Whether it's your first time or your sixth time, writing a novella in 12 weeks isn't easy.
As a 2021 ONC Winner and 2023 Honorable Mention, I would know. After years of participation and reflection, I have lots of advice to share on how I did it. In...
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Love them or hate them, tags are key to your novella being discovered and categorized on Wattpad.
Each tag is like a mini-advertisement for your novella. They give readers a glimpse into what themes, setting, genre, and tropes you'll be serving up in your story. They also help the infamous Wattpad algorithm recommend and rank your work.
While Wattpad advises writers to use at least ten tags, you can add up to twenty-five in the description of your story. I suggest using every single one to maximize your reach and define your writing.
To avoid using a tag that is very small or nonexistent, check a tag online with the link https://www.wattpad.com/stories/insert tag here. Not only does this allow you to see what stories are trending in that particular tag, but it allows you to see what other tags are frequently used in combination with the one you've just searched.
With all that in mind, here is my formula for maximizing your tags:
🏷️ Genre and subgenres (#horror, #romance, #highfantasy) +2-3 tags 🏷️ Age Genre (#adult, #newadult, #ya) +1 tag 🏷️ Concept (#heist, #royalcourt) +3-4 tags 🏷️ Timeframe (#contemporary, #1970s) +1-2 tags 🏷️ Setting or World (#space, #newyork, #coffeeshop) +1-2 tags 🏷️ Tropes (#friendstolovers, #foundfamily, #plottwist) +2-3 tags 🏷️ Themes (#love, #betrayal, #guilt) +1-2 tags 🏷️ Character Traits (#secretpast, #witch) +3-4 tags 🏷️ Unique / Specific Tags (#lgbt, #greekmythology, #circus) +3-4 tags 🏷️ Utility Tags (#ongoing, #shortchapters, #opennovellacontest2023) +1-2 tags
Finally, take a look at the differences in my tag lists for my historical novella, "Scream, Nightingale, Scream" and see how I revised the list to include a broader scope of ideas and reach a more targeted audience.
Original Tag Set: #1940s #betrayal #complete #historical #historicalfiction #historicalthriller #militaryfiction #short #shortchapters #shortstory #thehistoricalaward2022 #ukraine #worldwartwo #ww2
