In today's world, almost everything runs on algorithms: Google, Amazon, Youtube, Facebook. So, why should Wattpad be any different?

Just think about this: back in 2014, it was estimated by Publishers Weekly that, every single day, over 64,000 stories or chapters were uploaded to Wattpad. Do you think human editors are going to cut it when telling which works deserve to be the best, to be featured? No. To accomplish such a herculean task, you're gonna need machines. A combination of machines and man.

But rather than make you feel depressed about not getting discovered in a sea of other writers, the algorithm's all the more reason for you to make sure that everything in your story jibes: the cover, title, genre, plot and of course the basics: grammar, spelling, punctuation etc. If you make sure of all of this, again, as a sign of respect to your potential Follower, then your story will grow at least one foot above the crowd. Polish your story into a gem and try to take note of what works and what doesn't with your target readers. No matter the platform or the market, fanbase-building will always be the same.

What do you think indie authors are dealing with outside WP? Amazon's algorithms.

You should maintain a consistent level of quality and uniqueness that your audience can appreciate and recognize. Try imagining your author name or Wattpad username as a brand. You wouldn't want to ruin your brand now, would you?

Of course it sounds easy on paper but much tougher IRL. After all, editors don't come free. Editors aren't gonna volunteer to critique your work or point out your mistakes, much less grammar or spelling-wise (that's the job of proof-readers btw). Also, one thing you should know about Wattpad compared to other sites like say Goodreads or Youtube, Wattpadders never really go brutally honest. That's both the rule and identity of Wattpad that makes it unique. But sometimes, brutally honest feedback is exactly what you need to help you improve yourself, as you're prolly realizing at school or at work.

Sure, Wattpad accepts first drafts but don't stop there. Here I'm talking to everyone, even the Chroniclers or those who just want to write and not care about the number of reads. Why? Because just posting content day in and day out without any form of improvement or recognition is just not sustainable. You're eventually going to burn yourself out.

You'd be doing both your art and your readers a disservice if you left your first draft as it was: raw and sort of stunted. In fact, if you can post a relatively polished gem from the start, that would be better. Again, because first impressions last and a reader you lose this week will unlikely come back to give you a second chance next week.

Not sure how you edit your story or make your cover more attractive, whether you do everything by yourself, ask a favor from a friend or hire a professional, but please find a way. You owe your story that.

Also, if possible, try to analyze your story from a wider perspective. For instance, going back to 2017 when I had five fantasy books and a non-existent following, I was faced with a big decision. Should I continue writing fantasy and YA tales? I took a pause and reviewed everything I had learned thus far from my experiences as an indie author. I learned that boys loved reading just as much as girls did, but I also knew that girls were much more diligent and hungry readers. I also knew (this may or may not be a strictly local phenomenon) that girls in my country absolutely craved romance.

Filipinos love K-dramas and especially young Filipinos love K-pop. I also based my decision on the various TV shows and movies that were popular in my country; most of them were romance-themed. And this is how I arrived at my decision to make the full shift from fantasy to romance.

About continuing to write YA stories, this was more of a personal preference because, obviously, there are so many different genres for different age groups on WP. And if you look at my work history, you can see that I really like writing for a young audience. This was true even before I made the leap from fantasy to pure romance.

I don't know. Personally, I think Young Adult readers are more passionate and less complicated. When they like something, they love it. When they dislike something, they hate it. Mature audiences consider much more things when evaluating a story and, um, it's sometimes harder for them to suspend their disbelief. But in the future, I definitely see myself writing for more mature audiences.

But what about the story itself? Well, here a bit of something else was involved. I'm not sure what exactly to call it. Luck, inspiration or what have you. I mean, how do you think I came up with the idea of a chatbot boyfriend? It sounds silly even now that I say it. But somehow that theme struck a chord with some people. And when I started reading their comments and messages, only then did I fully realize that I had touched on something important; something big.

I think this is the toughest part of the entire writing process. So this deserves a whole new chapter of its own.

Stay tuned for What You Want vs. What Readers Want.

Stay Phenomenal!

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I'll try to update this story every day (whoa!)

But did you know? Aside from following me here on WP, you can also keep updated with me on my other social media channels. Go ahead and add me on:

FB: www.facebook.com/phenomenalpen 

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See you there!