Community Happenings

10 things to do in your first month on Wattpad

Wattpad is where stories live. It's a place where visionaries like you come to read, write, explore, and create without limits. You made it here, and we couldn't be happier to have you join our global community of more than 85 million people.

Now that you're here, where to begin? We know that joining a new community can be intimidating. There's so much to read, so much to explore, and so many different ways to be a part of Wattpad. To make things easier, we've compiled a bucket list of 10 things you can do in your first month with us.

1. Customize your profile

Express yourself by customizing your Wattpad profile by changing your profile name, background banner, and profile picture. These visuals are part of your story here on Wattpad. They help you form authentic connections within the community. Attract more people to your profile by uploading an interesting profile picture, creating a clever and positive name, using an attractive background image, and creating a banner. Think of your Wattpad profile design as an extension of who you are. Just remember to keep your personal information safe—and to only use imagery you own the rights to. 

2. Read, read, and read some more

Reading is the crux of the Wattpad experience. While it might seem obvious to get reading, it's important to keep your momentum from day one in the community, so that we can keep tailoring your feed to your growing and changing interests. You'll see a collection of stories handpicked for you on your homepage, which is a great place to get started. The Welcome to Wattpad Reading List features some timeless Wattpad classics, as well as fresh stories for you to explore.

3. Search for your new favorite reads

With more than 665 million story uploads and counting, finding the perfect story for you to read can be an overwhelming task. But you have your preferences, and we have special search tools that help you narrow down your next read with ease. You can choose from a variety of Tags, from Diverse Lit to Fantasy, by tapping the Search icon at the bottom of the screen. If you want something even more specific beyond genre, you can enter your Search term and switch results between Stories, Tags, Reading Lists, and Profiles on the results screen. You can also tap the Filters icon on the results screen to narrow down your search by length, completion status, and more.

4. Build your collection

Like your favorite music playlist, you can build your perfect Library on Wattpad. Add as many stories as your heart desires to your Library or customize a personal Reading List. Going on a trip where wifi will be hit and miss or worried about losing your data? No problem. You can save stories for offline reading by tapping the cloud underneath the Story Cover in your Library.

5. Share your thoughts by commenting

Tons of people love Wattpad because of their ability to directly support writers they love and relate to other readers obsessing over the same stories as them. One way to do that and be an active member of the community is through commenting. To comment, all you have to do is hit the plus icon next to the story text or highlight a quote from the story and select Comment. Try it out by commenting "FTR" (First Time Reader) on a new story that has you hooked!

Not quite ready to write a comment of your own? Ease into the community by liking some of your favourite comments! Whether a comment has you laughing, or they've pulled a thought right out of your head, you can share your appreciation by hitting the little heart beside the comment. Like out loud. Connection in the comment section is only a tap away!

6. React in real time

You might be reading alone in your bedroom, but you're never truly alone on Wattpad with Reactions. Did you get to the scary part? Did the two main characters share their first kiss? Reactions make it easy and fun to share your real-time feelings on what's happening in a story. To share a Reaction, tap the plus icon as you would to comment and select a Reaction sticker from the display bar at the top of your screen. This is available on both iOS and Android devices.

7. Follow your favorites

Never miss out on a new upload from your favorite writers by following them to get notified when they post new stories or announcements. Following is easy: Simply open the writer's profile and tap the Follow button underneath their profile picture. Try it out by following @wattpad!

8. Support your favorite writers with Coins

Want a guaranteed hot read handpicked by Wattpad's editorial experts? Unlock Wattpad Originals. All you need to do is buy a Coin pack by navigating to your Profile and tapping the plus icon next to your Coin balance. You can also earn Bonus Coins by completing easy tasks with the Coin Offers feature (available worldwide) or by watching video ads (available in select countries). Each time you unlock chapters or stories with Coins, you directly support writers who create the stories you love. Learn more about Bonus Coins here. 

9. Start writing

Bring those incredible stories in your mind to life by sharing them with the world. Start working on your written masterpiece by tapping the pencil icon at the bottom of the Homepage. From there, you can create a new story or check out the Creators Portal with valuable and entertaining content to kickstart your writing journey here on Wattpad.

10. Stay up-to-date

The best way to stay in the know about all things Wattpad is by making sure you've turned on push notifications and by following us on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

Let us know what other tips and tricks you think new Wattpadders should know in the comments!

Updated: May 6, 2024