Wattys season is almost upon us. For those who don’t know the Wattys are an annual contest held by Wattpad. More about this year’s news and rules can be found here. I was a Watty winner in 2019 for my story The Nymph of Versailles. I’m also an experienced editor. I have an earlier post talking about my journey leading to that win here. Quick recap: I did a lot of revising and querying before trunking the novel. Then I pulled it out and did yet another round of revisions before entering the Wattys. And yes, I have a lot of advice for anyone looking to enter the Wattys. But remember, these are only my views and advice.
First of all, while submissions open July 7th, I suggest you not let your excitement get the best of you. Don’t submit as soon as submissions open because you can’t stand to wait any longer, and especially not if your submission isn’t ready. I saw a ton of people complaining that they made mistakes in their eagerness to enter or realized the book needed another round of revisions after they’d already entered. With thousands and thousands of people entering, you need to put your best foot forward. Use all the time you have to make your submission the best it can be.
Revise! Get feedback from fresh eyes, and I don’t just mean the comments people leave on your story on Wattpad. Get another writer or reader in your genre you trust to give you pointed feedback. I ran my story through critique partners and then the querying process and revised multiple times based on the feedback I received. Learning to take feedback and revise is a critical skill (and one of the hardest) to learn if you want to be a published author. That makes preparing for the Wattys a great learning opportunity.
The Wattys aren’t a popularity contest. My story was the first and only thing I had posted at the time of winning. It also had probably about 200 views. The views blew up after the results were announced. If you plan on entering focus on making your story the best it can be rather than drumming up readers to win. Also, it isn’t only Stars who win, something I’ve been hearing this year. I got offered a spot in the Stars program after I won. At the end of the day a great story that has been thoroughly revised is going to be your best chance.
Be smart about what you choose to enter with. If you are pressed for revising time, pick your strongest story to polish and enter. Which story are you the most passionate about and think stands out the most? When I entered I also had a fantasy that I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish in time without rushing. I chose the story I knew I could revise in time. Whatever genre you enter with, know that genre inside and out to ensure you are meeting genre expectations. If you don’t you run the risk of leaving readers confused or unsatisfied.
While I entered my story as historical, I won in the literary category. The Wattys team moved my story to that category, which means if they love your story and think it fits better elsewhere, they will move it. That said, still make sure you pick the category you think your story is best suited to. This year I’m considering entering my story Silver Blood, but because it is fantasy romance I expect the category to be much more competitive and difficult to win in compared to my 2019 win due to the category being more popular. I’m using that to keep my expectations realistic.
Follow the rules and consider what happens if you do win. Read through all the info provided on Wattpad before entering. If you get offered any sort of deal, make sure you have someone review the contract for you. Really that is evergreen advice no matter who the contract is coming from. A bad contract can do lasting damage to your writing career. And once again, follow the rules! When I entered I heard way too many stories about people entering despite having already self-published that book, a no-no according to the rules. You will be found out because the Wattys team will check.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t win. Keep your expectations realistic. Winning is nice, but rejection and not winning is never a statement on your writing ability or self-worth. Always remember that. Writing comes with a ton of rejection, especially if you plan to get into traditional publishing. Don’t take it personally. Instead use the Wattys to discover great new authors and perhaps find new critique partners or friends by reading in your genre and supporting those stories and authors. There is value to be found in entering if you also network and find great new stories even if you don’t win. The Wattys profile also has a resource full of tips for writers looking to enter that is generally good writing and revising advice.
And finally, always be courteous to other writers whether you win or lose. Writing is hard enough without writers tearing each other down too. If you support other authors you’ll find them more willing to support you back. I read some of the stories by new readers I gained, but I didn’t touch those who were rude about my win or messaging me demands for feedback or to advertise them. I’m a big believer in catching more flies with honey.
Any other questions about my experience entering and winning the Wattys? Leave a comment below! If you want to follow news of my writing and future advice, check me out on Wattpad and Instagram.
Thank you very much for taking the time to set out the experience you had with the wattys. You’re an inspiration to me.