Hello again, Wattpeeps! It’s NGenius here! (Aka NDGrant, aka ValentyneLove, aka Beanumoran). I feel like I change usernames like I change my pants! Anyway, I’ve been doing some serious digging to try and find new ways for you all to boost your numbers. Oh yeah, chickie poo has been doing her research and scouring the forums for interesting new ways for you guys to really put yourselves out there. And here is what I’ve found.
List Trading.
I know, you’re looking at the screen like “What you talkin’ bout, Indie?” I’ll tell you what I’m talkin’ bout. I’m talking about Reading Lists. We’re all required to make one upon signing up for a Wattpad account. We all have one, whether it is used or not.
Now, List Trading is something new that has popped up on the forums and is gaining momentum fast. Not to mention the fact that it’s legal (per Wattpad rules) which means AWESOME things in your reads/votes/comments future.
The Premise:
You and a small group of other forlorn writers come together in book club fashion. But instead of committing to read someone else’s story and comment and such, you all agree to make a Reading List called “Advertisements” and add one another’s story to the list.
This is one of the easiest, low commitment means to get more reads. Now, this only works if at least two of your group has a decent sized follower base. It doesn’t do anyone any good if your group has seven followers total. But, if you play your cards right, your follows, reads, comments and votes could jump sky high with the right List Trading.
The Pros:
1. NO READING REQUIRED!: This is great for those writers who don’t like reading other people’s stories on Wattpad, but still somehow expect people to read their stories. (This sounds a little jaded, but I’m a firm believer in the idea that you don’t get something for nothing. Just saying.) Or, people who have a busy home, school, work and social life and don’t have the time to commit to a full blown Book Club.
2. EASY SET-UP!: Tired of the “reading schedule” hassle? Does it feel like the book club never gets to your book? You don’t have to worry about that with this! Nope, you are just a number on a list. Your cover, synopsis, plot and grammar all speak for itself.
3. AVOID TERRIBLE CRITIQUES!: At least everyone who has been in a book club has had to deal with a less than favorable critique. It stinks, but they are helpful (sometimes). But for those of you not really wanting feedback at the moment, but more so readers who will actually enjoy your work and not rip it to shreds, this is a great alternative.
4. YOUR STORY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF!: Your cover, your synopsis, your writing, you don’t have to rely on anyone else promoting your story for you. It does it on its own.
The Cons:
1. PLACE MATTERS!: If your story isn’t near the top of the visible list on the person’s profile page, you might not get the exposure you were hoping for.
2. THE COMPETITION IS FIERCE!: The problem with lists like these is, if your story doesn’t have a lot of votes, reads or comments, and it is right under a similar story with a better cover, synopsis and numbers, your story might be overlooked.
3. TWO-SIDED DEAL!: You can’t just ask someone to add your story to their Ad list and walk away. The deal usually is that you have to add their story to a list of your own. Nothing like this ever comes free.
Tips:
1. When you are first starting out, try this approach with some of your Wattpad friends. It is easier to start a group like this with members you know and can mutually benefit from. Sometimes strangers make promises they don’t keep.
2. Before you jump into a List Trading pool, check out the members involved. Do they write similar genres as you? If they do, it is a better bet that your stories will catch their followers’ attention. If you are advertising a paranormal horror story to a group of hardcore Chick Lit people, it might not reach them well.
3. Also, check each person’s followers. It does you no good to join a pool where you are the one with the most followers, all twenty of them, and everyone else has two or three max. You aren’t reaching anyone that way.
That’s it for this issue! I would love to hear success stories or other ideas for boosting numbers! Comment below.
Ciao!~
NGenius
