How To Get Reads, Votes, and Comments - A Guide

Chapter 5 - Wattpad Is a Community

One of the things that makes Wattpad so special among reading and writing sites is the community. It's made up of readers and writers, all supporting each other with feedback and encouragement. The Wattpad community can be found in the clubs (information on how to access the clubs is in the last chapter of this guide), chatting on people's profiles (publicly and privately), and especially in stories (commenting, communicating through author's notes, and giving dedications).

The power of the community is tremendous in helping authors get noticed, especially brand new authors. Unfortunately, many new authors don't even know there is a community on Wattpad. They post their stories but don't interact with anyone, and then despair because readers aren't finding them.

If you're interested in tapping into this great resource, it can enrich your Wattpad experience in many ways. I've already listed some of them, like how reaching out to your readers can help you get more feedback, but there are other benefits too.

One – friendships!

I, and almost everyone I know on Wattpad can point to at least one, and probably several deep and profound friendships we've formed with other Wattpadders. Whether it's a personal connection you've made with one of your readers, someone you've met in a club, or a fellow author whose story you've just started reading, those people can become dear friends.

Having friends on Wattpad is a necessity. Those are the people who will be there with encouragement when you're feeling low, congratulate you on your accomplishments, and be a sounding board when you need advice. I've heard many say their lives were changed for the better because of someone they met on Wattpad.

Two – knowledge!

There is so much to know about Wattpad, and for many new authors it's like they're feeling their way through a dark room in a stranger's house. It was exactly like that for me until I stumbled upon the clubs. That's where I found a whole bunch of authors who were more than willing to answer my questions and give me advice. I really appreciated their kind help and when I saw newer people who needed it, I didn't hesitate to step forward and help them.

Whether it's navigating the website, help with writing a tricky chapter, or getting insights into the publishing world, there are many people with a lot of knowledge on here who just might have the answer you're looking for.

Three – success!

I knew it was true for me, but research from Wattpad HQ bears it out - the best way to become a successful writer on Wattpad is to be an active member of the community. And the best way to do that is to be positive, friendly, and helpful. Before I was a Wattpad ambassador, I had many people follow me or find my stories because of my interactions with them. Being friendly and helpful builds up good will and naturally draws people to you. For an author, this is essential for success.

However, because Wattpad is a community, those who choose to conduct themselves in a way that's seen as harmful or goes against the ethics of the community, quickly gain a reputation. Trolling, being particularly negative when giving feedback, or spamming lots of people's profiles is frowned on by pretty much everyone and can turn off a whole lot of potential readers.

Then there are some who exploit the tools Wattpad gives us so we can engage with others in an attempt to cheat the system, sometimes hurting others in the process. One method of cheating I've already mentioned is vote trading. Another is the tactic of following the maximum 1,000 people allowed, and then unfollowing them a day or two later. Then following and unfollowing the maximum number all over again.

Why would someone do that? Because out of those thousand people, a whole bunch will do the polite thing and come to their profile to thank them. A fair number of them will follow them back. And a lot of them will check out their stories, either out of curiosity or because they want to do something nice for that person who just followed them.