Wattmag Issue #9

What It's Like to Be Featured in the Block Party

There's a saying that perfectly explains my first paragraph. "Success isn't counted by feeling, but by achievement."

To be honest, I 100% just made up that quote to break down what exactly it feels like to be asked to participate in the Wattpad Block Party. It's an achievement. An achievement that makes you go hey, I'm successful.

If you don't know what the Wattpad Block Party is, it's an event hosted by KellyAnneBlount that brings together authors and features a handful of them each day of one month. Their post goes live on their feature date, and they watch as new people who've never encountered their work suddenly end up attracted to yours. It's a super cool thing to witness.

This is my second time participating in the block party, with the first time being the Summer Edition II, so I already know what the gist of it was when I began to write my post. I knew what kind of post was most popular, and I knew the answers to the questions I had the first time. But to beginners, it's basically like being trapped in a dark room with the knowledge of how to get the lights back on but you're afraid to move around because you don't want to bump into anything.

Or at least, that's how I felt.

As soon as you write your post and send it off, you're hit with that shock of hitting the send button on the email. There's no way to get it back, and it's totally going to be featured amongst some other popular writers on Wattpad.

My first thought? I can't believe I just did that.

Then you patiently wait for your feature date. If it's an early date in the first week, you're panicking. If it's a date in the later weeks, you're definitely anticipating.

My first post was a spin-off of one of my books, Sealed Lips. A lot of people recognized my name from conversations with me and gave me cool feedback in the comment section. I got to interact with some new readers and also get an idea of what's popular amongst the community. My second post, for the Winter Edition, was a top five list of things no one told you about writing as a teenager. This one got a lot more attention, from both being on the block party lineup twice and from being a relatable list instead of an actual story.

What gets more attention at the block party? I found myself thinking about that on my feature date. If you've got a steady fan base, I'd recommend you start with something related to your works. If you're not that known, a quick and easy read on yourself or a top five list might be the best thing to start with.

The thing that's most stressed about the block party is responding to comments on your feature date. Your feature date is like a window. You have the power to interact with the readers on the other side and listen to feedback for 24 hours while your story is fresh and new in the atmosphere. Don't feel like responding to comments? Then the block party probably isn't for you. It's all about making yourself known.

That's all for this month. Don't forget to check out the Wattpad Block Party on KellyAnneBlount's profile. Have a great March!