Someone say there is no shortcut to success. Yes, they are right.
There have been so many times that I have been jealous of Wattpad writers who have millions of reads and thousands of votes. I’m even bitter because I was never noticed on Wattpad. But I thought, their stories have been written for a long time, I’m still a beginner.
Hello! Please read my story, I will also read yours. Thanks.
Fortunately, I’ve never reached this level of mania, hehe (but I’m not saying those who do this are crazy, huh). It’s just nothing, I thought because I will attract thousands of readers if my work is like moldy bread?
Maybe, many of my readers and writers on Wattpad will fight because of what I have to say, but that’s up to you. Hehe. Because I thought, if I just always follow the trend, if I just always write what other people want, I won’t be able to fulfill what I want for myself. I want to have a story and I will write it because I want to, not because I’m chasing reads, not because I’m chasing votes and likes.
I also thought that I would prefer the story that was written haphazardly over the story that was really worked on and thought about. So I don’t believe in “on-the-spot” written stories. It’s impossible, because from the beginning you already have in mind what you’re going to write. If you’re the type of writer who just keeps writing, well, don’t expect your work to turn out well.
Because a Filipino professor told me, writing is like a pickle. Write now, come back in a day, you can make it better. Come back another day, it might be even better. Apparently, the longer it lasts, the better it tastes. That’s when I learned that I shouldn’t be in a hurry to make my writings look good.
I’m still young, still fresh; It seems that the knowledge of writing is still boring, but maybe that is not the case. I will get the million reads and book votes if my writing is not serious? I will take all that if the bararira is not polished? Can I get a million reads and a thousand votes if my writing doesn’t “sound” professional? Those are important to me because I really dream of becoming a “book author” one day.
I also thought, I don’t need to borrow a Korean face or anyone else to represent my characters. Maybe I can make a picture of them myself in the minds of my readers, right? I’ve thought a lot about the work of many writers on Wattpad that can be out of sync. I can make my own “style”.
Writing is not really easy. It turns out that what the books say is true; It’s hard to write, but if you really want to, just go!
Another thing I learned the most is, no matter how long you write, no matter how many nights you stay awake just to write, no matter how many times you almost get run over because you have your plot in mind, it’s all worth it when someone reads it. Even if only five people read it and commented, you will be very happy. Because for a young writer like me, a simple comment and like is the best reward for my hard work. This is when I realized that I don’t need Wattpad popularity to be happy. Even if only a handful of people read my writings, it makes me very happy!
This is probably the reason why I cried a lot when the likes on my Facebook page flooded since My Firsts With Him was posted on Mga Balitang Pinas (also a Facebook page). I thought, the people who will be obsessed with the love story of Colleen and Arvin will not increase. The comments I received were very heartwarming. To those who read, thank you very much again. Many thanks also to Mommy Joyce who edited and posted here on DF and also on MBP.
Also, I learned to trust God more. It’s cliché when I say I’m inspired by Him, but it’s true. I feel that He really wants me to write so I do. When I write, I ask for His guidance because I can’t create a work by myself. I know I need Daddy God.
Daddy God and writing taught me how to wait. Because, good things don’t come quickly. How many months did My Firsts With Him end before readers loved it?
I’m happy with whatever I have now. If you’re an aspiring writer like me, take your time. “slowly, but surely” is better.
I hope you have learned at least a little lesson from my writing. Hopefully, other aspiring writers out there will read this.
Have a nice day and God bless!