This one is going to be fun.

Now, I'm going to start by sharing a story about when I was a young teenager and I first got Wattpad.

I must have been sixteen? And I had this amazing story idea that I had been writing for a while. Suddenly, someone mentioned Wattpad to me, and how I can share my writing there. I instantly downloaded the app, and I suddenly saw the spam of 'Popular Books' that you first see when you click on Wattpad. A lot have these gorgeous, fantasy covers, and plenty of reads on them. And, when you read some of them, they truly are magical and marvellous and professional.

Then, others... Well, y'all know how much I love grammar (hint: enough to write an advice book to help other people with it). So, safe to say, even sixteen-year-old me had been mortified at the sight of those run on sentences.

But it made me think that... hey, if these guys could write and get popular, so can I, right?

I upload my prologue at night time. And, I swear on the gods of dancing noodles and peri-peri-chicken, I did not sleep that night. I kept getting up, checking my phone, madly expecting a bunch of people to click and comment and read.

When I woke up, I had a total of 1 reads. That 1 being me, clicking on my own story.

I mean, hey, we're supposed to be our own biggest fans, right?

In a way, it was disheartening. Days passed. A week passed. And no one was clicking on my book. Was my story bad? Was my blurb not captivating enough? Was it my profile picture -- were people blinded by my precious, beautiful puppy?

Now, years have passed and I think I'm doing okay on Wattpad! Obviously, my stories aren't front-paging, and I don't have the millions of views that some have, but I'm really happy with my stories and I adore the few consistent readers that I do have. And, unlike my sixteen-year-old self, I don't really see the value in having lots of readers. I'm really quite content.

However! Some of you are not! And that's okay -- I'm here to help you!

Now, the most important thing to understand is that Wattpad works sort of like this: .

Except the poor don't get poorer, because you don't lose reads. They just... stay on the brink of bankruptcy.

Essentially, Wattpad needs to showcase their best books on their front pages to make sure they are still getting people to join their platforms. Now, the people who work for Wattpad are very busy -- they can't read thousands of the new books that are published every day to see which ones they should recommend.

Instead, they have to rely on us, the readers. They see which ones we are clicking on the most, and then promote those ones even more. Which means those ones get more reads. Even though they were already popular to begin with.

The trending pages are quite fair, though! You'll notice that even if your book doesn't have as many 'reads' as other books at the top of what's "trending" for certain tags, it is based on activity on your story relative to other books in that time frame.

Now, despite this "rich gets richer and poor gets poorer" frame that most communities work under (it's not just Wattpad -- it's everything, from dating websites to clothing stores online to youtube videos), there are ways to break the system and make sure your story is that one getting those reads.

So. Without much further ado: here is how to get reads on Wattpad!

It got me 22K reads. It'll do you the same, too.

Just kidding!

I was trying to think about ways to go through this chapter. I've gone through colours of the rainbow, Disney songs, vegetables, recipes... And then it hit me.

Chinese Zodiac Signs.

Just go with me here!

Also, feel free to say "Check!" or "Cross!" to let me know which of these pieces of advice you are currently following!

In the race, the rat was really clever. It rode on the ox, and then, in the last minute, it jumped off and won the race. That rat? It's literally that person in any group assignment that does no work but gets a good grade anyways.

This is your cover. It is the first thing that will grab your reader's attention. And, trust me, if you want readers, you need a good cover for people to take you seriously. If you have no cover, it'll be hard to get people click on your book. A dodgy, non-professional cover is alright, as long as it suits the topic you are writing.

I'm not going to harp on about this, because I was quite clear in the last chapter about covers -- it's important. If my mother chose a book solely because a man with abs was on it, don't be surprised if other readers pick books out because of their covers!

The ox is such a cinnamon roll baby. Hard-working, patient, talented.

This is your story!

Because, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter how well you tick the rest of the boxes in this chapter. If your story is hard to read due to a plethora of grammatical issues, if your characters are as unlikeable as feet pictures, and reading your plot is like reading a compass but after your compass has turned into a candle, then... sorry, bestie! It's not happening!

Make sure your writing is good. Make sure your characterisation is good. Make sure your plot is good.

Notice that I didn't say "great" or "excellent" or "enough to ignite so much passion within a reader that they accidentally set their kitchen on fire".

That's because, honestly, it doesn't need to be perfect to be popular! Ask E.L. James.

