COMPARE WRITING SITES FOR READS AND COMMENTS WITH WATTPAD

I am comparing figures from one of the sites I have been using for two nearly three years to figures from Wattpad since I started using it properly in March 2012. Although there are times Wattpad loses if you compare it to the period of time... it is a winner! 

WHICH WRITING SITE DO I RECOMMEND?

I have been using on-line writing sites since late 2009, anything from fanfiction.net, Authonomy, Booksie, Mibba, Webook, Quizilla and most recently Wattpad. People have been asking me which I would recommend and why... here goes nothing. This is my opinion, based on my personal experiences. 

Booksie and The Next Big Writer are one in the same as they are run by the same person. Big writer is a 'paid' service 'not free' like Booksie. I was fortunate to receive a publishing offer from them in relation to KISMET but declined as I would like a more established publisher. The offer was made due to the books popularity on the site so it is well worth you using them.

 Having said that, Booksie falls way behind its competitors, as it fails to keep up to date. It has been over a year since they had issues with uploading images, this is still not resolved and the server has lost work, reads, comments etc which they couldn't retrieve. It has really fell behind these past two years and I fear that it will just disappear off the internet at some point and writers who have work on there will be freaking out, so I have recommended to all my friends to save their work, if not on their computer then use Google+ or something similar. Don't expect help from the helpdesk as 'Booksie Guy' as he calls himself goes awol all the time. His attitude to users has made my jaw drop and was a huge reason I rarely use the site now. 

  

Authonomy is a great site but when I used it two years ago it was full of 'literacy snobs' who took great delight in telling me in over worded flowery comments that I am not a professional writer and never will be. I never professed to be and reminded them that they weren't either.

It was a bit of culture shock as I was used to other sites like Booksie where people either commented to say they liked your work or don't bother. I found people on this site a bit too short and curt in their critique and over keen with the red pen and 'CAPS LOCK'. If I had stayed on the site I would never have continued writing as they had me convinced I was totally shit and had no chance of developing my skills, let alone someone wanting to read my 'made up stories'. 

If there is a 'typo' in your work, they claim you have no editing skills or because you didn't describe a tree over the space of four paragraphs you are nor descriptive. If I wanted to write about a tree for a few paragraphs I would be writing a gardening book not a pirate series and since when are there trees in the sea? Not forgetting the comments berating me for writing a historical piece of fiction using modern day colloquialisms intermingled with historical essence, which is apparently against the writers guild law... who? 

The fact that is it marked as 'Very draft novel' was no safeguard to the sting in the tail of most wordsmiths on there, who are just waiting on Harper Collins to give them a book deal, as Harper give feedback to competition winners. I was told in no uncertain terms via comments from users that I would never win the feedback from them.

Within my first month on there, they were proven wrong. I had some brilliant feedback on the first book in the Pirate series 'Stowaway' from an 'Editor at Harper Collins'. She said it was a truly original piece and stopped her from reading other work, she didn't care it was draft as she had seen far worse submitted as finished pieces. She was drawn to my work after reading a negative comment from a 'jumped up twat' who berated every ones work in the hope of raising his own profile. I hadn't won feedback but I was being given it as she liked my story. She told me I had a gift for storytelling, it was refreshing to read, emotional and readers could relate to my characters even though they were from another time. I was to carry on as she would like to read the finished piece someday. It spurred me on and I left the site to save my pride getting battered by over inflated egos. 

In hindsight I was far too amateur for Authonomy, and looking back two years later, I am grateful to that lady from Harper (Julie, Janet or Jessica, sorry I can't remember the name) for telling me to continue with my hobby and ignore the literacy snobs as publishing and writing changes everyday along with peoples taste. Today one pirate book has turned into a four book series which is loved by all who read it, even in draft form. I had forgotten about her email until recently when Harper Voyager called for submissions and a 'professional author' told me about it. The lady at Harper probably doesn't even work there now and I can't find the email as I closed my account. >:O( but I know one day she will read the finished item and think 'ahhhh the pirate girl good on her for retreating, coming back stronger and proving them wrong'.

The other sites I mentioned like Quizilla just didn't grab me as a user, they were very teen or not offering me anything new. 








Mibba for instance was poorly managed and they even removed the close account button as everyone was leaving. You have to put a job on the helpdesk asking them to close your account! 





WeBook was just not suitable and I kept forgetting I had it. I wasn't getting any feedback or reads so decided to jack it in.

FanFiction.net was the site where I read 'Master of the Universe' which is now 'Fifty Shades of Grey', along side lots of other Twilight fan fiction. I found it as I wanted more Twilight and there wasn't any so I read about Fan Fiction and checked it out. There are some very talented fan fiction writers out there. it was very basic as a site, cut and paste and looks like a forum. I didn't stay on for long but I got to read, comment and chat back and forth via comments with people like Erica James about writing so when I see them getting a publishing deal I raise a glass of wine with pride as I know the journey they had getting there. They also remember me and are now nagging me to get a publishing deal. 


 I had initially joined in late 2010 but my work is 'Adult' and as such was not supported, which mean no reads or comments and defeated the objective. I started using Wattpad again in March 2012, as fans advised me it developed an RRated category where you could post your work. That is true but it is still not searchable or available to the public. RRated work is not allowed to enter the Watty Awards (their book awards and charts as only PG13 and below can enter). Any chapters that are considered too risqué are marked private by Wattpad and not the user, people have to become a fan to read your 'private work' as Wattpad have put a padlock on it.  Literally a little gold padlock appears on it. :O(

Life as an 'Adult' writer is not easy on Wattpad but their users base is mainly age 13 and up, no one wants to corrupt young minds... well I don't. There have been petitions to ask for the work to be searchable as users D.O.B. is used to create an account so it was suggested they could use that as a way to allow over 18's to access mature content but Wattpad are a Canadian based company and apparently Canadian law means that is not going to happen. Many writers either edit it down to PG13 or leave it RRated and get less reads. Wattpad have implemented a 'mature' button with it is no good unless you know the name of the book or author you are looking for, otherwise it comes up blank. I am sure they will improve it but for now RRated writers are at a disadvantage from others, not searchable, work marked private so people have to be fans to read it, can't enter awards and there is no other recognition for RRated writers on there.

