HOW TO GET READS ON WATTPAD

Brace yourselves folks, it's...THE POST ABOUT READS.

The amazing part about our lovely Wattpad platform is it allows you to get your story out there. But hitting that uber-frightening publish button is step one on our epic journey.

Our next step? Trying to get the story out there and, you know, read.

So now we've put our story out there, but...then what? On a site inundated with story upon story, how do we rise above the pack and pull in those readers?

Update, Update, Update!

It's no secret that in order to get readers focused on your work you have to have chapters for them to read. Which is a battle in itself (hell guys, as the title suggests, writing is HARD). Once you have a few chapters under your belt, you'll notice a trend of readers coming and going. Depending on the amount, readers usually start to investigate around anywhere from 5-10+ chapters. This is because readers don't want to get too invested, only to have to stop after three chapters. Once your chapter numbers start to climb, you'll notice more readers getting curious and stopping in to see what you have to offer.

Update, Update, Update — Second Edition

Some of you may say, "I've got a whole book completed and ready to publish. Do I post it all at once?"

My answer would be, "well, you sure can." But, you'll find episodic writing—writing done in episodes or segments—works best. Here on Wattpad, it benefits you as the author to post in spaced out sections or chapters rather than throwing them the whole project in one swoop. Not only does it encourage your readers to keep coming back at a regular time each week, but a steady release of chapters, much like a cable program on TV, will keep your audience coming back to hear more. It's just enough to keep them invested, but not enough to keep them satiated.

Interact With Your Readers. Start Forming Your Community!

While you'll find a lot of comments on Wattpad to be a series of emoji's or "same" written under a sentence, that's not the case all around. When your readers investigate your work, they may drop a comment or two. Don't be afraid to engage with them! Respond to their comments. Show them you are present and listening. Spark conversations. Ask them questions. It is within these comment sections you build your own little community. Build on this community by interacting with your readers, even if it is simply another emoji in response--every emoji gets you that much closer to loyal readers.

Ask Questions to Spark Conversations.

Having a hard time getting readers to comment? Don't be afraid to encourage them to engage further. Ask them questions at the end of the chapter: How do they feel the chapter went? Who is their favorite character? Which character would they most like to skydive with? Which character makes them want to scream endlessly into the void? Use these questions to bring out your readers, then encourage them further by opening a discussion. Any and every interaction is helpful towards your goal of loyal readership.

Grab Your Friends!

Let your friends know you've got a story going—encourage them to check it out. Don't be afraid to tell other Wattpad friends and users about your work. Part of the journey is sharing your story. And you never know—your friends may tell their friends, who tell their friends, who tell their friends, who... You get the picture.

Grab Your friends—But Socially!

Social media is a great way to pull in prospective readers. With the age of the internet, it's easier to get word out there. If you have a social media account, connect it to Wattpad so your Wattpad friends and readers can interact with you on other platforms. Use your other platforms as a way to spread the word. When you post a new chapter, give it a quick shout on Twitter or Instagram or Pinterest. Every little bit counts!

Writing Buddies

Writing Buddies are a good way to not only get eyes on your stories, but they're also a fantastic tool to help you grow as a writer. We as the writer stare at the same page over and over until it seems like everything is terrible and redundant. But getting some fresh eyes—someone who hasn't spent all day in a dark room sipping Spearmint tea and squinting at the same adjective for the last four hours—can be extremely beneficial. Not only are they helping you obtain reads, but if you're able to get some constructive criticism from them as well, it will help you see where your story is at and where you can improve.

Critiques

Critiques are a great way to bring in readership while also providing an opportunity for growth. There are numerous people in the Wattpad community offering critiques, however, they're not the only source! You can have your Wattpad friends critique for you or even your friends at home!

A small caution though—while critiques can be helpful, they have the potential to get out of hand. If you're looking for a critique, ask your critiquer specific questions to help steer their feedback. Don't be afraid to ask them to list what you're doing well! Constructive criticism is important in writing, but don't forget that there's also a balance—you want some good mixed in. Have them show you where you're succeeding in addition to where you're not hitting the mark.