But, if you want readers, and you want readers who stay through the chapters, you need to make sure they love what they are reading.

There are millions of stories on Wattpad. No one wants to start reading a book, only to realise halfway through the second chapter that it's not at all what they feel like reading.

Which is why readers rely so much on blurbs! They tell us a bit about the character, the plot, and the stakes -- and sometimes, that's all we need to decide if we want to read it or not.

Not only do you need to make your blurb authentic to your story, but you need to show how your story is unique. They need to show why they should read your werewolf story, instead of the one about sexy alpha males that is trending in the #somewhaterotic section of Wattpad. What makes yours special? Make sure that is especially prevalent throughout your blurb.

Oh? Did you see what I did there?

#somewhaterotic

A good segue into the next important thing:

I'm not talking about tagging random people in random chapters in your book and going 'hi pls read bestie i'll send you pictures of my sunflower seeds'.

I'm talking about the twenty optional tags you have when you publish your story!

These are so fantastic! Genuinely, I think it's one of Wattpad's greatest ideas on the platform. You can do tags for your story so they know what to look for! If your story has wizards in it, you put in the #wizards tag. If your story has potatoes doing the macarena, then you can put the tag, #potatoesbutflexible. It's so helpful for readers, too -- let's face it, I don't want to spend hours scrolling through the 'Fantasy' section to find a good book about sirens. Tags are incredibly valuable.

When you choose your tags, choose wisely! You can do some of the big, generic ones, but try to find some that are slightly more niche! It'll help readers find you. Nothing too niche, though. I doubt many people will be searching #somewhateroticpotatoes.

They go hand-in-hand with your blurb, which was why I put it together with the rabbit and tiger, who were close competitors throughout the race.

I thought it was fitting for awards to be the dragon, because the dragon was known to be pretty, and we like to add pretty winning badges to our covers after awards.

Seriously, though. Awards are fantastic. I'll break it down:

- First of all, there are the big Wattpad run awards, such as The Wattys, The Open Novella Contest, and random short competitions that come up on certain Wattpad genre platforms. If you write a kickass story that wins an award, you will instantly gain lots of traction and popularity. Those awards are freaking hard to win. If you win, you will be recognised immediately, no questions asked.

- Second of all, community-run awards! I'm talking about those cute communities or authors who decide to take some time out of their day to host an award or two for anyone to sign up for! I see it happen all the time, and they're wholesome. Instantly, if you sign up, you are guaranteed a few more reads because judges have to read your stories to judge them. Additionally, if you win, people might be curious and check our your story!

- And finally, in some communities, if you join an award, they recommend checking out the stories written by other participants. I know, for example, runs a short story award every month, and they always encourage authors to read each others' submissions. It creates a really warm, welcoming community of support and advice.

- Actually, one last thing: it feels incredibly sexy if you do win one.

This is the dragon's adoptive son. It's a long story. But I'll skip to the chase.

Ask for reviews! Find reliable reviewers, and submit forms! Yes, this can require payment [via reading their stories or following them], but the most important lesson you will learn from this chapter is that And, depending on the reviewer, you'll get a bunch of reads based on how many chapters they read. Maybe they'll become a huge fan and read your other works? Maybe, even months after the review, they'll think about your story and quietly read it while catching the ferry to their work, much like I do with 's works!

I also, as a reviewer, give a shout-out to books that I have really enjoyed. I know other reviewers do it, too! Sometimes, I've noticed that authors can sometimes bond together after they both get a review they're not happy about, and they check out each others' stories and validate each other. Also really wholesome!

And you also get fantastic advice from reviewers, sometimes! It's a win/win!

As I said before, you have to give a little to get a little.

The kind horse (and the goat, who is next) were so polite, always asking each other if they wanted to go first. This selflessness and dedication reminded me of book clubs!

Book Clubs are so fantastic. This is the best way to get readers -- as you get a new partner to exchange reads with every few days -- and you also get advice from said readers. These reads are usually genuine because the readers leave a long, detailed comment on the chapter (depending on what the book club requires).

This is a great way to meet authors, find good friends, receive feedback and reads!

Do not overcommit yourself, though. They do take time and energy.

Similar to the horse, you have to give a little to get a little.

For some reason, people seem to have a bit of a vendetta against the phrase 'R4R'. I don't know why. It's genuinely such a great idea. I'm personally a huge fan of the Ready 4 Reproduction movement.

