Wattpad Pet Peeves

When the Plot Randomly Switches Gears

Hey y'all.

Welcome to your bonus two-in-one pet peeve chapter today. :)

Actually, the only reason I'm putting two pet peeves into one chapter is because these pet peeves are so similar that I thought each separate chapter would be too short. So here you go (as if this chapter won't be just as short as all the other ones).

So the first pet peeve is in the title. It's when the plot randomly switches gears in the middle of the book. And the reason for this usually ties into the other pet peeve I will explain in this chapter: when the story doesn't match the description. These two pet peeves of mine can be explained by the same error Wattpad writers often make, which is only promoted by the Wattpad algorithm: the way stories are published chapter by chapter. The whole way in which Wattpad books are published and why it annoys me can go into its own separate chapter (stay tuned!). In short, the story doesn't match the description because the description was written when the writer first conceptualized the book, and then the book happened to go off in a different direction once the writer started publishing it. 

Now for some examples. These are based on stories I've read here on Wattpad, but I won't be referencing the actual books or authors because I don't want to send any hate their way. Also, referencing their content for the purpose of criticism is protected under fair use. 

I once read a book where the description made it seem like it would be about a romance between a rich CEO and some poor girl, but the plot switched about halfway through the book. Then it became about the characters banding together to take down the main character's evil mom.

I once read a book that I thought would be about a girl surviving a paranormal apocalypse, and then the plot switched to this weird focus where the main girl was actually a goddess the whole time (this story still doesn't make sense to me).

I once read a book about a romance that was set in Korea. The description made it seem like the girl was falling hopelessly in love with a boy that would ruin her life, but the actual story was just kind of a generic romance. 

I once read a book about two mafia children falling in love supposedly. The plot then switched to taking down the main love interest's evil father. 

I'm reading a book about an author who falls in love with a homeless woman. The plot then switches gears to the main author guy being kidnapped by an insane fan of his books. 

The list goes on. If any of the book descriptions sound familiar to you and you happen to know these books or have read them, please don't send any hate to the authors. Wattpad is a platform that allows diverse amateur writers to share their stories and express themselves. I'm only criticizing their books for entertainment purposes. 

The way to prevent making these mistakes is by having a clear outline for your story before you write it. Basically, have an idea of what you want to happen in each chapter before you write the story. Then the story shouldn't deviate from the description too much.