Hey, this is Aastha! You already know that. A few days ago I had a chance to get close to Wattpad India community which was so surreal. I got to meet some amazing writers and readers which made me realize that this community is much more than just a few writers and readers, it's a whole new world for so many of us. For some, it is a place where we find stories that speak to us, while for some it is a place to share our imagination in the form of stories.
Wattpad asked me to share my journey on wattpad and I was more than happy to do so, excited to be precise but kind of nervous as well. Nervous because the story of my journey on wattpad is kind of cliche and personal. I never thought I would share it will anyone but I don't mind sharing it now but Wattpd is no longer just an app for me, it's kind of my family.
So, here it begins. Three years ago I was suffering through depression. You know the feeling of drowning? Yes, I was feeling like that and I was absolutely helpless. That is a feeling I absolutely hate, the feeling of helplessness. So I decided to find an anchor which turned out to be reading but I didn't have resources to get books for myself. But then I thought that now we almost have everything online so I might find something online as well so I started my research. Through my research, I stumbled on an app called Wattpad. I immediately signed up for free and was blown up by the wonderful stories here. Who knew that there were so many amazing writers out there who were undiscovered? My first book on wattpad was Roommates by Kimmy Hers and by the time I was finished I was hooked to wattpad. I would complete at least 1 and a half book a day, Yes! I was that hooked.
Then I realised that wattpad has become my safe world for me. I made fictional friends and watched their deaths, getting them married, attended their graduation and watched them grow and that made me feel warm. Especially for me wherein I was at a stage where I have pushed away all the people in my life, you tend to that when you are not okay.. but wattpad gave me a hand when I was drowning and pulled me out enough for me to breath.
Then came a time where I couldn't find a story that spoke out to me. I searched for a book for days but couldn't find one. As I was searching through I learned that I can write a story of my own. Now, that was interesting. I have always been a person who makes stories in my head since childhood. So I took a day or two to think about it before I started to write and that's how My Husband's girl was born.
By heart, I'm a very romantic person and love cliche stories which are clearly reflected in my stories but as I wrote my stories I realised that writing was much more than just writing. It is easy to sit and read a story but that piece of writing takes so many days, thoughts and use of backspace to get it into desired piece of work. It took me one year to complete the story and in the process, I started a few more stories in which The Paying Guest is still on the list.
Now, the most asked question I get is how did I get so many views? I did the basic things first, I made an attractive cover, improved my writing skills so people won't cringe at every sentence they read and marketed them on my social sites but I soon realized that all these tricks are common now. Everyone uses them and that too so desperately that people get tired of seeing it pop everywhere. So I sat back and analyzed my audience. My most audience was on wattpad so I decided to look after them first. I set up an update schedule so my readers would know when to expect an update, I would ask a question to them at the end of the chapter and engage with them in the comments and the thing that I believed that made my story gain views is changing my own perspective. I realized I was doing all this with an ulterior motive of earning from this and that's why I wanted more and more views but then I realized that what is the use of those numbers if my story is not reaching out to people? Views are just numbers, we may gain and loose but I wanted my story to reach people and with that motive, I continued my writing and still continue to do so. Writing is my passion and I am really lucky to have so many readers to support my passion and motivate me.
I know I still lack a lot of things for an author but I know I will steadily go there and for that, I will keep of reading and writing.
Wattpad has influenced my life in a very bigger way, it helped me find my talent, it helped me find back myself and for that, I will forever be grateful for it. Wattpad for me is like a separate world for me, my escape place would be more accurate.
I am looking forward to a brighter future in the world of writing with Wattpad.