Just kidding! It actually stands for 'Read 4 Read'. Please ignore whatever The Free Dictionary tells you about the R4R acronym.

Two people read each others' stories. Pepper it with comments. You both get reads, you both get feedback, and you both get a sort of connection. A lot of the time, the authors who do R4Rs are very authentic, and you can tell this based on their comments and how they interact with your stories.

If you see someone say they're accepting R4Rs on their profile, message them!

Also, leave comments in people's stories -- maybe a reader will stumble across your comment, be curious, check out your profile and your stories. Who knows!

If you see someone comment on your story, reply to them! Let them know that you're interested in what they have to say! If they are unsure whether they should or shouldn't continue reading your story, that little validation that you care about their thoughts is all they need to keep reading.

If you see someone add your book to their 'TO BE READ' reading list, feel free to reach out and thank them! Maybe it'll make them curious to read your story, because you've reached out so openly!

Post regular updates so readers know what and when to expect, respond to your readers, ask them questions!

(Question for anyone reading this: if you had to invent an ice cream flavour, what would it be?)

Okay. I know it is scary showing the world you're on Wattpad. Especially if your story is BTS fanfiction in which your protagonist (who somehow, through a chance of fate, is named after you) shares a hotel room with every single band member and things get peri-peri-chicken levels of spicy.

However, you will be surprised! Some of your friends may actually really support your things. So don't be afraid to showcase your works on your social media platforms! You will be surprised to see which friends of yours check out what you do.

I mean it. I have a ton of best friends, but when I once posted a link to one of my YouTube covers on FaceBook, I got a message from someone who I had met about six timesin my four years of university, who happened to sit next to me in a class. Once that class ended, I never saw her again. Suddenly, I post this YouTube link, and two years after I had last spoken to her, she's messaging me to say she really enjoyed the cover.

I was like... hello? I adore you and appreciate you but also who are you?

You'll be surprised! And, chances are, it'll be for the better!

If you're shy, you can also set up a writer's account that is separate to your personal account on your social media platforms. That way, you can promote your work in other, alternate ways.

This is apt for the Rooster, who was always dressed well and very presentable. After all, you need to be a pretty good campaigner to get this side going well for you!

Communities on Wattpad! We're talking about those communities that have all those stores in them on Wattpad -- reviews, edits, graphics, face-claims, awards, and even book clubs. There are so many fantastic ones (and feel free to promote any in an in-line comment here -- I don't mind!).

In terms of gaining reads, they're also great. If you sign up to be a reviewer or an editor, for example, and your payment is 'read and leave comments on the first five chapters of my book, The Pineapple's Arranged Marriage with Shawn Mendes', and someone asks for a review -- guess what? You just got a reader! And yes, are they reading solely so they can get a review? Yes. But if your book turns out to be amazing and lures them in, then you've got yourself a reader for life.

Communities are a great way to find people to support, and to promote yourself and your books. I am eternally grateful for The Treasure Community for helping me meet so many beautiful souls who I can speak so fondly about today. I'm sure some of you may find moments like these if you join, or even create, a community.

I think, with the honest pig, I need to be honest with you.

Some stories will naturally gain more traction than others. That's just how it is.

If your story is in English, and it's about something that is trending currently, you're going to do fantastic once you get a bit of momentum. However, if you're writing a book in, say, a really uncommon language across Wattpad, and it's a fanfiction about a book that only 58 people in total have read across the world, then it's not going to do as well. You can still get all the reads by doing the tips above, but it may not launch off the way that a lot of stories do.

Some languages are more read than others. Some genres are more popular than others.

However, don't write for popularity. It's exhausting if you do that. Write so that it comes from your heart, and so that you genuinely look forward to letting those words pour out of your soul. Make it something you love and cherish.

I've also been told that completed stories do better on Wattpad! This one, I will say, take with a grain of salt -- I haven't been able to check this one for sure. But, apparently, readers are more fond of books that are completed, because they know they will receive an ending and aren't disappointed by authors who have gone on hiatus at a pivotal cliff-hanger.

Why is this chapter so long--

Anyways, to summarise, you need to That's how things work on Wattpad, but also, in life. Take this as a life lesson from me! If you want kindness from others, make sure you radiate kindness in yourself. You ain't gonna get people tying your shoelaces for you if you are leaving your banana peels inside their pillow cases.

I hope this helped! If you have any questions, or requests for future chapters, always let me know!