Cracking the Wattpad Code: Insider Secrets the Pros don't want you to know!

Get Featured! Part 1

This has got to be my most-requested topic, next perhaps, to questions regarding YuenRank/the ranking algorithm. I get tons of PMs and questions around this particular topic.

How do I get my story Featured?

Before I get into this in detail. I'd like to start by having you you think about what goals you have for being on Wattpad.

Most writers on Wattpad have one of two goals: Get "Famous" or Get Published. But what does that even mean? More reads? More followers? Exactly how many reads? And what about getting published? That's an even loftier goal. So, the most important thing is really to begin with the end in mind. Set goals for yourself, because setting goals determines the path you have to follow and the actions you have to take to get there.

Oh, and for those of you who say, "But I'm just here to share my stories with the world", let's be honest for a moment. If that was all you cared about, you shouldn't be reading this. You've already posted your story on Wattpad. Therefore, you're done. Mission accomplished. You've shared your book with the world and you don't care about anything else.

Now there are indeed, some writers who think that way, or some writers who have an honest desire to help others on this website. But, they aren't reading this book.

YOU ARE.

Which means, you do care about the reads and want to do something about it :)

One more thing to keep in mind regarding goals: set realistic targets for yourself. It's fine to say, "one day, I want to have a million reads". It's certainly an admirable goal, but if all you've got right now are ten measly reads, that goal is going to be more demoralizing than motivating. So, set realistic targets for yourself. Setting realistic targets also helps spur you along and motivate you. When I first started, my first goal was to hit 1,000 reads. It was very encouraging when I finally hit that number, but even more encouraging, was the first time I clocked 1,500 reads over two days! So do that. Because hitting those read targets will inspire you to do more. 

Set a realistic goal. When you accomplish that, set a higher, but equally realistic goal. Pretty soon, you'll find you can keep going higher as long as you're trying harder too. 

Important Sidenote: it's now a lot harder for an unknown story to accomplish what my story did because of the 3/2013 change, unfortunately. Now, only Hot List stories and Featured Stories can possibly clock that many reads in a short amount of time.

Okay, why did I just go through all of that? Because your goals will determine what path you should take.

Featured or Hot List or Both

Ok, here's something some of you might find really interesting. Getting featured and landing on the Hot List are actually conflicting goals! It's very interesting, but it's true.

Why are they conflicting?

Think about it. What's the number one key to being Featured? That's right. The story has to be well-written. Now, "well-written" is a term that so many misinterpret, and that's because even Wattpad changes their standards for the definition of well-written, but I'll get to that in a minute.

Ok, what about the Hot List, then? Well, think about it. What's the best way to land on the Hot List? That's right, get as many readers to read, comment and vote on your story as you possibly can!

Ok Mike, I'm still lost. Where's the conflict you were talking about?

Here it is:

If you happen to write well enough to get Featured, you're going to run into something very interesting. You're going to get readers, who can't understand your book! They're going to get lost in the prose! Crazy, right? Not really. The readers who buy books in bookstores are REAL readers. They know how to read prose. In fact, they're expecting it when they buy books.