Learning Project: Update 4: Searching for Community

As a recap, below are the goals I set for myself for weeks 5-6 in my original learning project blog:

WEEKS 5-6: Character Development and Story Refinement

Focus: Improve characterization and storyline

Tasks and Resources:

1. Wattpad (Writing Community): Explore online children’s stories for further inspiration and – gulp – share some writing to receive peer feedback.
2. Goodreads (Website): Research highly rated children’s books.
3. Continue testing out ProWritingAid to check character consistency and dialogue flow.
4. Sift through the free guides from Miriam Laundry, provided in her Instagram bio.

With all my noble goals relisted, I must admit that the boxes were not so neatly ticked this week. In some ways, my learning project has been a lonely venture. Writing – in itself – is a personal, introspective task largely prone to introverts. I do not fear the isolation. Where my writing often falters is the community aspect of casting out a larger net to receive constructive feedback.

My first task for this week was to explore Wattpad and begin to build a critique community; to find someplace I could share my work, receive feedback, and connect with like-minded people.

Online Writing Communities: The Good, The Bad, The Deeply Unpleasant

In my original research and outline for this project, all roads kept guiding me to Wattpad… a path that quickly produced a few bumps. If you have never heard of Wattpad – “Where Stories Live” – it is a free storytelling site for aspiring authors, perhaps best known for launching Anna Todd‘s After series into the book-selling stratosphere. How I feel about the quality of that series is irrelevant. More relevant (to this post anyway) is that I quickly realized the platform wasn’t the right fit for me. At all. Not even a little.

To Be Fair (The Pros)

For the sake of thoroughly documenting my learning journey and the online platforms used (discarded?) along the way, I should outline the pros of Wattpad. Just in case you ever find yourself desperately wishing to publish the next big YA novel…

• Reader Exposure: Wattpad has millions of users, so there is a chance of building your readership there.
• Real-time Engagement: Once you’ve posted your work, readers can quickly react to it (please take it with a grain of salt that I’ve listed this in the pro section). If you fear trolls and bots, this “pro” is definitely not for you!
• Writing Resources: Wattpad provides free resources for storytelling, plot development, character building, etc. BONUS!
• Free!: Trust me when I say that it’s rare not to be charged anything for trying to share your writing with a larger audience.
• Success Exists: As previously mentioned, some Wattpad books have graduated to being traditionally published and even adapted into TV/movies.

But Then Also (The Cons)

When seeking a broader writing community, I had to zero in on my purpose: To receive thoughtful feedback from people focused on children’s stories, and definitely not to inspire casual reader engagement with the hope of landing a book deal.

• Market Oversaturation: Anything free usually encourages the masses to descend tenfold on an app or platform’s capabilities. And with millions of stories on a single platform, it’s a tad difficult to get noticed.
• Meaningful Critique, Where Art Thou?: Any feedback received is not vetted by experts. Anyone can respond… and we all know everyone has an opinion. Public feedback trends toward emotional rather than constructive, which doesn’t really help me refine my work.
• Publishing Hazards: Based on my other research, I have learned that many traditional publishers remain hesitant to buy the rights to books that have already been freely shared. Once shared online, we know how hard it is to digitally remove anything.
• Plagiarism Danger Zone: From what I could find, Wattpad provides little protection for your work once you have posted it. Considering how personal the story of David’s Imperfect Perfect Creations is to me, it’s abhorrent to think of my ideas being copied and/or reposted without permission or – even worse – listed under someone else’s name.
  

  My next book editor? Probably not. Photo Credit: StockPack

What To Do, What To Do?

Well, just like the middle of any good story, things did not go according to plan this week. I did begin exploring other free writing communities like Scribophile and Critique Circle, but more on that next week, methinks.

If nothing else, deep diving into online writing communities has made me realize a few things. I am not (yet) ready to financially invest potentially thousands into paid critiques, but I am also unwilling to open my work to unprotected online public spaces where it could be altered or stolen.

Even though my learning project and our EC&I 831 class is based on online learning, the safest and most valuable place for feedback – right now at least – feels like real human connection. Therefore, I am getting my manuscript printed/ready to receive feedback from the younger year’s colleagues and students I spoke of in my original plan. Next week. Eek!

Rather than seek feedback from an anonymous online audience, I’m refocusing on feedback from trusted educators and real children. No bots or trolls in sight! When I think – once again – of my purpose, it isn’t just to write a book. My goal is to share a part of myself that deeply resonates with young readers.

This week was rocky, but I’ll dust myself off. Like Scarlett O’Hara was prone to say,

“After all, tomorrow is another day.”

Stay tuned for next week. I’ll be attempting my next foray into building an online community to receive constructive criticism.  Thank you for reading, and please feel free to leave comments, feedback and/or suggested resources.