Harlequin SYTYCW 2015 on Wattpad

LA*78 · Jul 24, 2015

Is anyone thinking of entering this year? It's a little different from previous years, as entries have to be published on Wattpad first. It was a little concerning to me at first, as you are potentially giving up the opportunity to submit to other publishers if you don't have any luck. But then I figured the story I'm writing isn't something that would really be of interest to other publishers, as it's being written to meet the guidelines of a Harlequin line. So no real loss if I don't get anywhere in the competition.

Anyway, I've only just signed up for Wattpad, and I've not previously been active on the Harlequin community boards, so I thought I'd see if anyone else in here is entering and wanted to chat about our entries, keep each other motivated etc.

Deb Kinnard · Jul 25, 2015

How would something that appeared on Wattpad not be sendable to publishers? I see no such restriction. At least, I acknowledge none. I've got something up there now, it'd be nice to send the puppy to HQ with the serial numbers well filed off, since it's fanfic.

Latina Bunny · Jul 25, 2015

Deb Kinnard said:
How would something that appeared on Wattpad not be sendable to publishers? I see no such restriction. At least, I acknowledge none. I've got something up there now, it'd be nice to send the puppy to HQ with the serial numbers well filed off, since it's fanfic.

I'm wondering about that, too.
Are Wattpad stories viewable to the public?

Is a story considered published if it was made public on the Internet?

Well, I guess it's possible with some changes, like the situation with 50 Shades of Grey?

LA*78 · Jul 25, 2015

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that many agents and publishers will not consider works that have been previously published in their entirety. Wattpad is considered a publishing platform, as the stories published on their are available to be read by the public. But yes, I think possibly if it was reworked enough it might be alright.

Either way, I'm enjoying reading the stories I've found on there

Deb Kinnard · Jul 30, 2015

With their seeming willingness to pick up successful self-published works and give them a new life under a publisher's banner, I'm not sweating the "previously published" thing very much anymore. They'll do what's best for them, regardless of whether or not the project has ever been seen by readers.

brswain · Sep 2, 2015

Deb Kinnard said:
With their seeming willingness to pick up successful self-published works and give them a new life under a publisher's banner, I'm not sweating the "previously published" thing very much anymore. They'll do what's best for them, regardless of whether or not the project has ever been seen by readers.

Harlequin made it clear in their responses to questions that non-winning entries could certainly be submitted through normal channels for consideration by them for publishing.

Of course that doesn't say anything about any other publisher.

I've put a couple of chapters of my book up there.

stephsco · Sep 10, 2015

I was not involved in the contest, but I've been lurking and reading on Wattpad lately. I'm considering putting up some short stories serially, and hoping to have my future publisher (Bloomsbury Spark) work with Wattpad on a cross promotion. Some fellow writers in RWA have done this since Sourcebooks has some kind of deal with them. I have no idea if this will pan out or not, but since my release is a digital YA which already has its limitations, I want to try some different approaches and go to where digital reader are. T

here's some decent stuff on Wattpad. I've read up on the metrics and how to get on the What's Hot and trending lists and it kind of makes my brain melt. It sounds like the Amazon rankings stuff where people are trying to figure out the algorithms.

Deb Kinnard · Sep 10, 2015

I have a fanfic up right now on Wattpad. How DO you get on the What's Hot and trending lists?

brswain · Sep 11, 2015

Deb Kinnard said:
I have a fanfic up right now on Wattpad. How DO you get on the What's Hot and trending lists?

I've only been on Wattpad for a week or two to post up my SYTYCW entry, but I've been reading up on how to get read.

It doesn't look easy. It looks like a laborious process of reading lots of other people's stuff, commenting, voting, participating in the forums (where suggesting people read yourself is considered Spam and will get shut down) and so on.

You have to invest a lot of time, time not spent writing, editing or developing your own work.

There may be other ways to do it, but I haven't found them. It seems near impossible to get stumbled over, for example if you search for the #sytycw15 tag, the 800 odd entries seem to come up pretty much in the same order, pretty much sorted by most reads/votes down. So a new work with only a few reads and votes; I'm not sure how that is every going to show up in someone's list unless they did really deep.

The reads I've gotten have been most from people I've asked to have a look, e.g. a critique request, which usually requires "payment" in the form of reading a couple of chapter of their work and making comments on it.

romancewriter · Sep 12, 2015

I know now days there is so much emphasis on creating a public platform for writers, but with all the various forms of social media, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Wattpad, etc it's exhausting. And almost impossible to maintain and still keep up with writing and life and kids and - - Anyway I admit I do very little of it. I'm just not all that comfortable with that sort of personal horn tooting. That's probably why my one pubbed book has such low rankings

I understand there's a lot out of there, and it takes a lot to stand out in the crowd, but I became a writer so I can write. Not spend every spare second on social media trying to inspire people to buy my books. Others may have a different view, and that's perfectly fine but I guess I'll have to content myself with low sales until I came across something better.

Sorry if that comes across ranty. Hopefully my comments don't offend anyone.

