How good is the Wattpat site to publish my novel?

[RedHunter2296]

In my constant search for new places to publish my novel, I am planning to publish it on Wattpat to see how it will go.

Is there anything I need to know? Any secret clauses? Are they legal?

The last thing I want is something like by publishing my story on there I've given away the copyright.

Any particular anecdote?

 

[Lorelliad]

The last time I was there (a few years ago) it was populated mostly by fanfics and romance stories. Should be no issues with anything legal as long as you don't actively try to seek out a contract or something.

Yes, I was one of those fanfic writers

 

[Kenjona]

It is really hard to sort through when I have used it in the past, using its Genre tags as they have 20+ Genre names for the same or even just slightly related thing.

 

[K5Rakitan]

They banned me.

 

[UYScuti]

From what I can remember, if you’re not writing about how Alpha Billionaire Werewolves are using orgies to dilute the bloodlines and weaken their rivals, the Ancient Vampires, you’re probably not gonna gain much traction there.

 

[Erios909]

No visibility/discoverability on wattpad. You will struggle to find any views at all unless you are in their primary genre of romance or werewolf stuff, unless you bring your own already established audience strong enough to prop you up to the very top of their lists.
At least that was my experience when I tried.

 

[Temple]

No visibility/discoverability on wattpad.

Yeah, this is the problem.

 

[Sleds]

Like other said, wattpad is mostly teen romance story, the readers are there for that and just look for that.

I can give you some view number if you want for my own story :
Scribble hub : 20k
Royal Road : 36k
Webnovel : 116k
Wattpad : 146 (yes, there no k here and since when you publish a chapter on wattpad it count you as one view and per chapter too, half of this number are me only)

If you're not writting what the reader base there want, I would suggest you to publish elsewhere or at least not only on wattpad.

 

[CheertheSecond]

As a writer, I am too inexperienced to conclude anything. As a reader, I steered clear from it since 201X. Its function and UI are a waste of effort. I had not read a single new fiction on there since. All the bs with having to login to see the site on my phone.

 

[Major2501]

From what I can remember, if you’re not writing about how Alpha Billionaire Werewolves are using orgies to dilute the bloodlines and weaken their rivals, the Ancient Vampires, you’re probably not gonna gain much traction there.

It's funny because it's true. Either that or "dark romance" stories involving abhorrent, dangerous but insanely gorgeous and rich men who just do happen to be enamored with the female lead; who goes from being invisible from the male gaze, frumpy and a virgin to being the most stunning, but sassy creature alive after slapping on some lipsalve and running a brush through her hair. The dude also massively abusive to said female lead featuring but not limited to; physical and verbal abuse, bullying, coercion, threats of or actual rape. Chuck in some gaslamping too. And this is apparently the female fantasy. I hate it.

 

[Saberfang]

Wattpad is meh, so don't expect too much. Discoverability on it is just absolutely terrible. It took me nine months before one person finally saw my story. It also probably has one of the worst U.I for writing of any of the known sites for posting stories. If you copy and past your story into Wattpad, it will screw up the formatting and make difficult to impossible to fix.

Really, the only thing Wattpad has going for it is that it has the largest user-base of any of the sites that let you post stories, at 90 million users. So, hypothetically you could build a large audience if you get enough attention on there.

 

[Kenjona]

It's funny because it's true. Either that or "dark romance" stories involving abhorrent, dangerous but insanely gorgeous and rich men who just do happen to be enamored with the female lead; who goes from being invisible from the male gaze, frumpy and a virgin to being the most stunning, but sassy creature alive after slapping on some lipsalve and running a brush through her hair. The dude also massively abusive to said female lead featuring but not limited to; physical and verbal abuse, bullying, coercion, threats of or actual rape. Chuck in some gaslamping too. And this is apparently the female fantasy. I hate it.

Worse, those fictions are usually written by Women for Women. Then again bodice rippers have been popular for decades (Probably before 1972 but that is the official year for the "Genre" name of it), so I guess nothing really has changed on that front as much as just the settings it is set in.

