Everyone has a story to tell. As humans, we have an exceptional ability to collect, communicate, and share our experiences and stories with others. Moreover, for writers amongst us, the joy of telling stories is not just satisfying but also cathartic.?And the best part, we now have a platform where we all, readers as well as writers can come together and share our ideas and feelings through our stories. Wattpad has made this a reality for all of us by providing that platform.?
By the way, did you know that?Wattpad connects a global community of 90 million readers and writers through the power of the story??
The platform could turn out to be an oasis for you if you want to?find?like-minded or for that matter, a diverse group to share your ideas and stories. If you're still not sold on the idea, we have four book writers who collaborated with Wattpad answering every possible doubt you could have.?
Before we delve deeper, let's meet these authors who have managed to weave magic with their words.
1. Tamara Lush
Tamara Lush is a Rita Award finalist, an Amtrak writing fellow, and a George C. Polk Award-winning journalist. She¡¯s a former journalist who writes contemporary romance set in tropical locations, and she writes mysteries under the name Tara Lush. A fan of vintage pulp-fiction book covers, Sinatra-era jazz, and 1980s fashion, she lives with her husband and two dogs on the Gulf Coast.?
She has written stories like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, All I Know, and Love is the Drug.
Find Tamara Lush's stories here.??
2. Carson Faircloth
Carson grew up in a small town, not unlike the rural setting of her debut murder mystery, and discovered both reading and writing at a young age. She has been writing for almost twelve years now! She joined Wattpad back in 2012 as part of that journey. And then, eight years later, the impossible happened: her small-town murder mystery, The Psychopath Next Door, won a Watty Award, breathing new life into her aspirations to pursue a career in writing. When she is not writing (or reading), she can usually be found in a bookstore, in line for coffee, or on her couch with her feline editor-in-chief, watching reruns of The Mentalist and Vampire Diaries.
Carson has written stories like The Bucket List, The Devil Inside, and The Psychopath Next Door.
Find more of Carson Faircloth's stories?here.?
3. Hermyne Khaling
Hermyne is a college graduate in Sociology. She has always loved writing ever since she could remember. She used to write short fairytales as a kid, stitch up the papers together and give them to her friends as presents. She joined Wattpad in the summer of 2016 and has been hyperactive on the site ever since. She has learned and grown together with her readers, built a family and they call themselves the "Hermyneutics" from the planet "Hermyneutic Prime 2". She absolutely loves sitting on a plush couch or her bed doing absolutely nothing while she stares ahead at a wall in absolute silence, cooking up new stories in her head.
She has won several awards for her writing including:
¡ï Wattys 2018 Shortlist Author - Silhouette
¡ï The Fiction Awards Winner 2018 - Best Teen Fiction and Best Story Plot by Silhouette
¡ï The Fiction Awards Winner 2019 - Best Romance by Yours, Raven
Find?Hermyne Khaling's stories?here.? ?
4. Sydney Carvahall
Soumya Singh's pen name is Sydney Carvahall and has been writing on Wattpad for about five to six years now. She likes to draw and hopes to get good enough to make a webcomic of her own someday. She has two tattoos and a dog named Zulu. She tends to spam when she texts and is constantly making horrible jokes and puns, on that note horrible jokes and puns make her laugh.
Sydney has written stories like?Human Untouched: Requiem of the State and Closing Time
Find more of?Sydney Carvahall?'s stories?here.? ? ?
Tamara Lush:??Absolutely! That¡¯s the best part of being on Wattpad, the direct feedback and connection to the readers. I¡¯ve also met tons of amazing Wattpad authors, who are also readers themselves!
Carson Faircloth: Absolutely. Many writers start out as avid readers, and Wattpad is the perfect community for individuals who find themselves on that journey. My experience on the platform has been extremely positive, with both readers and fellow writers alike working hard to uplift one another through the ups and downs of the creative process.
Hermyne Khaling:?Yes. Wattpad gives us new friends and new fandoms. Some readers and writers I met on Wattpad even became very close friends to me, and even if I don¡¯t get to know the other 99.9% of them on a personal level, the fandoms and common platform we share gives us a sense of oneness.
Soumya Singh (Sydney Carvahall):?Developing a sense of community with other writers and readers on Wattpad depends on the type of stories you interact with or write. When I just started out, I would have readers text me or write on my Wattpad profile. And now as a part of Paid Stories Program, I have developed a bond with other writers in the program as well alongside a few loyal readers who've stuck around since the beginning!
Tamara Lush:?Wattpad is my happy place. I know that I can post an update and receive instant feedback and encouragement. A lot about publishing and writing is difficult and lonely, and Wattpad helps me feel more connected.
Carson Faircloth:??I definitely believe writing helps like-minded people connect. I met a very close friend of mine while working on my first project. Our relationship began online, but we now live thirty minutes from each other and meet up every week to bounce ideas off each other.
Hermyne Khaling:?Of course. Wattpad is, after all, a reflection of the "real world". These stories you see about body positivity and minority representation are written by real people, who turn to inclusive, community-driven platforms (like Wattpad) to share their struggles and find readers who can relate to that experience.
