The Wattpad Decision

Over the last five years, I’ve written a novel, several poetry collections, and have multiple WIPs scattered across my hard drive. My muse is inspired and very active and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

However, the pile of rejections and changes in my day job have caused me to re-think my goals when it comes to writing. Do I want to be published in the traditional way? Sure, but I don’t think that’s in the cards for me.

I don’t say this because I have doubts in my ability to write. Nor do I question how much I love writing. My doubt lies more in playing the publishing game. It’s a tough industry and I find myself caught between hating to fail and knowing when I’ve hit my limit.

Over the last six months, I’ve been rejected more than I care to mention. It’s demoralizing to say the least, especially when I love the novel I’m pitching, (This has been the trend for not just the last six months, but the last 5 years). On the poetry front, it’s been a little more positive with good stats for my haiku blog and a strong showing in nation wide competition, but I’m still left wanting what every writer wants … readers.

During the same six months, my day job has taken off in ways I never expected. Achieving National Board Certification turned out to be a much bigger deal than I thought and it’s opened doors I didn’t even know existed. In the next school year, I’ll be taking on a new administrative role that comes with new responsibilities. I’m excited and passionate about doing more for my school and students.

When I sat down and put all these pieces together, I realized when I’m finding more success at the day job, the dream job has to change shape! I’ve looked into self publishing on various platforms, but the more research I did, the more I realized it just isn’t for me. The amount of time needed for things other than actually writing the book is far more than I have available!

Then, I discovered Wattpad. It’s a mix of social media and online publishing that allows writers and readers to interact. However, the appeal for me is the ability to publish a book that is accessible on any device with the Wattpad app. It reads like an eBook and allows readers to comment as they read. There are pros and cons like any other platform, but I like the wide audience (65 million members), the support features for writers, and the connections it has with the publishing industry.

I’ve decided to give Wattpad a try by starting with some small poetry collections. If I like the results, I may choose to go a little further. The endgame for me is to release my work out in the open and to have a wider readership. The social media aspect is also a selling point – I want more interaction with readers and the chance to interact with other writers beyond the blogosphere, (I love you all here, but it’s not as social!).

I’m pleased to announce my first collection is now available on Wattpad. Threads is a collection of contemporary haiku that explores subtle moments of nature and human existence. It’s a collection I originally created for the 2015 November Poem A Day Chapbook Challenge, but have since edited and refined. It is currently published as an ongoing work, which means I will be adding new poems until the collection is complete.

All you need to read Threads is a Wattpad account. It’s free to join and works on just about every device (laptop, phone, tablet, etc). Click on the cover below and it will take you straight to Threads.

I’m so excited for this new venture, but I will also still be blogging! Stay tuned for poetry, photographs, and musings of a writer.

 

Happy reading!

 

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c.b.w. 2018

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