Can Wattpad Jumpstart Your Writing Career?
Wattpad has gained a reputation for poorly written fanfiction and romance books. But can writing on this platform actually benefit you?
Recently acquired by NAVER, the South Korean Internet Conglomerate, Wattpad is expanding and thriving more than ever. With the recent introduction of Wattpad Webtoon Studios, it is now diving into the entertainment business — and succeeding.
I’ve been writing on Wattpad for seven years now. My first book, Baking With Boys, hit the mark with the readers for its humor and young adult romance. It garnered over 7 million reads and got a lot of publication offers.
Some of my works were also scouted by platforms like Tapas Media & Radish Fiction — where I now write premium books and comics. This turned out to be a great source for a side income in royalties!
But the major benefit?
It helped me crack the most important interview of my life.
From thousands of new writers applying for that screenwriting job, I whipped out my Wattpad profile and showed them my writing.
Thousands of followers, millions of reads, and a clear passion for storytelling. Suffice to say, I got the job.
Wattpad has over 90 million users who spend 23 billion minutes a month on the app. It can become a daunting task to gain recognition there. But like any other social media platform — marketing is the key. You need good content, but you also need to market your book well. (You can read How to Get Noticed on Wattpad here.)
Think of Wattpad as your portfolio. Start writing, get feedback, and gain a following.
And once you’re ready to dive into the publishing world or apply for that writing job — you already have a head start with thousands of fans and a portfolio of books!