 

[Deleted member 139452]

@Corty i believe this satisfies at least to of the of the boxes

 

[Corty]

@Corty i believe this satisfies at least to of the of the boxes

My bet was on RoyalRoad so I won’t cheat

 

[Deleted member 139452]

Worse, those fictions are usually written by Women for Women. Then again bodice rippers have been popular for decades (Probably before 1972 but that is the official year for the "Genre" name of it), so I guess nothing really has changed on that front as much as just the settings it is set in.

@Corty complaining about fiction

---

@Corty this fits too

It's funny because it's true. Either that or "dark romance" stories involving abhorrent, dangerous but insanely gorgeous and rich men who just do happen to be enamored with the female lead; who goes from being invisible from the male gaze, frumpy and a virgin to being the most stunning, but sassy creature alive after slapping on some lipsalve and running a brush through her hair. The dude also massively abusive to said female lead featuring but not limited to; physical and verbal abuse, bullying, coercion, threats of or actual rape. Chuck in some gaslamping too. And this is apparently the female fantasy. I hate it.

 

[CrimsonGenius]

I hear Wattpad has something where Paramount takes your story for their own and adapt it into a series without you receiving any compensation.

 

[Saberfang]

I hear Wattpad has something where Paramount takes your story for their own and adapt it into a series without you receiving any compensation.

Wattpad doesn't steal your story, but that wouldn't really stop other companies like Paramount from doing so anyways if they want to (even on SH). If they steal your story, it on you to take them to court and fight over the copyrights. Wattpad won't help you in that case.

 

[tiaf]

From what I can remember, if you’re not writing about how Alpha Billionaire Werewolves are using orgies to dilute the bloodlines and weaken their rivals, the Ancient Vampires, you’re probably not gonna gain much traction there.

Lmaoooooo

I hear Wattpad has something where Paramount takes your story for their own and adapt it into a series without you receiving any compensation.

Where did you hear that? I know that publishing on WP does give you the minimal chance of getting it adapted into a movie, but I never heard of it being without compensation.

 

[HungrySheep]

There's nothing sketchy about Wattpad if that's what you're asking. The visibility and traction is slow at first, but if you're consistent you can start racking up a following. I somehow reached #1 in a few categories on multiple occasions and that managed to net me a pretty consistent follower base on the site. Didn't have to write smut either, but if you do you will probably hit those numbers much sooner.

Self-insert CYOA/"roleplay" stuff is super popular and it doesn't need to be written well either. If you're into that, you should get a pretty big following very quickly, especially if it's written well.

Wattpad doesn't steal your story, but that wouldn't really stop other companies like Paramount from doing so anyways if they want to (even on SH). If they steal your story, it on you to take them to court and fight over the copyrights. Wattpad won't help you in that case.

If Paramount wants to steal my story, I'd be honored. I don't think I've written anything that's worthy of being adapted yet.

It's funny because it's true. Either that or "dark romance" stories involving abhorrent, dangerous but insanely gorgeous and rich men who just do happen to be enamored with the female lead; who goes from being invisible from the male gaze, frumpy and a virgin to being the most stunning, but sassy creature alive after slapping on some lipsalve and running a brush through her hair. The dude also massively abusive to said female lead featuring but not limited to; physical and verbal abuse, bullying, coercion, threats of or actual rape. Chuck in some gaslamping too. And this is apparently the female fantasy. I hate it.

As a woman, I think these tropes are just as bad as the "slave harem isekai" stuff that I see geared towards men. But then again, I'm a lesbian.

 

[General_Komrade]

Like other said, wattpad is mostly teen romance story, the readers are there for that and just look for that.

I can give you some view number if you want for my own story :
Scribble hub : 20k
Royal Road : 36k
Webnovel : 116k
Wattpad : 146 (yes, there no k here and since when you publish a chapter on wattpad it count you as one view and per chapter too, half of this number are me only)

If you're not writting what the reader base there want, I would suggest you to publish elsewhere or at least not only on wattpad.

Man, imagine your story being allowed on Royal Road. Couldn't be me.