Where are the readers?
One author’s journey to get feedback online.
Writer Life
Where are the readers?
Update 6 June 2024: I removed ‘The Taking’ from RoyalRoads and Wattpad.
My decision to stop the experiment stemmed from my journey to publishing my second novel — or attempting to do so through traditional publishing.
The experiment was flawed. I already knew beta readers would stop reading the novel mid-way. Not having fixed this error means it was confirmed by my readership declining sharply at the 40% read mark.
I write fantasy fiction.
Once upon a time, an author wrote a book and submitted it to the local paper, publishing house, or literary agent for distribution. Today, things have changed considerably.
- Self-publishing can be very successful, especially if you have a series of novels.
- A publisher does not provide editing and revision services.
- A good story isn’t enough.
- Literary agents are hard to find.
- Self-promotion is a full-time job.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is where to find readers and feedback on your work. I’m still looking, as it depends.
There is an uptick in print publishing and demand for print. However, a younger generation of tech-savvy readers will find their way to what they want to read.
Online Publishing
For Fantasy fiction, I have narrowed down my online options to:
- Wattpad (Novels, Short stories, poetry): A mixed bag of content that is reviewed by AI software and the powers that be for content. Wattpad was big when it was first released and during the pandemic, but does it really have 80 million active users? Although my novel has views and likes for the preface, I have yet to see an uptick in readers. I turned off email notifications because of the number of spammers looking to “help me market my novel.” I have not been able to read works as the ads are too distracting within its interface, which pushes for a paid experience. Having met at least one avid fan of Wattpad, I will continue with my assessment.
- RoyalRoad (Novels): Have recently requested permission to post my novel here. (TBD) It has a clean interface and is highly recommended on Reddit for being a site with quality work and a good system for keeping out the noise.
- Vocal Media (Short Stories, poetry): As a mirror to medium, everyone’s out to make a buck with possibly more writers than readers looking to win a competition or be read. Sadly, unlike Medium, their format does not allow links or the ability to serialize work. I’m assuming this is to keep people within the platform. For this reason, I will not publish my novel there.
Go Local
As for feedback, local writers' groups are my current go-to for real-time feedback on chapters. Joining the local writer’s community has done wonders for opening my eyes to opportunities to promote my books and to receive or give feedback. Writers helping writers. That still doesn’t hit my demographic. That still doesn’t build my readership.
Self-Promotion
Advertisements on Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, whathaveyou — Is another route I have yet to tackle. I’m saving that for the work that’s in progress.
Traditional Publishing and Distribution
Finally, to publish — there are fantastic resources online for finding the right publisher or literary agent. All of these things take precious time away from writing my novel.
So — the experiment with online publishing continues, and as I push out my next work, I will explore the other avenues.
Leave a comment if you have advice to give or helpful links. I’ll update this article as my online publishing journey continues. — Happy Writing!
First published on AhasaeTharu. Moved to The Erudite Bookworm March 18, 2024.
Update 18 March 2024
My experiment is close to an end. Things may change with another month to go and possibly having the whole book available online.
Wattpad
So far, Wattpad has the most views. However, the grand majority of views are noise from folk looking to market my work. I signed up to Wattpad, expecting it to be a community of writers. The writers are few and far between in terms of relationships built by following or liking other artists' work. I have to say it feels like the Wild West for dodging marketers.
Royal Roads
Crickets. Although I have a draft published every two days, there is very little traction or readers checking out my book. There must be more than meets the eye here.
Vocal Media
I forgot I was publishing here—I’ve even paid for a subscription! I have received warm feedback on some of the stories I posted, and I get a sense of an active and responsive writer community. As my primary publishing platform is Medium, I have yet to see what a broad array of content would bring.
Self Promotion
While writing my next novel, I have not pursued marketing or promoting my existing books. Instead, I look at what others do that catches my eye and take notes. More to come on this topic in future, including Facebook, Discord, and other social media platforms.
Go Local
I conclude this was by far my best tactic. Local writer’s groups like Writer’s Community of York Region and those that meet at the local library have been paramount for receiving feedback.
