So I deleted my last post in here, because I'm figuring out some things related to that situation.

Anyways, since I'm not currently having luck with much of anything, I'm posting in this book. I gathered some common myths and comments regarding Wattpad, and figured (in the absence of anything more pressing to do) that I would talk about them here.

If you have an opinion on any of these, feel free to share.

...

So, these are comments I have come across on Wattpad itself, or on various other Internet platforms. All comments will remain anonymous here. If you know who said it or where it was said, please don't call out the commenter.

"Should you write on there? Only if you write romance novels for teen girls. You might get a bit of a following for decent science fiction. But if your writing is really important to you, it's not the best place to be taken seriously. You can get fans and followers relatively easily, but they rarely have a true appreciation for good writing. Young people come there looking for something easy to read and entertaining. They don't have high standards. They don't care about grammar."
As a science fiction and fantasy author who, for the most part, doesn't focus on romance, I can respectfully disagree with this. There is quite an audience for romance, but science fiction and other categories aren't necessarily all-or-nothing. Many people enjoy a variety of genres, and so I hesitate to say that one category is heavily favored over the others.

As for grammar, this is quite untrue. I care deeply about grammar when writing and reviewing. I won't nitpick, but I will call out an error-filled story as needing improvements. A lot of us don't, in fact, come here looking for an easy read. A lot of us are serious about what we do, and come here to provide enjoyment and encouragement to others.

"The loyalty of your followers lasts only so long as you're able to post new chapters frequently. They'll demand the next part, they'll ask you to make certain things happen that you didn't want to happen."
I have never, in the almost five years I have been here, seen this. I imagine it happens, but it's never happened to anyone I know. Followers are generally quite loyal. Mine are, and many more popular authors have loyal fans who stick with them even when they don't update regularly. Some people are impatient, that's true. People may beg for an update or something along those lines, but it happens much less frequently than some might expect.

"Half this site is filled with stories based on pseudoscientific bullshit. I don't mean science fiction. We're talking about authors who've taken the glossary from the DSM-V, chewed it up, and spit it out on their keyboards like some kind of mental disorder alphabet soup."
This one really gets me. If this segment was a true rant, I would have a lot more to say here.

The DSM is a real thing, for anyone who was wondering. I've never heard of the DSM-V, but I'm guessing that this user was referring to the DSM which is used as a guideline for mental health diagnoses. Yes, stories here feature mental health issues because, well, mental health issues are a real thing. It really surprises me that someone would actually criticize the site for showcasing this, as it is a definite upside. Depictions of these sorts of things add to diversity, especially when someone takes the time to portray issues correctly.

"I admit, I used Wattpad when I was younger. Now that I've grown up, I've abandoned it completely. It's full of amateurs who don't take their writing seriously at all. If you want to make something of your writing, I wouldn't suggest going on there."
This common myth is the reason that I used to be hesitant about sharing my Wattpad stories with anyone in real life. This site gets a reputation, and I really don't get it. We are not all amateurs; in fact, a lot of us find success and some have even been published. There are programs on popular streaming services (Hulu and Netflix for example) which originated as Wattpad books. While some of those aren't the best examples, it serves as proof that we Wattpad writers have a chance at success just as other writers and screenwriters do.

Growing up has nothing to do with the nature of this site. I know people in their teens and people in their forties on here. If you see this platform as childish, it may in fact be due to the category in which you're searching. If you are checking out stories that are in a category such as young adult, you may be less satisfied than you would be reading M-rated books. It's a matter of preference, and we have to find what works best for us as readers and writers.