Soumya Singh (Sydney Carvahall):??Writing can be very cathartic. When it comes to negative thoughts, or issues, or bottled-up feelings with no outlet- it's often easier to pick up a pen and write down on paper what you can't yell into a pillow or rant about to others. Sometimes you may even find a solution through your writing for your real-life problems. People tend to underestimate the kind of self-therapy writing can provide. From poems to short stories, to just paragraphs of rants- it might seem like it doesn't make sense, but that doesn't matter. The only person it should make sense to is you. And the only person it can help is you.
Tamara Lush:?I believe it does! Many Wattpad writers tackle such topics. I¡¯ve been amazed at how I¡¯ll write or read something and readers will chime in with their own experiences.
Carson Faircloth:?Of course. Wattpad is, after all, a reflection of the "real world". These stories you see about body positivity and minority representation are written by real people, who turn to inclusive, community-driven platforms (like Wattpad) to share their struggles and find readers who can relate to that experience.
Hermyne Khaling:??It does. Many writers and readers are raising awareness on these topics and constantly getting in touch with the community for better understanding, eventually taking the discussion outside Wattpad too.
Soumya Singh (Sydney Carvahall):?Definitely! Art is a reflection of the artist. And art makes an impact on a person even with just a simple glimpse. Take the example of the banana that was taped to the wall as a piece at an art show. Its art, and its simplicity, or idiocy to others, is a reflection of the artist. Now instead of an image, take words on paper or a screen. Those words matter to the person who wrote them. And if it doesn't resonate with you, it will resonate with others. The world is a rough enough place for people without invalidating their existence or issues. Be open-minded, and surround yourself with literature that can help you and others around you. You never know how words, written or spoken, will impact others.
Tamara Lush:?Yes, I think so. Writing is inherently a solitary activity. It can be isolating, and writers are often introverts. Having that connection with readers and a community is essential, and Wattpad helps provide that.
Carson Faircloth:?Yes! Speaking from personal experience, writing can be an extremely lonely endeavor. And "imposter syndrome" is all-too-common, especially with so much talent out in the world. Wattpad is invaluable in that it gives writers a platform to share their work and find readers who will cheer them on along the way.=
Hermyne Khaling:?Yes. Starting from me, who¡¯s an introvert and someone who is not always too confident about my own abilities, I am still baffled by the love my readers have shown me. Now, I have a family who is looking out for my books and accepting me as I am. I even kept my identity private for more than a year, and when I finally revealed my bio, it was really thrilling to see how excited they were to know me more.
Soumya Singh (Sydney Carvahall):??As with any other social media platform, the anonymity of Wattpad plays a massive part in helping people open up on it. Whether it be through their real name or through a pen name, they let out their innermost thoughts, stories, their characters onto a site where it's available for others to read it. And whether that translates into them sharing and opening up to people off of Wattpad or not, is up to them. The community certainly plays a big part in helping people feel accepted and validated. And it has, like any other platform, people similar to them with thoughts and lives like theirs. Interaction creates relations. Relations you need to be ready to open yourself up to.
Tamara Lush:??My books are my refuge from real life. I write romance, so the stories always end happily. Whenever I¡¯m stressed, I know I can slip into my book world and make things right for my characters.?
Carson Faircloth:?For me, writing is less about stress management and more about personal fulfillment. I can't imagine what my life would be like without it.
Hermyne Khaling:?We all feel lost at times. Even I had no idea what was happening in my life for so long. Writing was the one thing that kept me going. It made me feel that at least I was doing something, and I have a task to look forward to. Also, it helps us get our mind off things that bother us, if only for a while.
Soumya Singh (Sydney Carvahall):??At one point in time, writing actually became a bit of a burden with the intense schedule I was keeping. Every free minute I had would be spent typing out the next chapter of 'The Elementalists' or 'Human Untouched' and its sequel. I've long since managed to settle upon a healthy writing schedule that keeps me going with a lower chance of burnout. However, writing did start out as a way for me to escape reality. A way to lose myself and just be someone else as I typed. Writing has been a constant in my life ever since I was 15. It's the only thing about me that hasn't changed, and it will continue to stay that way till the collapse of the internet or my typing fingers, whichever comes first.
Tamara Lush:?Reading is essential for good writing. Wattpad allows me, as an author, to experience so many worlds and cultures other than my own. This has improved my craft greatly!
Carson Faircloth:?My craft has definitely improved thanks to the other brilliant writers on Wattpad. Their stories are a constant source of inspiration. It's also good to research other successful stories on the platform to keep tabs on what's hot in the industry, what readers want to see more of, what works...and what doesn't.
Hermyne Khaling:?It definitely does. We share and learn at the same time on Wattpad. There¡¯s a constant flow of creative knowledge and experience in the community. I certainly don¡¯t know everything, and I have space for improvement, but I wouldn¡¯t have gotten this far without my experiences on Wattpad.
Soumya Singh (Sydney Carvahall):??Writing is an art. The more art you consume the better understanding you gain about it. The more literature you consume, the more your mind is opened to new stories, characters. On a more technical aspect, you might find an author's writing style interesting, or notice how the way they describe the sunlight filtering through the trees in one scene captivated you. How you lost yourself in the character's thoughts as if they were your own, or felt your body move in response to a fight scene on the pages. Everything that makes an impact is retained by your mind, and eventually, that will come out through your writing. Whether it be grammar, mannerisms, or just plain and simple, your own thoughts.
(This story is a part of #StoryCollective, an Indiatimes and Wattpad initiative to encourage storytelling and provide a platform for this generation to meet in a story.)