70 Deadly Wattpad Sins (The Book Of Evil Advice!)

Sin #06: The Promiser (Liar liar, pants on fire!)

"No, I'm seriously going to start critiquing your book! Really! I'm just busy with school work, and all of these exams, and my great-great-grandmother died again... Can't you just finish voting and commenting on my entire story first? I'll totally get back to you soon. Thanks!"

Hoooh boy. I can already tell what this one is about.

You're damn right. Forget about Wattpad, almost everybody has had a run-in with a 'promiser' at some point in their daily lives. Maybe it was a childhood friend whom you lent a toy to and they never gave it back (screw you, Garry) or anyone who ever used you like a tool instead of a person.

Now, I'm not going to suggest that these people are entirely soulless or complete sociopaths, but it does take a certain level of bitchiness to take whatever you want and not reciprocate, ignoring any promises that you've made to get there in the first place.

So, this happens on Wattpad too? In what way?

It can be for any number of reasons. They might see your status or number of followers, and think that you're a viable target. Whether a promiser intends to or not, they only see you for what they can get out of the transaction.

I don't think that I have to explain this in too much detail. After all, we've all heard the story before; they promise to read/vote/critique your book while you do the same for them. Being a good person, you quickly and enthusiastically complete the deed only to find out that they haven't even touched yours yet... and for some reason, have stopped responding to your messages entirely.

They used you.

Yup. It hurts to think that this is how people get ahead on Wattpad, by spamming threads and making contracts that they have no intention of fulfilling, but that's our sad reality.

Sometimes they might even review one or two chapters of your book, but as soon as you finish theirs, they suddenly cease all interactions. Why do they do this? It's because you've already served your purpose, and they have nothing to gain from continuing their end of the deal.

Filthy swines! Have they no honor?! I shall see them hang by the neck for this terrible injustice!

You can't blame them too much. After all, we live in the real world; you can't be too trusting, especially over the internet. Their anonymity gives these 'promisers' the ability to renege on deals without consequence. It falls onto your shoulders to ensure that the person you are talking to can be bartered with.

Isn't there any way to protect yourself, or at least sniff out the shady ones?

A good rule of thumb is to never read more than 3 or 4 chapters ahead of where that other person is currently at in your book. If you blast your way through their entire story, that person will lose their incentive for reading yours. On the other hand, if you read too slowly, they will feel threatened and believe that you might pull out at the last second.

If someone expresses genuine interest and keeps regular contact through the read/review exchange, then that's great news. These people are easily the most trustworthy, as opposed to the ones who show too little interest or keep making excuses for why they haven't gotten around to it yet.

If you do encounter someone who hasn't fulfilled their end of the bargain, don't sit and stew about it. Comment on their profile and publicly ask why they haven't gotten back to you. Say it on their damn books, if it'll grab their attention. I do not condone spam in any way, but if their readers know how they treat Wattpad users, it may pressure the author into behaving more appropriately in the future.

Of course, this is only one side of our sin today. There is another facet of the 'promiser' we haven't touched upon, and that's the author's relationship with his/her followers.

Wait, what? Shouldn't this one have been first?

Perhaps... although this one is much more forgivable, since almost every single Wattpadder out there is guilty. This one comes from no malice or ill intent, just poor planning and wishful thinking.

"The next chapter's coming out next Friday guys, I promise!"

"Sorry, life got in the way, haha. Tomorrow for sure, stay tuned."

"I'll be out of town for a few days, really sorry! I'll make it up to you all very soon!"

We've all done it, or at least will at some point. It's human nature to make mistakes, and even if we desperately want to keep our promises, there are no guarantees in life. Sometimes outside factors come crashing in, or we lack the motivation to continue our writing... and those deadlines are missed.

You can see why it's harder to dislike an author who promises something, when they genuinely want to follow through. Sadly, it's even harder to find a proper remedy for this phenomenon.

The logical thing to do would be to stop making so many promises, but without structure or regular updates, it would be difficult to make it big as an author. Giving your readers a heads-up about an upcoming chapter is a must for Wattpadders, preparing their expectations and getting them excited for when it will be posted.

There's only one solution to satisfy everyone, and almost no one likes hearing it. Hard work and dedication to your story, ensurance that you will hit your deadline and fulfill your promises. Whether it means missing lunch with your friends or studying for a test, only authors that commit themselves will go far in the world.

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Promises are fickle things. We can use them to bring joy to others, or trick our fellow authors into becoming tools for our own benefit. When you swear an oath to another person, it is up to you whether your word means something or not. Be warned though; at the end of the day, most people will choose to side with those who write the truth.

Tyro31, promise you won't abandon this guide? It's been forever since the last update!

I, err- Urgh, fine. I promise. Jeez, calling me out like that...

Pinkie promise? ^-^

See, now you're just teasing me.