LA*78 · Sep 13, 2015

brswain said:
I've only been on Wattpad for a week or two to post up my SYTYCW entry, but I've been reading up on how to get read.

What is your entry for SYTYCW? I'm not sure if I've got you in my reading list.

romancewriter said:
I know now days there is so much emphasis on creating a public platform for writers, but with all the various forms of social media, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Wattpad, etc it's exhausting. And almost impossible to maintain and still keep up with writing and life and kids and - - Anyway I admit I do very little of it. I'm just not all that comfortable with that sort of personal horn tooting. That's probably why my one pubbed book has such low rankings I understand there's a lot out of there, and it takes a lot to stand out in the crowd, but I became a writer so I can write. Not spend every spare second on social media trying to inspire people to buy my books. Others may have a different view, and that's perfectly fine but I guess I'll have to content myself with low sales until I came across something better.

Sorry if that comes across ranty. Hopefully my comments don't offend anyone.

I think like everything, it's either something you're comfortable doing, or it's something that takes work. For me, while I'm comfortable with the various platforms, using them to develop an audience is something that takes work. Unfortunately social media has permeated practically every facet of life these days, so I don't think it's something we'll be able to stick our head in the sand over forever.

FWIW, I don't think personal horn tooting gets anyone anywhere. The public see straight through that. I suspect it's connecting on a more personal level with potential readers that helps grow your following.

brswain · Sep 13, 2015

LA*78 said:
What is your entry for SYTYCW? I'm not sure if I've got you in my reading list.

I think like everything, it's either something you're comfortable doing, or it's something that takes work. For me, while I'm comfortable with the various platforms, using them to develop an audience is something that takes work. Unfortunately social media has permeated practically every facet of life these days, so I don't think it's something we'll be able to stick our head in the sand over forever.

FWIW, I don't think personal horn tooting gets anyone anywhere. The public see straight through that. I suspect it's connecting on a more personal level with potential readers that helps grow your following.

Taking your example to heart I put the link in my signature line.

The first three chapters have gotten a more detailed edit, I'm working my way through the rest of them over the next few days.

Hearts for Sail

LA*78 · Sep 13, 2015

brswain said:
Taking your example to heart I put the link in my signature line.

The first three chapters have gotten a more detailed edit, I'm working my way through the rest of them over the next few days.

Hearts for Sail

Great! I've just followed you on there and added your book to my reading list. I'm suppose to be banning myself from any reading until I finish my MS, but I have been sneaking in bits here and there. Mine still needs editing as well. So much to do in 1 week!

brswain · Sep 13, 2015

LA*78 said:
Great! I've just followed you on there and added your book to my reading list. I'm suppose to be banning myself from any reading until I finish my MS, but I have been sneaking in bits here and there. Mine still needs editing as well. So much to do in 1 week!

Editing hell for me right now, but I need to stop reading my own book for a while too, otherwise I start glazing over and have to go back with my pen again.

Of course, I am also self-teaching how to edit as I've never done this before.

brswain · Sep 13, 2015

LA*78 said:
Great! I've just followed you on there and added your book to my reading list. I'm suppose to be banning myself from any reading until I finish my MS, but I have been sneaking in bits here and there. Mine still needs editing as well. So much to do in 1 week!

Just added your book to my lists.

I note from the description there is Fiji setting? I am actually sitting in Fiji right now...looking forward to reading it.

We'll probably sail to your part of the world by next May/June.

brswain · Oct 7, 2015

The Top 50 have been notified, I've made that cut.

The way the contest works is, in essence:
1) Everyone that wants to submits
2) HQN editors read the "Pitch" chapter and chapter 1 from all valid entries and select 50 entries
3) The 50 entries are voted on my Wattpad readers, the top 25 entries move on
4) HQN request a full manuscript from the top 25, the review them and select the ten best.
5) The ten best are voted on by readers at HQN's web site, top voted wins a two book contract

We're starting step #3 tomorrow.

ElaineA · Oct 7, 2015

Oooooh, congrats, br! I follow Angela James from Carina on twitter. She's been very impressed by the entries. Best of luck as you move on!

brswain · Oct 15, 2015

ElaineA said:
Oooooh, congrats, br! I follow Angela James from Carina on twitter. She's been very impressed by the entries. Best of luck as you move on!

Thanks! I made it past the next round of Wattpad voting to the group of 25. Now I'm preparing my final manuscript for submission to the Harlequin editors by Monday.

Harlequin SYTYCW 2015 on Wattpad

LA*78

Deb Kinnard

Latina Bunny

Lover of Contemporary/Fantasy Romance (she/her)

LA*78

Deb Kinnard

brswain

Comma Splice Survivor

stephsco

Deb Kinnard

brswain

Comma Splice Survivor

romancewriter

LA*78

brswain

Comma Splice Survivor

LA*78

brswain

Comma Splice Survivor

brswain

Comma Splice Survivor

brswain

Comma Splice Survivor

ElaineA

All about that action, boss.

brswain

Comma Splice Survivor