Chasing Wattpad

I has words

The other day, in an veiled attempt to not write, I did what I always do instead. I thought about writing. Yep, thought about it a lot. While doing so I came upon some new and really exciting revelations. I then Googled them all and found out that they were neither new nor exciting at all. That happens a lot.

But there are a couple of things I do want to share for you beginning writers like me. Not because they are important, but because I took the time to write them down and I don't have anything else to do with them.

Now these are real world thingies. Not Wattpad thingies. Wattpad, as you already know, follows no rules whatsoever. What you can do on Wattpad does not necessarily translate to anything in the real world. Yeah, you saw that right. Wattpad is a fantasy world. It's true. In Wattpad you have a captive audience who gets your notifications from people doing the same thing. You've joined together for that purpose. It's a kind of a cheat almost. They get to check out that notification if they feel like it. How many would feel like it if it cost them a quarter just to look? Not many would look at my stuff for a quarter. Maybe a nickel. Maybe not.

You only need 3 things to write a story that someone might want to read. First, you got to have a good story. What's a good story? I don't know. It's a mystery. But I know one when I see one. I've read a bunch of good ones here on Wattpad. I know that what I like and what you like are different, but that's okay. It should be that way.

I've also read a lot of really terrible stuff on Wattpad. The kind of stuff that if you handed it to a publisher(or a third grader)they would just laugh in your face. Just because it's popular on Wattpad does not mean it is good enough for the outside world. There are books on Wattpad that have millions of read that will never see the world outside of Wattpad. But that's old news and it really doesn't even matter. The outside world is mostly crap too. But that doesn't mean you should be.

Second, you have to have the words. Just because you have a good story in your head does not mean you have the words to tell it. A lot of people don't. They can't put a story together to save their life.

Having the words is not a natural thing that just happens for everyone. Words are learned. If you don't read you don't have words. If you don't study you don't have words. It's just that simple. Words don't always cooperate. They don't always come to you. Sometimes you have to go to them.

Now don't over do it either. If I am reading your stuff and you me make go to the dictionary more than twice then you are just showing off. Nobody likes a showoff and any idiot can use a thesaurus. Use words naturally. Keep it simple stupid. Yep, I called you stupid.

Third, you have to have a voice. Once you learn enough words you then have to learn how to make them yours. That's both the easy and tough part. Any idiot can imitate someone. But can you be new voice? Shouldn't you be? I love a lot of writers and I wish I could write like them. But if I had the power to imitate their voice I wouldn't. An imitation is still just an imitation.

There is nothing quite as beautiful as a single solitary voice in a piece of writing. Natural and alone like all writing should be. Away from the stale crowd of other writers. A good writer will want to be a new voice. A good writer will want to stand alone.

So go find these things. Get good at each one. You might be able to get people to read you with just one or two of them, but if want to make magic you will need all three.

Me? I got stories. I has words. Sometimes, on really quiet days, I can almost hear my voice.