Sam's Wattpad and Writing Tips

Losing Readers

Sometimes I get asked, "Help! I'm losing readers. I don't have as many readers on my later chapters as I do on my first ones. What do I do?"

I do have some tips for this, but first off, I want to say that this is quite normal. There are a few reasons for this that have nothing to do with your story. It could be due to people clicking on your story and adding it to their library for later entertainment or to wait until it is complete. Sometimes people have to take a break, so if a user stops reading and picks back up 24 hours later, it'll usually count as another read. Also, sometimes people begin reading, but decide it isn't their cup of tea (and that's okay, you can't please everyone). Those reasons are out of your hands.

On the other hand, there are also reasons people stop reading that you can certainly prevent. Without further ado, here are your tips for keeping readers:

-Update regularly. If you wait too long to update, readers may lose interest. Most users update 1-3 times a week.

-Schedule updates. Lots of users let their readers know on what day(s) each week to expect the new chapter. This will ensure that readers anticipate it and are waiting for the new chapter to come out.

-Keep the story moving. Readers don't like to get slowed down with filler chapters. If it doesn't move along the plot, it could likely cause readers to grow bored.

-Make it fresh. Each new chapter should be different, so you should refrain from letting your characters do too much of the same thing. If they sat around and had milkshakes while talking about the hot geometry teacher in chapter two, chances are people won't want to read it again in chapter eleven. When stories get repetitive, readers drop off.

-Keep it original. You don't want to do what has been done already, because if you do, it'll feel like your readers are reading a story they've already read. So when you have to get your MC out of a locked room or you have to get them in trouble at school, find a way to do it that you've not seen before. It'll show your readers that they'll never know what to expect in your story, thus a return reader.

-Use cliffhangers. I'm not saying it isn't naughty to leave your reader hanging at the end of chapters, but I promise you that if you do, they will come back. This will make your reader anticipate what's coming next, and they'll definitely click on that link as soon as you update!

Now, go write that awesome new chapter ;)