Being an RRated writer isn't so bad.... I've still had more reads, votes and comments on Wattpad since March than I have in two or three years on the other sites. It is far more advanced and is like Facebook for writers. The team behind it are lovely, human and have a great moral compass which was lacking on other sites where I was concerned that young users were accessing material which I found shocking. Wattpad have wonderful user engagement and even arrange meetups around the world so readers and writers can meet each other and them. They have over 5 million users, 2.5 billion minutes are used on Wattpad a month which proves they are the worlds largest community for sharing and discovering stories.

As such I recommend Wattpad for all round general writing from G to PG13, Poetry, Short Stories and Novels. There are so many talented people on there making book covers, book trailers, let alone the readers and writers who make it worthwhile logging on everyday to escape into a world of imagination. You can even share between facebook, twitter etc and the helpdesk actually 'help' which is a godsend. 

If you are an adult writer e.g. Erotica I would recommend Booksie as Wattpad don't allow pornographic content. 

I hope this has helped and I will do a follow up piece of Wattpad to show why I chose it but this should help get you creating a free account. Why use Wattpad? It is a brilliant writing site, since March 2012 my work has received 732,317 reads, 11,065 votes, 2,446 comments, 1,388 fans! What you waiting for.... http://www.wattpad.com

MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN - FAN PAGE

I have set up a fan page for Marriage Made In Heaven (MMIH) on Facebook. This is due to an influx in comments and readers pleading for the sequel, plus I have decided to try to edit it read for submission to Harper Collins on 1st October. It is not going to be perfect but hey it is short notice!

This is a story with Angels, Demons, Human, Soul Scavengers, Harpee's etc.

A young woman called Liberty, engaged to be married starts to have reoccurring nightmares where she is being sacrificed. They are so vivid that she can recall every detail from being tied to the altar to falling into a grave. They always seem to happen around her birthday and each year they get a little bit longer and more terrifying. Until one year when she meets a handsome stranger at a night club the nightmares become reality.

A world she assumed was fantasy became all too real and she discovered that things really do go bump in the night. Injured during a rescue she lies dying surrounded by the angels and inadvertently completes a marriage ceremony with her guardian angel Ethan.

Marriage between angels and humans is taboo! She no longer just has to worry about dying, she has to worry about his father and the scavenger who has come to steal her soul! No one can tell her why she so important to the demons or how the hell she can get out of this marriage!

She learns very quickly that not all Angels are 'fluffy winged do gooders'... and why for the love of god did someone not tell her how powerful the 'call to consummate' is! (Adult content)

If you want to join the group here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/203285419803728/

I also have Fan Pages for:

Pirate Series https://www.facebook.com/groups/471105882901810/

Kismet https://www.facebook.com/groups/344902798921007/

Love is in the Heir https://www.facebook.com/groups/237461133041983/

PIRATE CAPTAIN FAN FICTION - KATHERINE COITIER

As many of you are huge fans of the 'Pirate Captain Series' I thought I would share this with you. 

A fan of the series, and an aspiring author, Katherine Coitier, has penned a fan fiction based on the pirate series with Shadow as the main character. It is not finished and is draft, but I know a lot of you will enjoy reading it... and who knows you may be inspired to write one yourself. 

http://www.booksie.com/fan_fiction/novel/katherine_coitier/captive-shadow-and-light

Katherine has a passion for reading and writing that we can all relate to but she also loves a bit of LARPing (Live Action Role Play). She loves arts and crafts so much she even made her own wedding dress. If you haven't got her on your friends list... add her as she is amazeballs. Did I mention she likes cats?... No wait she LOVES cats! You can send her all your funny cat pictures and swap recipes as she likes to cook. 

On Wattpad alone, Kat has over 5000 fans! Nearly 38,000 votes on her stories! One of her stories has received over a Million reads. Congratulations Katherine! 

http://www.wattpad.com/user/Katherin3Coitier

This is what Katherine has to say about herself. 

I'm one of those creative people. Highly creative people. I can paint, draw, sew, etc. Anything artistic and to express myself in any way possible. Writing just seems to be an extension of that creative spirit.

You can call me Kat, but please no Kathy. That just doesn't suit me at all. Just to let you all know... This is a pen name and not my actual name. I made it up in middle school. I told myself if I ever start writing seriously, then that's what I wanted my name to be.

My works are first drafts, so if there are mistakes, that's why. I've gotten many complaints from readers who are a bit picky and others that just ignore it.

For those who want more about me... Websites to check out and info about me.

Writer's site- http://www.Booksie.com/katherine_coitier

Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/katherine.coitier

Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/#!/kat_coitier

Email- katherine.coitier@gmail.com

Website- http://www.coitier.com

She truly is a wonderful friend and has sent me several stories or scenes she writes based on my novels. Sometimes its a scene with Monkey Man from The Secret of Monkey Island. Other times it 'Love is in the Heir' and occasionally her own work. 

Katherine, thank you for your support these past three years and for nagging me into posting on Wattpad and testing it out for me haha. I really do appreciate everything you do to help support my work and pimp me to your fans ;o)

Keep those creative juices flowing as you never know where they might lead.