Though our recent blog posts have been focusing mainly on content within a story, I decided to break that streak for this particular post simply because I've been doing some research lately about where to showcase your writing online, and thought I would share what I found along with some of my own opinions.
Most writers that I know have showcased their writing in some kind of online forum, whether it be Wattpad, FictionPress, Inkitt, or various other sites that encourage people to share their work. Due to past experiences with some of these sites, I now believe that there are pros and cons to posting your work on these forums, but by no means am I suggesting that you should completely steer clear of them---they exist for a reason, and also have very good qualities attached to them as well. Do not assume I am telling you not to visit these sites; rather, I'm offering my personal opinions regarding whether or not I would personally continue using them.
Let it be known that I currently still have an account on Fanfiction.net and my stories still exist under the pen name Key of Magic, which is the same name that I used on my Wattpad account. While I am no longer active on either of these sites, there was once a time where I was posting on them weekly. Now, I no longer do that, and I'll explain why below.
Free / Open Sites (e.g. Wattpad)
What I mean by free/open sites are places such as Wattpad, which do not require an account in order for the stories to be accessed (basically, anyone can read what's posted).
I still remember the days when I consistently updated my series---titled The Holders Trilogy---on Wattpad, which took nearly two years to complete. I have to say, it was definitely a fun experience that helped me to practice my writing and receive feedback regarding how I could improve it. It helped me to learn, grow, and meet other writers, which means that it was certainly an experience I do not regret.
However, now that I'm working on different manuscripts, and have somewhat left The Holders Trilogy behind, I no longer post on Wattpad, because I am instead aiming for the traditional publishing route (which is to find a literary agent). Therefore, I would never post any of my full manuscripts on the site (or any other "open sites"), simply because these sites grants access to any user, meaning that my manuscripts would then technically be accessible to everyone. And, a publisher might reject later reject said manuscripts if I tried to traditionally publish them simply because they would see no point in printing and selling a book that anyone could read online for free.
This is not to say that I would not post excerpts of my manuscripts (e.g. the first couple of chapters) on Wattpad, just to gain feedback and to build a platform with other writers. However, since I've become very serious about wanting to traditionally publish my manuscripts, I no longer feel comfortable with sharing complete works on the internet.
This is not to say that people haven't become successful from posting their entire manuscripts on Wattpad---there are many successful Wattpad writers who have even turned their books into movies. So, the question is whether you are prepared to share your work with the world in hopes of it getting recognized on an online site. And that is entirely up to you to decide.
In short, my opinion on Wattpad and other non-member sites is that they're great spaces to meet new people and see how readers respond to your writing, but that they are definitely not places where I would post any of my full manuscripts on.
Member Sites (e.g. Swoon Reads)
Member sites are areas where users must create an account and log in order to access the manuscripts that are on the site, meaning that these manuscripts are not open to everyone.
On Swoon Reads, it's free to create an account, but the manuscripts posted on the site are typically quite long (approximately 70,000 words, I would say), and must be formatted a certain way when they are posted so that they appear to look like real books. So, on Swoon Reads, you won't see poetry anthologies, joke books, or fanfiction, which is what tends to appear on sites such as Wattpad. Swoon Reads also specifically features young adult and new adult fiction, meaning that not just any story can be posted on the site.
In the past, I've posted my first manuscript on Swoon Reads, but took it down after a couple of months because I heavily wanted to revise it. I was happy with the site, though, and am planning to revisit it again, simply because it gave me an opportunity to receive feedback by authors and readers who are very serious about writing. This feedback was also very thorough and helped me to see exactly where my novel needed improving.
So far, I've found Swoon Reads a very helpful and positive place for writers who are interested in publishing their work. I would highly recommend it for new adult and young adult authors who have completed and edited manuscripts that they need readers to look at. Also, a couple times each year, the Swoon Reads editing team looks through the manuscripts posted on the site and chooses which ones they want to publish! I believe the amount of how many books they publish per round ranges from one to six. You can learn more about their selection process by visiting their website.
Although popularity of a book does contribute to whether a book will be published by the Swoon Reads staff, it is not the only dictating factor---it depends on how much the editorial staff likes your work.
Swoon Reads is also a section of Macmillan Publishing, which is one of the largest publishers!
To summarize, just be careful where you post your work online---plagiarism is still a prominent issue. And whether Wattpad is your cup of tea, or you're a fan of Swoon Reads like me, I wish you all the best on your publishing endeavors.
Also, if you're desperate for someone to read the first chapter of your short story or manuscript and offer feedback, feel free to send it to Fiza and I at dreamingininkinquiries@gmail.com. The submission deadline is August 8th, 2020, and there is no cost or limit to your amount of submissions. See more details on our Instagram page!
Once again, thank you for reading!
~ Ayishah