Welcome to the Wondrous World of Amateur Writing

Being a writer is challenging.

Becoming a published writer even more so.

Since the time of the Printing Press, the use of published books has multiplied numerously throughout the centuries. Works like Shakespeare, the Bible, Jane Austen- all changed the course of writing thanks to being published.

But what about now? As writing has become easily done and more and more people are using self-publishing options such as Amazon, Xlibris, etc., how does one writer make it in a world of easily published writers? What will help them make their work stand out?

I’m glad you asked!

As technology has developed, so has our outlets for writing. Places such as Wattpad, Reddit, Tumblr, and WordPress have become the popular medium to showcase their work. Each website offers writers different components, which, depending on what a person would like to write must be taken into consideration if you are to reach the correct audience.

As an amateur writer myself, I understand the importance-and the struggle- of this decision. The second problem is feeling overwhelmed and intimidated by these sites--their structures, their formatting, their users’ expectations--it’s almost easier to turn off your computer and go back to that journal you hide in between your mattress.

Or…

We can venture on this terrifying journey together.

I’m going to give the pros-- and cons-- of some of the major amateur writing sites, along with what you can expect when using each site.

Perhaps you’re trying to start a new story that you want to be read and commented on, or perhaps it’s something more technical, and you’re looking for a community that not only understands, but can add feedback. Or, maybe you have a great idea for a new blog that you can see going long-term. How these choices are depicted will make all of the difference in the world.

To start this journey, I’ll be looking into Wattpad and how and why it’s so popular.

Until next time...
Keep writing!

The Wondrous World of Wattpad

Welcome to the wondrous world of…

Wattpad! Ta Da.

Wattpad is one of the largest amateur writing communities, ranging from fan-fiction to published stories (yes, people become published through Wattpad sometimes). To start off, here’s a little bit of history on the site.

Wattpad began on November 2006. It was originally used for the distribution of E-books, thanks to the Gutenberg project. After that, Wattpad became more based as a storytelling website, which was more accessible after a mobile application was created for it. Now there are over 45 million users, worldwide.

But why is Wattpad such a worldwide phenomenon? The answer: reading and writing. Wattpad allows users to follow accounts or add books to their personal library, which can then be read on the go from any mobile device. Each chapter ends with a comment section that can be used to let the writer know if you enjoyed their story or what could be changed. If you’re desperate to get more views or followers, you can even ask them to vote for your chapters, but that’s frowned upon so…

Don’t do it.

Getting votes or views can be tricky, but Wattpad has linked up almost every social media site for your writing to be posted to, which can then bring in new readers for you. Another great way to get noticed is to join one of the many, many--and I do mean many-- contests that are hosted. For instance, I just wrote a short story on what beauty means to me and how it relates to the new Beauty and the Beast movie.

Another benefit that Wattpad offers are the hundreds of writing groups that you can join, which allows you to post your story and a cover photo. See? Wattpad has many opportunities for an amateur writer. You just have to be diligent about keeping up with your stories, and responding to someone that comments back.

I also discovered that Wattpad has become so popular that outside sites, such as Adobe Spark and Canva, will create book covers to be posted to someone's stories on Wattpad. That's bananas. I attempted to use both of these sites last night, actually. I didn't do as well as I'd hoped. Although I believe that is due to my inability to handle technology and not because the sites had problems.

For those considering whether Wattpad is right for them, a heads up about the demographic. Most users are in their preteen and teenager years, with a small percentage in their mid-twenties. Although there are fantastic books written on Wattpad, the majority of the story content are fan faction and unfinished chapters of those trying to create a name for themselves.

If you're looking to remain in the millennial or professional age, perhaps Reddit is a better fit. I'll be getting into the back story of Reddit and how to use the site in my upcoming post.

Until then-

Keep writing!

The Wondrous World of Reddit

I’m going to be honest: I’m terrified of Reddit.

The website’s design, the subreddits, the redditors who are articulate and well educated on a subject, and the neverending subject lines- they all scare me.

So I decided to first learn about the site from a very safe distance. The distance called Google. And Google brought me here:

https://about.reddit.com/

It looks so non-threatening right? A good way to become introduced to the site, I think. Colorful, happy images, nice bubbly looking letters.

I think we’re off to a good start.

Now we start our actual journey to Reddit.

Reddit was created by two college kids that wanted to create a space for others to interact, ask questions, and be able to incorporate ideas and conversations.  According to Digital Trends, the most important component to using Reddit is to remember to share. Sharing comments, links, videos, and information is what makes Reddit run, so as long as Redditors do that, Reddit will continue to thrive. Not only that, but apparently Reddit has the ability to upvote and to downvote. The more people upvote something, the faster it gets to the front lines for others to see it. In the same sense, the downvotes do the opposite: the more downvotes, the more it will be pushed back.