Book Clubs!

Book clubs require a touch of work on your part as you may have to read a few other stories before getting to yours. However, they're also a great way to pull in both reads AND feedback. 

Awards and Contests

The marvelous thing about awards and contests is they literally cannot hurt you. Even if you lose, they're a great way to get your story out there and pull in reads. If you win? Perfect! Now you have a cool sticker. If you don't win? No worries! You've got a few more reads and quite possibly some points to work on.

Go For Those Reading Lists!

It's no secret the key to more reads is, of course, to be seen. And here on Wattpad, the closest we may get to an advertising billboard for our stories is by ending up on reading lists. If you're trying to bring in readers, you'll want to appear not only on as many reading lists as possible but the RIGHT reading lists. Profiles with higher follower counts or stories with heavy engagement often pull in the most traffic, as such, if you manage to get on one of these user's reading lists, you can guarantee an extra reader or two.

Now, this doesn't mean you should go harass other Wattpaders until you end up on their reading lists. Instead, a good place to start is the Wattpad-run profiles. Each genre has it's own Wattpad profile. High Fantasy, Romance, Chick Lit, Vampire, Teen Fiction, etc. Consider starting there—most of the genre profiles have an application you can fill out to get onto these lists. And for those that don't, maybe consider a nice little PM to ask how you can get on these lists.

Those Tags Though

Tags are very important here on Wattpad. Not only to help get your story ranking but also to get more reads. Tags are what readers use to find your story among all the other stories here. If you have not already, be sure to head over to your story details and make sure you've used all the tags you can. You'll want to use tags readers search for to boost your chances. A mixture of general tags with specific tags works best. And of course, make sure that all the tags are relevant to your story. If a reader is looking for a romance and there's no romance in your story, they're more likely to put it down.

Covers and Aesthetics

As much as we like to deny it, most of us do judge a book by its cover. Not so much how the story will read or the plot, etc. but rather, it tells us a little bit about the author before we start the book. You'll want to make sure your prose has a nice storage case. 

Marketing is a big part of what helps bring in reads and as much as we hate it, a presentable cover does pull in reads. It tells us a bit about the author here on Wattpad. For example, a sloppy cover shows the reader the writer isn't too concerned about details. Meanwhile, a trendy or well-tailored cover insinuates the author has put effort into the piece and is mindful of the little details.

CAUTION: Hard Work Ahead

As much as we'd all love to snap our fingers and instantly have a ton of readers, that's not ever the case. Except in VERY rare circumstances, reads do not appear overnight. Instead, you'll have to hunker down and get ready to put in some hard work. In this here writing world, it's more important for you and for your readers that you continue to be active, continue to update, and keep working hard. You readers will admire your dedication to the craft. And, even better, the more work you have out there, the more likely you are to pull in reads. It sounds intimidating but remember: it doesn't matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop.

Perseverance Goes A Lot Further Than Raw Talent.

Some writers are gifted with talent. They can wake up, and immediately begin writing beautiful lyrical sonnets and breathtaking prose. That's not me. And it's probably not you either. We have the joy of having to work hard and continuously grow in our craft. Which is not a bad thing! If you have to grow, that means you have to keep writing and keep practicing. While those other talent-born writers will be writing one book and calling it a day, we determined folks will continue to write.

In this game, you'll find perseverance goes a LOT further than natural talent. So don't be afraid to be wrong. Don't be afraid you're not good enough. We're all growing and absolutely none of us are experts. Keep going! Not only will you see your writing begin to flourish, but you'll gain reads along the way.

Don't Let The Numbers Blind You

Numbers are fun to watch. If you're anything like me, you love statistics and probabilities and growth. Who doesn't love growth? However, it's important for us writers, especially mentally, not to get too caught up in the numbers. It's easy to compare and count. But don't let yourself use those numbers to reflect your writing skill. It is more important in the long run that you are happy with the work you're doing and where you're at. Don't let a few numbers tell you how great or how horrible a writer you are. Because as we've all seen—numbers don't equal talent around here.

Question of the Day: What's YOUR biggest tip on getting more reads?