Although stories are made for everyone to read, each story does have a particular audience it would appeal to most. Just like any product, stories should be built with a specific target audience in mind. This doesn't mean your story will only be read by audience type, it just means that the majority of your readers are likely to come from a specific age range.

Adding a Target Audience isn't required but is encouraged as it helps Wattpad better understand your story.

Please note that you can only add a Target Audience when on the Wattpad website (the feature is not available on our apps).

Adding a Target Audience on the Web

1. Click on Write in the top navigation

2. Click on My Stories

3. Select the story you'd like to add characters to

4. Navigate to the Story Details tab

5. Select your target audience from the Primary Target Audience drop down, which is found under Genre

6. Select either Save or Publish to save your changes

Note: Once you've added a target audience, you will not be able to remove it and can only change the intended audience.

How do I know my Target Audience when I don't have many readers yet?

There are many ways to know your target audience. Generally you can identify your target audience even before you share your story. Here are the list of questions you can ask yourself to help determine who your target audience is.

- Generally, but not always, the ages of the main characters reflect the age of your likely target audience. Is your main character 17 and in high school? Then likely, so are your target audience readers.

What is my story's setting?

- Sometimes, the setting of your book can help you determine what your target audience is. Does the setting of your book primarily take place in an office setting? Then perhaps your target audience that is most familiar with this setting are readers between the ages of 18+.

Did I write this book for people like me?

- Did you write this story because it was a story you wish you had available to read, but you couldn't find a story like it? If it was, this could be a good indication that your story's target audience is you and people like you! If you are 25+, your audience may be too.

What are the different Target Audiences?

- Middle Grade targets readers between the ages of 8-12

- Young Adult targets readers between the ages of 13-18

- New Adult targets readers between the ages of 18-24

- Adult targets readers over the age of 25+

Will you only show my story to the Target Audience I define?

No. No matter who you specify your target audience as, we will still show your story to everyone. For example: if you specify that your story's Target Audience is Young Adult (therefore targeted towards 13-18 year olds), your story will still be accessible on Wattpad to everyone else too.

Do my readers see my Target Audience selection?

Readers will not see who you've defined your target audience as. Only yourself and Wattpad can see that information.

My story contains mature content, does that make it "Adult"?

No. "Mature" stories, and "Adult" stories are different. Just because your story may contain mature themes (like sex or violence) does not mean that it will always be classified as adult. Example: you can have a New Adult story about an intern in New York City, with some sexual and violent themes. This just means the story would be classified as both "Young Adult" and "Mature".

What if I want all my stories to reach all audiences?

Still specify your target audience, even if you want your stories to reach all audiences. Simply because you label your target audience as older, does not mean that your story will not be read by a younger audience or vice versa. Some older readers love reading Young Adult fiction, even if it is targeted for readers younger than them. The same goes with younger readers, who may prefer New Adult fiction even if it is targeted for audiences older than them. Target Audience is simply another way of defining what your story is all about.