How to Rise From the Dead on Wattpad - A practical guide to getting noticed

Tip 11: Be Social

One of the most important tasks for any author to undertake is to grow their fan base. This is not easy, and some will naturally be better at it than others. It also takes time and effort. A good place to start is to simply utilize the social aspects of Wattpad.

Comment on Stories

When you read someone's story, leave meaningful comments. When you express appreciation for someone's work, they take notice of you. Some may even follow you. The likelihood of the follow-back is even higher if the writer has few reads. They will appreciate your efforts even more. Other readers may notice your comments and be interested in checking out your profile. It's all about getting your name visible in more places.

Comment on Wattpad Profiles

A lot of writers will ask questions, talk about what they're up to, or share life events on their profile feed. Commenting on these makes you an even bigger dot on their radar than the usual book comment. Have a full-on discussion if you like. Writers love interacting with active followers, and are likely to follow them in return.

Participate in Forums or Discord Servers

I first started making tiny ripples in the official Wattpad forums. I answered questions I knew the answer to and began establishing a name for myself as someone knowledgeable. If writing tips isn't your thing, you can go a different route and take part in fun social discussions. The more you put yourself out there, the more recognizable you will be. Since the closure of the Wattpad forums several other forums and Discord servers have appeared to fill the void.

If you're unfamiliar with what Discord is, it's a chat server where different "channels" can be set up to discuss various topics. Most have great moderators that maintain the level of respect I like to see in a public discussion area. Readers and writers come together to talk about everything! There are reading lists where users submit recommendations. Go be a part of it! I'll list a few below and post a link to each one in the comments.

Writers Connect (I'm an admin here)

Wacky Writers

Dreamland

Wattworld

Be Respectful at All Times

Some people believe respect needs to be earned. This is a very sad, adversarial way to look at life. Everything on this planet deserves respect, whether we like them or not. Those who are doing their best to be disrespectful and unlikable are dealing with issues we don't know about.

Call me corny, but it is our duty is to spread love and respect. People admire those who are able to take the high road, even in the face of rudeness. (I know some people who don't share this admiration for the high road, but to each their own.) You may want to reach into your screen and slap the person who made you mad--this is natural--but refrain from reacting. Take deep breaths, calm yourself, and then think of a polite response that lets the person know they've been heard. Sometimes that's all they want. To be heard.

You might be wondering why you should bother. Wattpad is a great place for staying anonymous and doing whatever the heck you please. But if you have aspirations for a writing career, then you must be respectful. This is one of the key qualities Wattpad looks for when considering users for their Stars program.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go polish that star next to my name. ;)