Your Guide to Writing the Perfect Story

How to Promote Your Story Properly

Okay, I've said time and again how popularity shouldn't be the reason that you write; you should write because you enjoy it. However, some people still really care about sharing their work and that is understandable, too. In this chapter I'm going to show you how to advertise your stories and also how not to advertise. Believe me, if you don't advertise your story properly, you might receive the opposite reaction that you were aiming for. 

Part One: How to Advertise

1. Visit the Clubs

What I personally don't understand is how anyone can expect people to stumble across their page and rocket them to fame without even getting their name out there. Clubs are a great resource for advertising. Keep in mind that my definition of advertising probably differs from yours. I don't mean that you should go to a club and tell people to read your book. Most people probably won't if you do that. But, if you start discussions or participate in the threads, people will start to get to know you. Whenever I decide to frequent the clubs, I find that there are many users whom I recognize from when I used to go on there more often. Those are the people that will get more followers and more reads. Someone might just decide, "This person looks cool. I'm going to check out their page." Voila. That is how to advertise without even mentioning your story through the clubs.

2. Read, Vote, and Comment

If you expect anyone to care about your story, you are going to need to prove that you care about others, too. Most readers won't be bothered to comment on a story because they are lazy and they believe it's a waste of thier time. Well, let me tell you something: as nice as it is for the author to receive a comment, it benefits you just as much. The moment you say something on Wattpad, it is a shout into the void. It is like you are calling out to everyone else that is reading that story "I exist"! If you make a particularly interesting point or observation, or say something that another can relate with or laughed at, you are increasing the chances that they will visit your page and read the book you want to be read. 

In order to gain reads, you have to read outside of your story. It's just that simple. And even if you don't comment but you vote that author might decide to check out your profile, especially if they aren't popular on Wattpad. That way they will appreciate and notice the gesture that much more. 

3. Reply to Comments

A lot of readers forget to vote. A lot of readers. But, sometimes they will be reminded without you even telling them. . . . If I go to the effort of leaving a comment and the author replies, sometimes that is the extra push I need to vote. It shows that the author appreciates what the readers have to say and that, somehow, makes them deserving of that vote. Consider that. Don't be silent.

4. Communicate With Your Followers

I think that any of you can back me up when I say that most followers don't actually seem to read your stories and if they do, they're silent so you can't even tell. The thing is, if you never talk to your followers, they will probably forget about you. It's a simple fact of being a Wattpad user. I always make sure to thank every single person that follows me. When you do this, they might be more inclined to check out your stories. I also send messages to my followers occasionally if I update a story or I reached an achievement and I want to thank them. Sometimes I even ask them questions on my profile. Interact with your followers! This will subtly push them towards your works.

5. Use the Hashtags

This is just a basic way of advertising. Admittedly, I don't really check out the hashtags but some people do so it won't hurt you to try. Look to see what hashtags are trending and consider using some of them.