One huge advantage of Watty 2023 is that we, as Wattpad writers, are not flying blind. Wattpad has been building a framework for success that is based on the following key concepts:

Verticals, Immediate/Engaging/Commercial Story and Serialization Potential. 

Verticals and Watty 2023 Genres is my first stop in preparing my stories; I will talk about IEC and serialization considerations next time.

I think it is really, really important to take a look at where your story belongs (or doesn't) in the Watty 2023 Genre Framework (Verticals+Genre) before preparing it for Watty, because it will give you an angle for your logline, blurb and summary. This year we don't have much time, but if there is a small change that you can make without ruining your book that can make it a 100% fit with a Vertical, I suggest investing more time into this editing effort versus, say, proof-reading.

Six Verticals are not super-easy to find on Wattpad, but they are essentially subgenres with narrowed down formula/tropes selection that Wattpad predicts as having the highest chance for success on Wattpad. 

Here is where you find them (link in comment)

https://support.wattpad.com/hc/en-us/articles/14619046050196-Vertical-Framework

Quick Tip: Review the descriptions of Verticals carefully, because many include unexpected Subgenres; and Verticals like Werewolves or Para-Romantasy narrow down settings and tropes Wattpad includes under the Vertical quite a bit.

By looking at the Verticals you will notice that 5 out of 6 Verticals are for romance and/or romance-aligned subgenres. The only non-romantic bucket among Verticals is Speculative, and it encompasses fairly broadly fantasy, sci-fi and horror. 

Is it worth preparing your story if it doesn't match a Vertical or doesn't match its description (say, you have a Werewolf romance, but in a futuristic setting and your Alpha is a jolly grampa)? 

Absolutely, yes. 

Why?

Because Wattpad determined these Verticals based on their stats. But Wattpad also acknowledges that what they are after are page-turners, that grab the reader and won't let go. 

They call this phenomenon 'sticky' books, the kind of books that captivate and won't let go. I prefer this word to 'Commercial' in the IEC trinity. 

Why?

Because I strongly believe that making your book Immediate and Engaging is all you can do as a writer. The rest is simply not up to you, it's up to the readers. 

And a sticky books can be anything. I mean, a slow-paced book with like 200 pages of absolutely nothing happening buildup to sparkling vampires is a sticky book that originated online.

That's why putting your book before Wattpad's HQ during Watty is important, to see if your story has 'it' factor, even if it's not on the Vertical.

Watty 2023 genres also go beyond the Verticals, opening extra categories:

Action&Triller, Historical, Mystery&Detective and two previously mentioned subsets of General Fiction (Social Themes and Race, Culture & Religion) 

I want to highlight that in the no-romantic genres, Wattpad asks for a page-turner quality and/or emotional grab of the story. As much as it scares me as a writer, as much as I question Wattpad's picks of individual subgenres over others, I know this aligns with my aspirations as a writer. Romance doesn't have to be the 'it' of a story on Wattpad or elsewhere; it has to have 'it'.

There is an LGBTQ2+ story bucket, which I will use for my story (Champion in Love), even if it doesn't align with LGBTQ2+ Romance Vertical. Why? Because it doesn't fit other genres (it's a drama/tragedy with a weak fantasy subgenre). 

If your story has LGBTQ2+ lead and strongly aligns with any other genre on offer, except Romance (because of the perfect match with the LGBTQ2+ Vertical) I suggest choosing that genre and highlighting that the lead is LGBTQ2+ in the form.  

What if your story doesn't match anything? 

My first suggestion is to wait for the submission form to go online on July 17th and check the subgenres' list within each genre. It may give you an idea. 

If nothing pans out even then, I suggest to lean toward the closest possible match. If it's a hospital drama about a family dealing with mortality and illness, consider Social Themes or RCR, if it focuses on relationships or spirituality of it; but Action/Triller/Mystery if there is an aspect of suspense involved. 

Yes, it is a hard task, ngl, but it's your story. You know its ins and outs, you love it, and you can highlight its aspects.