Is It Still Worth It to Post on Wattpad in 2022?

Wattpad has gone through some exciting changes in 2021. And while it spells out big things for the company, it makes me re-evaluate whether I want to continue using the platform for writing.

I’ve been a user on Wattpad since 2016, when I transferred over my Hey Arnold! fanfiction from Fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own. In 2018, I created a new Wattpad account specifically for original fiction.

My main focus was Crush on Teacher, Obsessed with the Bad Boy (renamed to appease the algorithm but originally titled Elite and Tawdry), a side project story I would update a few times a year.

We’re now almost a year into Wattpad making the deal to become a part of WEBTOON, and now I wonder if it’s worth staying on a platform that’s rapidly changing.

Wattpad is OBSESSED with Gen Z

One thing made abundantly clear from following Wattpad’s newsletter and LinkedIn account is they have a vested interest in the analysis of Gen Z behaviour — that is, anyone born between 1997 and 2012.

Gen Zs make up a majority of the audience on the platform, and a lot of the contests and promotions on Wattpad are designed with the intent of getting Gen Z sentiment.

I’m not aware if this has been going on since I joined the site, but the focus on Gen Z readers and writers seems way more prevalent than when I initially joined. On the one hand, it’s a logical strategy; much of Wattpad’s audience lies in this age range, so it makes total sense to cater their services to this group.

However, I do not fall within this desired group; I am (begrudgingly) a millennial, and older than Wattpad’s intended audience. As a result, although I consider myself fairly active on the site, I can’t help but feel like people in my generational bracket are seen as less important since we are not the subject of many of Wattpad’s campaigns and analyses. Wattpad had made it abundantly clear they are staunchly interested in their Gen Z audience, and as a result, it alienates all users who don’t fit the mold.

Wattpad Seeks to Nurture Artists, Not Writers

Wattpad Books was created in 2019 in a bid to tap into the profitable side of their library, transforming popular (original) stories from the platform into published books.

Wattpad has since expanded to include Wattpad Studios, a branch of the company designed to specifically create feature films based on popular Wattpad works, such as The Kissing Booth and the After series.

Now Naver has acquired Wattpad. WEBTOON and Wattpad are collectively doubling down on creating content that caters to the visual medium. Wattpad WEBTOON studios greenlit new properties for film and TV, such as Gremoryland and I’m a Gay Wizard, respectively. The company is also opening a new branch specifically designed to focus on print versions of popular graphic novels.

While this news points to exciting new growth for both companies, it’s also indicative of a clear focus veering away from a focus on the written word, which was Wattpad’s foundation.

Wattpad Has Too Many Ads

I appreciate that Wattpad remains a free-to-use platform, the majority of which is still accessible to its global users.

However, it’s a constant struggle for users to resist Wattpad’s intrusive practices. A lot of times, I’m hesitant to even use the mobile app anymore; after reading a few chapters of a story, I am bombarded with annoying ads with sound I can’t immediately turn off or redirected yet again to a screen asking if I’d be willing to pay for the ad-free experience.

The fact that competitor site AO3 offers an uncluttered ad-free experience without the need to bombard users with calls to action leads me to believe that Wattpad is more interested in their bottom line than providing ease to their users.

My Experience on the Platform in 2021

As I mentioned, I’m currently on the site to participate in the occasional contest and to update my side project Elite and Tawdry. However, due to the story’s lack of reach, I’ve considered removing the story entirely and completing it so I could self-publish it as an e-book.

I have also been coaxed — albeit unscrupulously — by some of Wattpad’s competitors, such as Webnovel and GoodNovel. They both offer monetary incentives; however, for me to take advantage of this benefit, I’d have to get Elite and Tawdry to a minimum of 50,000 words. Both platforms push confusing, oddly-worded contracts that look as though they’ve been translated from Chinese, so I don’t feel comfortable hurrying the novel to meet their sketchy terms.

All this to say: I have options for where I post my original fiction. I’ll admit I haven’t been the most consistent with updating Elite and Tawdry, but I still believe that my reach could be a bit better than what it currently is on Wattpad.

At the time of writing this Elite and Tawdry is still on Wattpad, but I’ve also posted the story on tapas.io, Royal Road, Inkitt, and Vocal Media.

So is Wattpad still the place for fiction in 2021? In my opinion, it’s a valid option if you’re practicing your writing. But I suspect its focus on the written word will diminish as it increases its focus on graphic novels and film, and if you don’t fall within the Gen Z audience, you won’t get much attention and you’re better off looking elsewhere to share your work.

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Sylvie is a dual American/Canadian citizen living in Toronto, Canada. She has written for numerous sites, including Screen Rant, The Spool and Midnight & Indigo. Sylvie is currently writing her first YA novel; follow her writing journey at https://sylviesoul.com and @sylvsoulwriter on Twitter.