Now, onto the topic of subreddits, or sub categories created within the Reddit universe. Apparently, these are communities devoted to smaller niches or topics, which range from Minecraft lovers to specific historical events.

These sub reddits will also include its own lingo, such as “OP” (original post), TIL (that I learned), and AMA (ask me anything). Apparently in the AMA, this is quite common during interviews with influential and/or interesting interviews, where redditors can ask anything. That sounds pretty cool to me.

In the same way that Wattpad can show votes and likes, Reddit has a thing called “Karma”, where the number of upvotes can be seen on a redditor’s profile.

In reality, Reddit is used as a place to escape the “exhibitionism” of other social media sites. There won’t be pictures of people working out, having a cheeseburger, or taking a selfie posted on the site--unless it’s for humorous purposes.

Reddit is a community, built for people who are both professional and blue collar. Anyone can join it and it has something for everyone--I know; I’ve checked.

Speaking of having something for everyone… Pinterest is the place to discover everything. From how to tie your shoe to designing your perfect wedding (groom not needed).

Until next time…

Keep writing!

The Wondrous World of Pinterest

Have you ever been on Pinterest?

I have.

Oh… I have.

The problem with Pinterest is that it’s neverending. You can create boards, can like something and can search every single topic that pops into your mind.

Recipes? Got it. Ideas for Christmas crafts? Sure. How to murder someone? Probably not.

But you can look up how to kill off book characters, get psychological tips to get someone to tell the truth, or just search a list of anime characters, forever.

Although Pinterest doesn’t count as an amateur writing site per se, it does act as a window into a vast world of blogs, journals, websites, etc. Pinterest, in essence, is a doorway to get amateur writers known.

Take Ree Drummond, for instance.

She was an amateur writer who began a blog series in 2007, which gained major popularity so that by 2009, she wrote and published her first cookbook. Food Network was intrigued by her popularity and charisma, and gave her a deal for her show.

Pinterest is geared more towards women (fashion and makeup tutorials are a good indication), but it doesn't segregate against men. Any one can like, pin, or share blogs through Pinterest, which is really what allows bloggers to be known.

Which leads me into my next segment on WordPress--a website designed for blog making.

Until next time...

Keep writing!

The Wondrous Wolrd of WordPress

https://wordpress.com/

How many blogs do you read? Do you know where they come from? Who the is the site behind it?

I bet you didn't know that WordPress is in the URL. I bet you also didn't know that there are over 74 million websites that come from WordPress.

Let that sink in... 74 million. That's more than the population in California and Texas combined.

According to Manage WP, WordPress has become so popular that:

• WordPress keywords hit 37 million searches on Google and other search engines.
• About 50% of the blogs are from the free WordPress.
• There are over 40 translations to WordPress (Holy Mackerel)
• About 6 posts are posted every second

Although there are websites created through WordPress, the majority are just blogs, written by people who have thoughts, ideas, businesses, etc.

In essence? They're amateur writers.

Why is WordPress so popular among amateur writers? For one, it's an open source company, which means that it's created by a community, and not a group of business moguls. Secondly, it's easily accessible for all--from the regular Joe schmo down the street to the fortune 500 company located downtown--and doesn't require a license fee to have one.

The site is easy to use also, which is great for those that don't know how to design websites. When you first sign on, a picture pops up of different boxes: Blog, Website, portfolio, or online store. After choosing one, it opens to a layout design to get started with. After you click that one, you get to create a website name. Then it's choosing which premium you'd like (there is a free option so don't panic), and then enter in your username and password and you are ready to start!

As far as demographics go, blog users are typically from 23 to 35- years-old. So if you're target audience is young adult, I'd suggest Wattpad, or, as I'll be getting into next, Tumblr.

Also, don't be intimidated by the number of blogs through WordPress. When the company started it only had a handful of users, but now it's one of the largest online sites used in the world.

Another site gaining popularity like wildfire? Tumblr (but we'll get into that in my next post).

Until then...

Keep Writing!

The Wondrous World of Tumblr

Tumblr is probably one of the most confusing websites I've ever visited. I know that you can add users and then see their content, but I have no idea what to do after that.

Well! Today is the day that we both learn how to use it!

First, a little background information on the creation of Tumblr. The creator is David Karp, and he created it in 2007 when he was 21-years-old. He decided to move to Japan to build on his computer skills when he was only 17-years-old, a decision that made his dream of building robots turn into building websites. He was ambitious, and because of it, he is now the proud owner of a popular and very successful company.

So for those of you who are wondering how to make it big, maybe Japan should be a place to go first.

And who wouldn't want to come up with such a cool blogging site? It's probably one of the most used sites to re-blog, which then turns into the most hilarious memes found on Facebook.

