy || Black Love, Erotica || Featuring Black Characters || Afrocentric, Afrofuturism || Black Horror, Paranormal, Thriller || Unconventional || Historical Fiction, Mythology, Royalty || Black Sci-Fi, Cyberpunk, Space || Drama, Street-lit, Urban || Action, Adventure, Assassins || LGBTQ+ || Poetry

The details and themes about the last eleven reading lists can be found in the "NEW READING LISTS" chapter.

12/25
Teen Fiction, Young Adult || FanFiction, Adaptation, Retelling || Diverse-lit, Interracial Love || Comedy, Cozy, Chick-lit || Disability, Mental Health ||Anti-heros, Rebels, Villains || Scholars, Sports || No English, Multilingual || Death, Darkness, Dystopia || Short Stories || Politics, Religion, Spirituality || Caribbean, Islanders
__
How many times can an author be featured on BlackStoriesUnite?

While a book can only be featured in four out of the current twenty-four reading lists, there is no limit to how many times an author can be featured. That means any given author can have multiple books any category at once. So please, submit as many stories as you'd like by using the #BlackStoriesUnite hashtag and commenting under the appropriate categories in "FIRST HALF SUBMISSIONS" and "SECOND HALF SUBMISSIONS."

__

Submissions are always open, and all submissions will receive interactions on at least the first three in-story chapters. However, submissions are not automatically guaranteed spots on any reading list due to the eligibility criteria.

__
Can a non Black author be featured?

Yes! BlackStoriesUnite has three reading lists available for stories written by non Black authors that contain at least one Black main character:

Featuring Black Characters
[written by non Black authors only]
Diverse Literature, Interracial Love
[written by Black and non Black authors] 
No English, Multilingual, Multicultural
[written by Black and non Black authors]
Short Stories
[written by non Black and Black authors]
__
How can I gain traction on my account?

You want more followers, mutuals, reads, and votes on your stories? Consistently upload, join bookclubs, interact with this guidebook, show gratitude, and take initiative by showing other creators support. View chapters "LET'S CONNECT" and "WRITING TIPS" for more in depth details, and interactive questions that could lead to an increase of motion on your account.

__
Spread the word about BlackStoriesUnite

Add this profile guidebook to your reading lists, and shout out @BlackStoriesUnite on your message boards! We want to grow this community as much as we can! Remember, more eyes on this account, means more eyes on your stories and other upcoming creators.

Tag someone that you think would be interested in this account, someone with books that are eligible for any of the BlackStoriesUnite reading lists, a Black author that is new to Wattpad, and anybody looking for new stories to read here. →

Revisit this book every so often because as new people find this account, there will be more people to connect with and more stories to discover. Don't forget to add these amazing writers' books to your reading lists. I want all featured artists to experience an outpour of appreciation. Try to reciprocate if you're added to another creator's platform.

__
CLOSING NOTES

Do you have any feedback you'd like to give to BlackStoriesUnite? Any suggestions on what should be included on this account, or how anything can be improved? Please, only answer if you've reviewed every chapter in this profile guidebook! Comment your feedback here. →

Any questions? Ask here →

If you've submitted a story over two weeks ago and still have not seen this account in your notifications voting or commenting, please comment here with your book's title →

Okay, you've made it to the end of the BlackStoriesUnite profile guidebook. Thank you to everyone who read and participated! I am beyond grateful for any and everything. See you in your stories!  ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ )

— Starr Jay ⭐︎

______________

Next Book:
FIVE ST★RR READS