Example:

Tumblr at it's Finest

So this is basically what Tumblr is about. Either you write original posts or you re-blog other posts. There is a tab on the right hand where users can follow other blogs or explore "all of Tumblr." You can search for buzz words, shows, books, movies, etc. There's something for everyone and once you start scrolling, you'll never stop.

The average age range is between 18 to 29-years-old. The majority of users are female, but there is plenty for males to do on Tumblr as well.

If you are thinking of starting a blog on Tumblr, just know that there are estimated to be 550 million views each month and over 280 million blogs.

Whoa... that's a lot of re-blogging to do.

If this number seems daunting to the amateur writer, fear not! We still have the Writer Cafe and Amazon to explore.

Until then...

Keep writing!

The Wondrous World of Writer Cafe

Personally I have never heard of Writers Cafe.org. After submitting to a ton o' websites that are for amateur writing, I'm surprised this one slipped by me.

I guess you could say I need to fix this...write.

Yeah, not my best pun. But that's okay. Writer Cafe's users can offer me support, suggestions, and/or comments on how to work on that.

The website is a simple design. After signing on, there is a vertical menu where you can click a tab that will open up a new window.

For writing, they have a drop down menu that asks what type of writing will be displayed from story to stage play. Most of the options open up text boxes for title, description, and the place where to write your piece. The only one that requires something first is a chapter, which requires a book to be posted first.

This site is different from the other sites we've already gone over. This is the first one that boasts screenplays and stage plays. Most reviews of the site mention that it is predominantly poetry, which can then be critiqued by other users. The site also offers tabs in the header that offer groups, contests, courses, and publishing. Each tab has a drop down of about six choices, which bring you to a new window.

As far as the site goes, it's very organized. Compared to Tumblr and Wattpad, this one is easily maneuvered and is simple to use. I think the best feature is that it has tabs linked to literary agents, publishing, self-publishing, and literary magazines. That's as close as it gets to amateur writing sites.

There is a more professional aura that comes from users and it's easy to tell that these amateur writers mean business. Their end goal is to make it to the published spectrum, no matter how long it takes. The site is free to join and doesn't seem to have any premiums that must be paid in order to access all areas of the site.

As far as demographic information goes, I haven't found any information regarding age or gender. However, one can assume by general comments of the site that many are between their twenties and thirties while a slew of angsty teenager poetry has driven the older generations to insanity.

So it's anyone's game, I guess. There is also an option on story audience with either general, teen, or mature; a helpful additive to directing content to the right audience.

Since WritersCafe.org offers a doorway to publishing options, I think it's a good segway into how Amazon has become a popular means for amateur writers to become published and known.

Until next time...

Keep writing!

The Wondrous World of Amazon

Amazon is made for Amateur writers.

Not only is it one of the top sites for consumerism in the world, it is also one of the most accessible sites, boasting over 1.2 billion dollars in sales every year.

Along with this are the sales of their books--printed, electronic, and now audio-- Amazon is known as the largest bookstore in the world.

The creation of the kindle, their electronic reader device, opened up the doors for authors to transfer their manuscripts into a mobi format, which is both accessible to Mac and PC users.

Amazon didn't stop there. They also created a way for anyone and everyone to publish a book for the kindle.

This new technology not only will publish a book into a kindle format, but authors don't have to pay a fee to do it and they are entitled to royalties, which range from 35% to 75%, depending on basic or select.  Amazon has given amateur writers the door that they needed-leaving it wide open.

However, there are also some key points to remember for those that plan to go the self-publishing route.

• Publishing on Amazon does not publish to shelves
• The way that e-books become popular is through comments, lending, and purchases.
• Amazon is the largest bookstore in the world
• There are options to publish your book in paper format (for a price)
• There is not a length to your book remaining on its list

Self-publishing, aside from mentioned above, is also based solely on the author's effort to publicize, advertise, and to keep providing more books. If an amateur writer has a book series, this would be the place to think about publishing. More series sell on Amazon Kindle than do single novels, due to the increased popularity.

Despite the flaws of self-publishing, Amazon has become the vigilante against the traditional publishing methods, giving all a means to an end. They also don't keep writers from sending their e-book to other distributors, such as Barnes and Noble, Walmart, and I tunes.

So fear not those that write amateurishly! If you build up a following, a community, or just somehow manage to get liked a lot through kindle, you might graduate from amateur writer to professional writer in no time.

So on that note, I think we've covered a good basis to get one situated in the writing community, how to use various amateur writing sites, and how to get involved in the self-publishing aspect if that's the route one wants to take.

I've discovered a lot myself! I've learned how websites like Reddit and Tumblr break down, and the importance facts to remember when deciding which site to use to reach a demographic audience.

I hope that this information will be helpful to you also, and that no matter what, no matte the struggle, the lack of viewership, the frustration- you will keep writing.

That is the most important component of all. I look forward to meeting you all in the writing sphere, in one place or another.